ANALYSIS OF THE HUMAN MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM FOR TELEOPERATOR SYSTEM DESIGN

TELEOPERATORS ARE KEY COMPONENTS OF FUTURE SPACE EXPLORATIONMISSIONS. AS THE USE OF THE TELEOPERATORS AND THE LENGTH OFTIME PEOPLE OPERATE THEM INCREASES, IT HAS BECOME NECESSARY TO EVALUATE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ERGONOMIC PARAMETERS OF THE SYSTEM. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THIS NEED BY MODELING THE HUMAN MUSCULO-SKELETAL (M-S) SYSTEM. THE MOTION OF THE LIMBS, AS WELL AS THE MUSCLE AND JOINT REACTION FORCES REQUIRED TO PRODUCE THE TELEOPERATOR MOTION AND TO OVERCOME ITS FEEDBACK FORCES, ARE INCLUDED. THE MODEL WILL BE USED TO ESTABLISH AND TO VERIFY REPRESENTATIONS FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION DUE TO PAIN AND EXHAUSTION AND TO SUGGEST OPTIMAL POSITIONS TO EXTEND THE OPERATOR'S PERFORMANCE. PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT WILL BECONCERNED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GENERAL MODELING PROCEDURE FOR THE HUMAN M-S SYSTEM AND WILL ASSESS ITS APPLICATION IN THE EVALUATION OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE OF TELEOPERATORS. TELEOPERATORS ARE KEY COMPONENTS OF FUTURE SPACE EXPLORATIONMISSIONS. AS THE USE OF THE TELEOPERATORS AND THE LENGTH OFTIME PEOPLE OPERATE THEM INCREASES, IT HAS BECOME NECESSARY TO EVALUATE THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ERGONOMIC PARAMETERS OF THE SYSTEM. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THIS NEED BY MODELING THE HUMAN MUSCULO-SKELETAL (M-S) SYSTEM. THE MOTION OF THE LIMBS, AS WELL AS THE MUSCLE AND JOINT REACTION FORCES REQUIRED TO PRODUCE THE TELEOPERATOR MOTION AND TO OVERCOME ITS FEEDBACK FORCES, ARE INCLUDED. THE MODEL WILL BE USED TO ESTABLISH AND TO VERIFY REPRESENTATIONS FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION DUE TO PAIN AND EXHAUSTION AND TO SUGGEST OPTIMAL POSITIONS TO EXTEND THE OPERATOR'S PERFORMANCE. PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT WILL BECONCERNED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GENERAL MODELING PROCEDURE FOR THE HUMAN M-S SYSTEM AND WILL ASSESS ITS APPLICATION IN THE EVALUATION OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE OF TELEOPERATORS.