Tele-Operation Control of Robonaut on the International Space Station

Robonaut, a humanoid robot, was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2011. The purpose of this mission is to demonstrate the ability of a humanoid robot to assist astronauts in both IVA and EVA tasks. Various levels of supervised autonomous controls are normally employed to manage the activities of the robot. However, in some cases, controlling the robot by commanding motions that mimic the motions of a human operator, called teleoperation, is desirable. The teleoperation control method puts the human directly in the control loop to perceive and understand the robot's environment and take desired actions within the workspace of the robot. Robonaut is continuously expanding its operational envelope through continued checkout and experiments with the goal of routinely performing tasks that range from mundane (e.g. cleaning and other housekeeping tasks) to risky (e.g. EVA duty). The Robonaut Teleoperation System (RTS) has been shown to be a useful tool for handling unexpected or unique circumstances in the robot's workspace and allowing the crew to perform 'hands on' operations remotely. The paper discusses the development of the RTS including design considerations for use in space, software approach, and crew training for ISS operations. As with any system on the ISS, special considerations were made to ensure the safety of the crew, the robot, and the Space Station. Issues related to the flight certification of this system are also addressed.