Low-Gravity Robotic Arm System (L-GRAS)

Motiv proposes to enable the continued search for lifersquo;s origins through the development of an extremely lightweight manipulation system used for scientific sampling.nbsp; The L-GRAS accomplishes this by preserving precious mass required to reach remote destinations and delivering robustness to the harsh environments, which are becoming more preferential for scientific interest. Motiv intendsnbsp;to leverage the lessons learned during Phase I of the L-GRAS effort to a) architect a lightweight, extreme environment manipulation system which can be augmented with end-effectors befitting of the destination and b) advance the TRL of the system via prototyping and testing of the robotic system in Phase II.nbsp; Several technological advances manifest themselves within L-GRAS and differentiate the system from prior robotic architectures.nbsp; Examples of these technologies are specialized actuation seals to protect against dust and contamination incursion, cryogenic operable motor control avionics which inherently reduce mass and power needs, light weighted actuators, and modular flex arrangements to easily allow scalability of the system