Remotely controlled devices will be used extensively to support Space Station Freedom on-orbit assembly, maintenance, and payloads. These include crane-type or remote manipulator systems (RMS), dexterous robots, and remotely-piloted free flyers. A hand controller evaluation process has been established at NASA's Johnson Space Center to determine the appropriate hand controller configurations required to support these devices. Three test facilities include dynamic computer simulations, kinematic computer simulations, and physical simulations. The dynamic simulator supported a rate-controlled RMS and a free flyer. The kinematic simulator supported a rate-controlled RMS and a rate or position-controlled dexterous manipulator. The physical simulator supported a rate, position, or force-reflecting dexterous manipulator. Standard interfaces were developed to evaluate six different hand controllers in all three facilities. The hand controllers included six degree-of-freedom (DOF) position and rate mini-master and joystick controllers, and three-DOF rate controllers. There were six tasks and four non-astronaut subjects per task. All six controllers were tested for each task. Six astronauts then completed all tasks using all controllers for each task. Data collected included task performance data, subjective comments, and anthropometric data. The results of these evaluations were then used to make hand controller configuration recommendations to the Space Station Freedom Program.

Perturbed camera views (e.g., reversed, inverted/reversed, inverted) will often be the primary mode of visual feedback for remote manipulator operators during the assembly, maintenance, and servicing of NASA's existing as well as future space craft and installations. This report describes a preliminary investigation of the use of perturbed visual feedback during the performance of simulated space-based remote manipulation tasks. The primary objective of this NASA evaluation was to determine to what extent operators exhibit adaptive strategies which allow them to perform these specific types of remote manipulation tasks more efficiently while exposed to perturbed visual feedback. A secondary objective of this evaluation was to establish a set of preliminary guidelines for enhancing remote manipulation performance and reducing the adverse effects. These objectives were accomplished by studying the remote manipulator performance of test subjects exposed to various perturbed camera-viewing conditions while performing a simulated space-based remote manipulation task. Statistical analysis of performance and subjective data revealed that remote manipulation performance was adversely affected by the use of perturbed visual feedback and performance tended to improve with successive trials in most perturbed viewing conditions. Information gathered in this study was then used to develop a set of adaptive strategies which can serve as an aid in the training of future remote systems operators and a set a preliminary guidelines concerning remotely operated systems design (e.g., camera placement, control system development, and workstation design).

Voice input for control of camera functions was investigated in this study. Objectives were to (1) assess the feasibility of a voice-commanded camera control system, and (2) identify factors that differ between voice and manual control of camera functions. Subjects participated in a remote manipulation task that required extensive camera-aided viewing. Each subject was exposed to two conditions, voice and manual input, with a counterbalanced administration order. Voice input was found to be significantly slower than manual input for this task. However, in terms of remote manipulator performance errors and subject preference, there was no difference between modalities. Voice control of continuous camera functions is not recommended. It is believed that the use of voice input for discrete functions, such as multiplexing or camera switching, could aid performance. Hybrid mixes of voice and manual input may provide the best use of both modalities. This report contributes to a better understanding of the issues that affect the design of an efficient human/telerobot interface.

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