Universal Munitions Handling Robotic Arm

This proposal describes the development of a new, highly capable and flexible, robotic arm based on a combination of serial and parallel kinematic elements and modern computer control processing. By combining the features of a large range-of-motion articulated arm with a precise 6 degree of freedom hexapod manipulator, large gains will be made over currently available robotic systems in terms of precision, range, and payload capacity. Completely new capabilities include the inherent ability to place munitions within internal weapons bays under low-slung aircraft, while bay doors remain fully extended. This ability is facilitated by a novel re-configurable hexapod design. Force sensors built into the robot elements and intelligent control will enable active prevention of jamming, and the user interface will feature a new, generic, intuitive approach to positioning all munition types. These features, combined with an adaptable grasping mechanism at the end effector and advanced real-time control processing, will achieve a dramatically improved performance envelope over current munitions loaders, allowing the MHRA to accomplish any task in the realm of USAF munition loading operations. The proposed development leverages a large and rapidly growing experience base in the design, delivery, and operation of specialized hexapod manipulator systems.