A wearable manipulator for supporting extra-vehicular activity: Concept and a prototype for ground test

Abstract

To support astronauts during Extra-vehicular Activity (EVA), a novel wearable manipulator for supporting EVA, which is attached to the EVA suit or handrails mounted on the outer wall of the space station, was proposed. The significant feature of the proposed manipulator is its ability to work together with astronauts as a highly functional tool, unlike conventional support robots which operate independently. A prototype of the wearable manipulator for ground test was built based on the requirement analysis, and some preliminary tests validated that it could work under the gravity environment on the ground without self-weight compensation provided no external load was exerted.