Robotic Telepresence: Applications of Human Controlled Robots in Air Force Maintenance

This paper describes the major technology required to perform human controlled robotic servicing of military aircraft during sortie regeneration in a chemical, radiological, or biological attack. Current and projected Air Force aircraft are designed to be serviced by human maintenance personnel. Wartime operations might make it desirable to remove these maintenance personnel from the hazardous flight line environment. Robots with human-like interface characteristics such as dexterous manipulators, vision, touch and hearing might be necessary to complete these tasks. The presentation will outline Robotic Telepresence as one solution to the complex requirement of rearming and servicing aircraft without exposing humans. The technology, when fully developed, will have maintenance personnel control robots that have quasi- anthropoid features from remote stations. Unique human capabilities are to be retained in the control loop while robotic ruggedness will be exploited. Research and development opportunities cross the traditional boundaries between hardware engineering and human factors applications. Unique challenges in this approach to integrate the human and the machine will be identified.