EXTRAVEHICULAR MOBILITY UNIT HELMET MOUNTED DISPLAY

HELMET MOUNTED DISPLAY (HMD) SYSTEMS PRESENT MANY POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO OVERCOME CURRENT DISPLAY LIMITATIONS OF EXTRAVEHICULAR SPACESUITS. IN THIS PHASE I EFFORT WE PROPOSE TO INVESTIGATE THE PRELIMINARY OPTICAL AND MECHANICAL DESIGNS FOR INCORPORATING AN HMD SYSTEM WITH THE EXTRAVEHICULAR MOBILITY UNIT (EMU). THE DESIGN GOALS ARE TO PROVE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE HUD SYSTEM ON THE EMU WHILE PROVIDING A LOW PROFILE LOW POWER DISPLAY SYSTEM HAVING EASY ACCESS FOR SUITED CREW MEMBERS. THE SPECIAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS OF SPACE (SUN AND NIGHT) NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DESIGN TRADE OFF AND SELECTION PROCESS. WE PROPOSE TO DESIGN THE OPTO-MECHANICAL LAYOUTS TO BE RELATIVELY DISPLAY SOURCE INDEPENDENT. IN PHASE II WE WILL FINALIZE THE OPTICAL AND MECHANICAL DESIGNS, AND BUILD A PROTO TYPE SYSTEM TO DEMONSTRATE THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR APPROACH.