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Stewart Platform Based Prototype Tele-Manipulator

Technology Category: Tele-Manipulation

Description: The prototype Stewart platform based tele-manipulator was developed under a contract with DARPA to investigate alternative designs for robotics manipulators. The system components are a pneumatically powered slave manipulator, a sensor based master input device, and a control system for tele-operation. This system was designed to provide the operator with full range of motion and all the degrees-of-freedom a human presently has. What makes this system unique is the master and slave units are kinematiccaly similar, with the master being a lightweight, sensor based device which does not restrict the operator or require lengthy training. This prototype system can achieve the speed of an human arm and lift 10-15 lb. objects with little effort.

Point of Contact: Jake Tucker (509) 375-2811