The Influence of Telemanipulation-Systems on Fine Motor Performance

Abstract

Extravehicular activities (EVAs) are a hazardous
and expensive procedural method to operate in outer space. A
possible support or alternative for manned missions in terms
of on-orbit servicing are telemanipulation-systems. Whether
or not such systems can actually achieve the efficiency of
suited astronauts remains a central issue in telemanipulation
research. Both scenarios, extravehicular activities as well as
telemanipulation-systems, are restricted by different
environmental factors, especially in terms of tasks that
require fine motor skills. For suited astronauts, different
factors, such as restricted mobility and reduced tactile
feedback through the gloves, as well as a restricted field of
view, impair fine motor skills. On the other hand, time delay,
limited degrees of freedom and restricted haptic and visual
feedback are amongst the factors, which may cause
impairment of performance during the work with
telemanipulation-systems. In order to compare the efficiency
of both scenarios, a testbed equipped with typical mounting
tasks was developed. An experimental study showed that the
testbed is a valid measure of fine motor skills. In two followup
studies, the influence of some factors debilitating fine
motor performance in telemanipulation-systems and
simulated extra-vehicular activities was analysed and
compared.