A CLOSE-UP FIBER OPTIC REMOTE VIEWING SYSTEM FOR ROBOTIC AND TELEOPERATED SYSTEMS

PHYSICAL ACCESS WITHIN CONFINED SPACES IN SPACECRAFT LIMITS THE ABILITY OF TELEOPERATED MANIPULATORS/ROBOTS OPERATORS TOOBSERVE WORK ACTIVITIES. VIEWING IS OFTEN OBSTRUCTED AT THEEND-EFFECTOR WORK ENVELOPE DUE TO THE RELATIVE INFLEXIBILITYOF POSITIONING CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION (CCTV) CAMERAS AND LIGHTING ON THE ROBOT. THE PHASE I PROJECT WILL ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY OF AND DEVELOP A PRELIMINARY DESIGN FOR A REMOTELY OPERATED, INTERCHANGEABLE FIBEROPTIC VIEWING SYSTEM THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO A MANIPULATOR'S END-EFFECTOR FOR USE WITH END-OF-ARM TOOLING OR FOR CONDUCTING REMOTE INSPECTION OF INTERNAL STRUCTURES. THE SYSTEM WOULD EMPLOY AN INNOVATIVELY DESIGNED, REMOTELY ENGAGEABLE CONNECTOR THAT WOULD BE ATTACHED TO THE MANIPULATOR'S END EFFECTOR. MANIPULATOR-MOUNTED CCTV CAMERAS AND LIGHTS WOULD CONNECT VIA COHERENT FIBEROPTIC CABLES TO THE REMOTE CONNECTOR. A MATING CONNECTOR, FIBEROPTIC CABLES, AND A MINIATURE LENS SYSTEM WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO TASK-SPECIFIC, END-OF-ARM TOOLING FOR UNOBSTRUCTED, CLOSE-IN OPERATOR VIEWING OF A WORK-TASK TOOL USED WITH THE MANIPULATOR. THIS CONCEPT ALLOWS INTERCHANGEABLE, REMOTE TOOLS TO HAVE SELF-CONTAINED REMOTE VIEWING STRATEGICALLY INTEGRATED FOR OPTIMAL WORK EFFICIENCY AND ENHANCED OPERATOR VIEWING. PHYSICAL ACCESS WITHIN CONFINED SPACES IN SPACECRAFT LIMITS THE ABILITY OF TELEOPERATED MANIPULATORS/ROBOTS OPERATORS TOOBSERVE WORK ACTIVITIES. VIEWING IS OFTEN OBSTRUCTED AT THEEND-EFFECTOR WORK ENVELOPE DUE TO THE RELATIVE INFLEXIBILITYOF POSITIONING CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION (CCTV) CAMERAS AND LIGHTING ON THE ROBOT. THE PHASE I PROJECT WILL ASSESS THE FEASIBILITY OF AND DEVELOP A PRELIMINARY DESIGN FOR A REMOTELY OPERATED, INTERCHANGEABLE FIBEROPTIC VIEWING SYSTEM THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO A MANIPULATOR'S END-EFFECTOR FOR USE WITH END-OF-ARM TOOLING OR FOR CONDUCTING REMOTE INSPECTION OF INTERNAL STRUCTURES. THE SYSTEM WOULD EMPLOY AN INNOVATIVELY DESIGNED, REMOTELY ENGAGEABLE CONNECTOR THAT WOULD BE ATTACHED TO THE MANIPULATOR'S END EFFECTOR. MANIPULATOR-MOUNTED CCTV CAMERAS AND LIGHTS WOULD CONNECT VIA COHERENT FIBEROPTIC CABLES TO THE REMOTE CONNECTOR. A MATING CONNECTOR, FIBEROPTIC CABLES, AND A MINIATURE LENS SYSTEM WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO TASK-SPECIFIC, END-OF-ARM TOOLING FOR UNOBSTRUCTED, CLOSE-IN OPERATOR VIEWING OF A WORK-TASK TOOL USED WITH THE MANIPULATOR. THIS CONCEPT ALLOWS INTERCHANGEABLE, REMOTE TOOLS TO HAVE SELF-CONTAINED REMOTE VIEWING STRATEGICALLY INTEGRATED FOR OPTIMAL WORK EFFICIENCY AND ENHANCED OPERATOR VIEWING.