Sensor-Fused Interactive Perception for Adaptive Space Robotics

IFOS proposes an innovative multi-purpose and multi-functional dexterous manipulator system for autonomous robots such as Astrobee, featuring an end-effector comprising a set of fingers with embedded fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. This lsquo;sensitive skinrsquo; can convey tactile and force feedback information to an interrogator that controls the fiber-sensed actuators and downstream, an active wrist. Thanks to synergism with ongoing advanced development efforts at IFOS, it is expected that Phase I of the project will involve the customized design of a miniaturized interrogator ndash; I*SenseNanotrade; ndash; leading to a Phase II demonstration of the interrogator. Enabled by the latest advances in photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology, the interrogator with volume under 210 cm3 can be accommodated in the Astrobee, where it will interface with other systems to perform numerous IVA tasks including structure inspection, and parameter sensing.