Robotic vision/Sensing for space applications

Abstract

In the past decade, visionisensing systems techniques have received significant attention for applications in robotics and automation. The thrust of automation and robotics for space applications has been proposed for increased productivity, improved reliability, increased flexibility, higher safety, and for the performance of tasks unsuited to humans. These benefits can be insured through automating time-consuming tasks, increasing productivityiperfornce of crew-accomplished tasks, and performing tasks beyond the capability of the crew. This paper provides a review of efforts currently in progress at the WASNJohnson Space Center and at Rice University, the accomplishments to date, and some of the anticipated future developments. Both systems and algorithms are discussed. The evolution of future visionisensing is projected to include the fusion of multisensors ranging from microwave to optical with multimode capability to include position, attitude, recognition, and motion parameters.The algorithms for information extraction would incorporate aspects of intelligence and knowledge for the interpolation and extrapolation of the needed data. The key features of the overall system design will be small size and weight, fast signal processing, robust algorithms, and accurate parameter determination. These aspeces of visionisensing will also be discussed in this paper.

Recent advances in the development and transfer of machine vision technologies for space

“…Two detailed papers [1,2] on enabling machine vision/sensing technologies for space applications appeared in the recent literature. In what follows, we highlight some key concepts and developments in the activities with which the authors have been connected.…”

Real-time object determination for space robotics

“…(a task to be handled autonomously by NASA's Flight Telerobotic Servicer.) These tasks require machine vision which models three-dimensional spatial structures and which perceives relative motions [2]. The most general case is to solve for twelve degrees of M o m (three translation and three rotation parameters, for both the robot and the satellite).…”