Universal computer control systems (UCCS) for space telerobots

A space telerobot system may contain forty or more motors under computer control. A Universal Computer Control System (UCCS) is under development at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for all motor elements of a space telerobot. The basic hardware architecture and software design of UCCS are described together with the rich motor sensing, control and self-test capabilities of this new all-computerized motor control system. UCCS is integrated into a multibus computer environment with direct interface to higher level control processors, uses PWM power amplifiers, and one unit can control up to sixteen different motors simultaneously at a high I/O rate. UCCS performance capabilities are illustrated by a few data. UCCS is now used with customized software at JPL for telerobot research, development and future demonstrations.