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"The Little Ranger," a mobile remote handler, extends man's reach and dexterity into radioactive, explosive or other danger zones "off limits" to humans. Monitored by TV or viewed through a shielding window, "The Little Ranger" can manipulate 50 lb. loads, reach up to 8 feet, tow an 850-pound weight, and turn on its axis. The platform 1 m square which carries a single arm and two cameras in a stereo arrangement, on a central column is mounted on a tracked vehicle and is connected to the human control station by a cable, which has the effect of limiting the permissable movement of the vehicle.

Whilst looking like a mock-up, the "Little Ranger" was real and on the market in 1961 from General Mills – yes, the American breakfast food and cereal company, built materials handling equipment. Their success and novel designs led them to build remote-handling manipulators for the then new nuclear industry. Some senior engineers spun off this division to become Programmed and Remote Systems (PaR Systems). Their success and expertise was such that they were invited to propose space manipulators.

Above: Image from article that appeared in Science and Mechanics magazine, February 1963. Below: Cover of same magazine issue showing artist's conception of "Little Ranger" transformed into "Huge Ranger" with a pair of arms rather than just one.

Above: (a)

Floyd Van De Weghe with the "Little Ranger" c1961.

PaR was a subsiduary of GCA when the model below came out.

The PaR-1 mobile manipulator. The vehicle and manipulator are powered and controlled by cable. The manipulator arm and the two TV cameras are mounted on articulated booms. The height of the central support tube is 68 inches. The PaR-1 has been used in nuclear emergencies.

See separate post on PaR-1 a.k.a. "Herman" here.

See also post titled "1960 – Space Manipulators – General Mills" for description on GM's approach to manipulator design concepts.

See other early Teleoperators here.

NORTHROP CORPORATION
NORAIR DIVISION
HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA
INTRODUCTION
Participation in various system studies concerned with space and extraterrestrial environments has developed within Northrop Corporation, Norair Division, an acute awareness of the requirements for extra-vehicular protection of personnel in these unfriendly environments. This awareness has led to classification of work environments, anticipated tasks, and consideration of remote-handling solutions to special problems. The resulting remote-handling concept runs a gamut of complexity from manned to unmanned devices. The Northrop approach to remote-handling equipment is summarized in figure 1.

The individual factors are more completely defined in table I.

PRINCIPAL DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
The following design considerations for both the overall system, the remote-handling systems, and other subsystems directly affect the requirements for remote-handling equipment:
System Compatibility
Vehicles, subsystems, and components must be designed to be compatible with the handling system to insure that it is possible to:
a. Minimize the number and types of tools required
b. Minimize the number of operations required to install, remove, and replace test  
and checkout equipment, etc.
c. Minimize the force required for tool effectiveness  
Visual Presentation  
It is essential that the task area be visible to the Operator either through:
a. Direct view, or
b. Visual aids (optical system, electronic system)  
Ease of Operation and Maintenance
As with any system for use in connection with space operations, it is mandatory that the system require minimum maintenance and easy operation. This then requires factors of:
a. High reliability
b. Adequate operator restraint for extra-vehicular operations
c. Balanced forces and masses for minimum perturbations  
Environmental Protection  
Extra-vehicular operations may require special protection devices such as:
a. Sunshades
b. Meteor screens
c. Inflatable structures
d. Furiable structures

PROBLEMS OF EXISTING MANIPULATORS
The human engineering problems associated with remote manipulators are numerous and difficult. Experience generally suggests three major problem areas where research efforts may be most profitable:
Feedback
Many of the manipulator problems may be traced to either a lack of, or an inappropriate, feed-back arm or grasping mechanism. In the "natural" setting, an operator may use any one or a combination of his senses to obtain the necessary feedback information. However, when the operator uses existing remote manipulators, the distance to the manipulated object, the intervening manipulator mechanisms, and the "unnatural" control-display relations may place blocks or filters in the feed-back channels. Research directed toward removal of these blocks and filters or toward substitution of alternate channels appears promising. Experiments are now being conducted on a method for providing actual feedback for manipulators. Tentative research suggests that back pressures or kinesthetic feedback on control arms may not be required for all the degrees of freedom.
It appears very difficult to give the operators direct analogy of the qualities of texture and temperature. Assuming that research analysis shows these qualities are necessary, further investigation may be pursued toward using alternate feedback channels. For instance, research has shown the feasibility of using an auditory feedback which gives an indirect indication of texture and temperature.
A great deal of data is available to establish and identify the role of vision and visual feedback in the performance of manual tasks. It is important that the design of manipulators be such that the necessary visual functions are included. Hence, the human factor problem area is not the redefinition of well established visual requirements but rather the determination of the effects of the various restricting factors associated with manipulators, such as distance, optical limitations, etc.
To illustrate, the stereoptic visual function required for various manual tasks is well established. However, stereoptic cues diminish rapidly with distance, become distorted with most optics, and are difficult to maintain with existing stereo-television systems. A series of investigations and experiments has been conducted to develop a stereoptical rangefinder with television which may be applied to providing stereopsis for manipulator use.
The human engineering problem area with respect to other senses is somewhat different from that for the visual or kinesthetic and tactical feedbacks. For these other feedback senses (i.e., auditory, olfactory, etc.), two research needs are prominent. First, more information will be needed on the roles which these other senses actually play in manipulative tasks. Second, more information will be needed on the roles these senses can play. To illustrate the first, it might be asked just how important is it for the manipulator operator to hear a bolt tightening? The second might be illustrated by asking  what are the limits of a blind man's auditory information?
Manipulator  Strength, Dexterity, and Mobility
This second major human engineering problem area is concerned with the strength, mobility, and dexterity requirements of the man-manipulator subsystems. There are two major phases to determining these human engineering requirements. The first is the need for gathering and classifying basic data through function and task analysis methods. The second into consider and evaluate alternate methods.
Integration of Manipulator and Manipulated Objects
A third major problem area lies in the integration of a man-manipulator subsystem with the equipment on which it will be used. To date, the manipulator and its operator have had to do the job of handling items designed pimarily for manual handling and operation. Because these items were built for manual handling, the design philosophy of existing manipulators has been, to one degree or another, to try to duplicate the physical characteristics of the human. Manipulators built to this philosophy are logically limited at best to human physical limitations, and in practice, to only a fraction of these limitations. However, by designing system components for manipulator handling rather than for manual handling, the limits of the anthropomorphic approach are removed. Certain functions and tasks could possibly be accomplished more efficiently with man-manipulator subsystems than by current manual methods.

CONCEPTUAL HANDLING DEVICES
The maintenance capsule illustrated in figure 2 would give the operator a direct-handling capability by means of the gloved sleeves or detachable tools. Semi-remote handling capability would be obtained either by attaching remote-handling tools to the ends of the sleeves (in lieu of gloves) or by attaching at the capsule-sleeve interface, Further remote-handling capability would be provided by combining the capsule with an adapter as shown in figure 3.
A capsule of the type indicated would serve as a multi-purpose vehicle providing: (a) protection for personnel engaged in maintenance or repair operations, (b) an emergency escape vehicle, and (c) an emergency rescue vehicle. The capsule would consist of a multiple-walled cylinder equipped with adjustable slippers that move over a rail network on the satellite's exterior. Used in conjunction with the stabilizers, these slippers provide constraint for the capsule during translations along the surface of this satellite and stabilization during maintenance and repair operations. Maneuvering jets are provided for control during the infrequent times when the capsule would be detached from the satellite. Flexible sleeves equipped with couplings for either gloves or special tools would be located below the observation window. A spotlight for illuminating the work area is located on the chest area, and stowage facilities for parts or tools are conveniently located around the surface. The capsule would also be equipped with the systems necessary to support a man for several days. However, these systems are used only intermittently or during an emergency since the parent satellite would supply air, power, and communications through an umbilical connected near the work area.
For external maintenance operation, the occupant of the capsule would be provided with an emergency full pressure suit. The capsule is equipped with rendezvous couplings which are compatible with all of the parent vehicle's external airlocks and airtight doors. When these couplings are retracted the capsule can be taken into the satellite via the personnel airlock for maintenance and servicing of the capsule systems.
Figure 3 illustrates the adaptor concept. Here, the manned capsule shown in figure 3 is mated with the adaptor and is connected to the adaptor's systems by umbilicals. The adaptor is provided with a heavy-duty micromanipulator for handling large masses and with light-duty micromanipulators for performing more precise operations such as tuning and adjusting internal components. The device is supported by four adjustable legs which clamp to the parent vehicle's structure. Free space maneuverability is provided by the capsule's maneuvering jets. Maneuverability over the parent vehicle's structure in accomplished by sliding the adaptor along an external rail network. The capsule can leave the adaptor when the task is completed. The adaptor provides power, propulsion expellant, parts storage, a holding fixture (the heavy-duty micromanipulator) for parts being worked on by the micromanipulators or by the gloved or tooled capsule arms, and other supporting systems such as illumination, test and check capabilities, etc.

Source: "Survey of Remote Handling in Space", D. Frederick Baker,  USAF, 1962

See other early Space Teleoperators here.

See other early Lunar and Space Robots here.

LOCKHEED AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
LOCKHEED-GEORGIA COMPANY
MARIETTA, GEORGIA
INTRODUCTION
The first manipulative tasks required of man in a space operation will be those associated with establishing a station in orbit or with operating a manned vehicle or station in orbit. Practical environmental control systems required for human survival will probably result in performance degradation at best and total incapability at worst.
It in assumed that a human operator will be necessary to monitor, control, or perform assembly and repair operations in space. The various degrees of human input in increasing order of human contribution are thus typified in
a. Self-repairing or self-assembling systems
b. Robot-repairing or robot-assembling systems
c. Human operator-repairing or human operator-assembling systems.
The Self-repairing or self-assembling systems are systems which are completely mechanised. Since the space environment will not affect their basic functioning substantially, only monitoring is necessary.
The robot-repairing and robot-assembling systems add mobility to the required operations. However, such systems have seldom proved satisfactory in the earth environment and their deficiencies are compounded in space.
The most useful and the most promising vehicle systems are those which utilize, in the most direct manner, human capabilities. The equipment which maintains a habitable environment for the human operator while accomplishing his task and the equipment which provides the means of performing the tasks are considered to constitute a vehicle system.
A detailed theoretical study on construction of specific space systems for remote landing does not seem to be warranted until simulation is available to confirm the analysis. Thus, development of a simulator with this capability is essentlal. Recognizing this, the Georgia Division of Lockheed has established some broad requirements for space systems and is using them to study and establish simulator requirements and concepts.
 
THE VEHICLE SYSTEM CONCEPT
A general description of one type of vehicle system that might be used for remote handling in space is presented to illustrate how simulation of such a system might be accomplished. A typical sequence of tasks to be accomplished in space station assembly might be:
a. Secure components to prevent drift.
b. Locate specific component package.
c. Restrain component and move to assembly area.
d. Remove protective covers and prepare for assembly.
e. lndex components to be assembled.
f. Hold indexed components during attaching act—such as bolting, riveting, or welding.
g. Seal and make wiring and plumbing

Once the primary need and mission of such a vehicle system is established, secondary applications should be studied. Such applications for a space station assembly and maintenance vehicle system might be:
a. Recovery of payloads boosted to the vicinity of a space station
b. Transfer of personnel or cargo between space stations
c. Emergency escape
d. Satellite inspection
Studies and reports made by Lockheed-Georgia Division indicate that the best vehicle systems will probably result from a philosophy which minimizes vehicle mass. Due to the environment and basic physical relations, it seems unlikely that any "Sunday Funny" type space suit will be practical. Thrust nozzles will be fixed to a rigid frame and have some degree of automatic control. Such a system requires fuel for accelerating and then decelerating. If the vehicle mass becomes excessive, the amount of fuel required becomes large and aggravates the situation. By assuring that research and test equipment is designed into the space stations rather than into these utility vehicle systems, a lightweight vehicle system should evolve. Examples of such systems are shown in figures 1, 2. and 3. These concepts are described in refs. 1 and 2.

By means of curtains, lights, and projectors the external visual environment can be simulated.  
A combination of insulation and recordings can provide the proper aural environment.
This simulator would permit development of remote-handling systems and design of space equipment which would be tested prior to launch. Training of operators for the vehicle systems and handling equipment should be invaluable as training of operators for hot laboratory manipulators now is.
In summary, the best remote-handling space system should result from the proper matching of the operator and equipment. One of the best means of achieving this matching is by simulation. Such simulation can hardly be postponed further since the results of studies would be invaluable in designing the first space systems requiring handling, assembly or repair operations, and in training the men who will operate them in space.
REFERENCES
1. Space Station Assembly and maintenance. ER 3469, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation.
2. Space Suit Design Study, ETP 186, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation-Georgia Division,
3. An Advanced Slight Simulator, ETP 152, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation- Georgia Division, Marietta, Georga, March 1959.

Source: "Survey of Remote Handling in Space", D. Frederick Baker,  USAF, 1962

See other early Manned Space Manipulators and Teleoperators here.

See other early Lunar and Space Robots here.

SANTA MONICA DIVISION
DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT COMPANY, INC.
SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA
NONANTHROPOMORPHIC SPACE SUIT
The "Humpty-Dumpty, " a nonanthropomorphic space suit (capsule), consists of an egg-shaped cylinder capable of supporting at least one man who is engaged in assembly, maintenance, or similar-type tasks in outer space (see figure 1). The capsule itself contains an ecological system capable of maintaining near ideal environmental conditions for approximately 30 hours. On the internal walls of the vehicle there are rotating panels which allow the astronaut complete monitoring of the environmental conditions of the vehicle and also afford him direct feedback as to the ongoing state of affairs of his propulsion system and many mechanical appendages. The astronaut sitting at his central control panel map at his discretion, rotate the wall panels to a position which is most advantageous to him for the direction in which he is facing. The rotating panels are necessitated by the fact that the viewport of the vehicle completely circles the astronaut. Due to radiation hazards the viewport is covered by a rotating shield which may be positioned by the astronaut to face in any direction.
Fastened to this shield are two floodlights for operations conducted in the dark. Three of the specialized mechanical arms of this "astro-tug" maybe rotated through 360 degrees around the tug and thus afford the occupant complete maneuverability without actually rotating the vehicle itself. These specialized arms have specially equipped hands composed of tools which may be utilized in outer space—e.g.,
drill, acetylene torch, paint and plastic applicator, screw driver, etc. Three fixed arms on the base of the vehicle are theoretically constructed to accomplish operations which call for powerful movements similar to those necessary for positioning two fuel tanks together, holding the astro-tug to a second vehicle while construction or maintenance is performed, and the like. Gripping is done through the use of finger-like clamps on the outer portion of the limb.

To effect propulsion and guidance of the  system, three nozzles on rotating spheres are used.
Two of these nozzles are located on the "x" center of gravity axis. These are responsable for the main propulsion of the unit. The third unit is at the bottom of the capsule and may be used to correct maneuvers conductive to tumbling or, if this vehicle is to be used in a gravity environment, this third unit may be used to suspend the capsule above the surface of the gravity environment.
While the astronaut is given complete manual control of the vehicles through the propulsion system, he may also utilize the inertial platform of the capsule to maintain any position automatically and thus free all six mechanical arms for a complex task. Control of all six mechanIcal arms is accomplished through the central control  panel via fingertip control. The arms act in response to any movement of the hand.
Two internally sealed, anthropomorphic-type arms have been included on the vehicle so that, in case there is some specialized or precise type of task to be done which is not a direct capability of the mechanical arms, the operator may insert his own arms into these flexible shieldings and perform the operation.
Access to this vehicle is obtained either through a hatch constructed in the plexiglas front or through a doubly scaled hatch on the top the capsule.

PROJECT MERCURY CONVERTED CAPSULE
A second concept for a nonantropomorphic-type space suit would essentially be constructed from off-the-shelf items. It would be possible to utilize the Project Mercury Space Capsule and re-entry body as a space suit for assembly, maintenance, or similar-type functions. To do this, the major additions to the system would merely be a translucent plastic observation port on the forward portion of the capsule and an assembly of mechanical arms to be attached in place of the parachute package. These arms could in turn be foldable into their shaft holder. Figure 2 illustrates the design configuration. Modifications of the capsule world also be necessary in that the fuel tanks for propulsion would have to be enlarged to allow maneuvers in space. The interior would have tope slightly rearranged to allow inclusion of controls and panels associated with the mechanical appendages. While there are many disadvantages to this system (e.g., provisions for stabilization of attachments to a second vehicle while accomplishing tasks are presently not considered feasible), the most immediate advantages are the decreased cost of development and the fact that this vehicle may be included in a satellite system for utilisation as an escape vehicle which is readily altered, while spaceborne, into an astro-tug.
The feasibility of a capsule of this nature must be considered in any future analysis of an extra-vehicular space suit.

Source: "Survey of Remote Handling in Space", D. Frederick Baker,  USAF, 1962

•    Douglas Aircraft Company Humpty Dumpty Space Capsule
The Humpty Dumpty capsule is another non-anthropomorphic concept. The craft is egg-shaped and is capable of supporting one man in space for approximately 30 hours in a self-contained environment. Three stabilizer and three manipulator arms are mounted to the outside of the craft.
There are also two anthropomorphic gloves mounted on the craft through which the astronaut may perform certain functions.
This concept (rigure 5-16) was also proposed about 1960.

See other early Teleoperators here.

See other early Lunar and Space Robots here.

GE Orbital Space Tug

MISSILE AND SPACE VEHICLE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
INTRODUCTION
The General Electric Company has been active in the manipulator and remote-handling equipment fields for several years. primarily in connection with its nuclear laboratories and test facilities. The application of remote-handling equipment to operations in space and lunar situations is a logical extension the work in remote handling. Remote handling will play a definite role in the exploration of space. Investigations of remote-handling equipment for space operations have indicated that considerable research and development work will be required to produce functional remote-handling systems capable of performing the necessary tasks in space.
A great deal of material has been written about the hazardous nature of the space environment, which precludes the necessity of discussing the reason for remote handling in space. Remote-handling equipment should and will be used wherever possible to eliminate the necessity for directly exposing man to space. Normally, the first approach to design for remote handling for earthbound situations is to avoid it whenever possible. The opposite approach, to make maximum use of remote-handling design principles in designing space vehicles and equipment, may well be required.
The remote-handling equipment still require new design approaches of a revolutionary rather than evolutionary nature.
TYPICAL SPACE TASKS
Many tasks in space may have to be performed by remote-handling equipment. In the near earth orbital region, which ranges roughly from 400 to 600 miles above the earth, there are many proposed programs for satellites, manned vehicles, and space stations which will require utilization of manipulators and remote-handling equipment. Such tasks as assembling and disassembling, loading and unloading. inspecting, testing, handling, checkout, and servicing can be performed by remote means. Remote equipment will undoubtedly play an an part in the maintenance of satellites and space stations (see figure 1). Manipulators might be used as a device for grappling, docking, and mating between vehicles or subassembly sections. Several conceptual vehicles for orbital operations, such as the popular space tug have included manipulators as an integral part of their design.

LUNAR MISSIONS
The broad area of lunar missions will include many applications for remote-handling equipment. In addition to the tasks already mentioned, exploration, sampling,  and experimentation might be performed remotely. The construction and servicing of lunar base facilities,  particularly nuclear power systems, may well be handled by remote equipment. A simple, compact, highty dextrous manipulator may be required as an integral part of a space suit to overcome the problem of the gloved hand and to provide a space-suited man with some semblance of manual dexterity. Wheeled or tracked vehicles capable of lunar surface mobility will use remote-handling equipment to perform a variety of functions (see figure 2). As the conquest of space moves from exploration through economic development to mature economic operation, the projected advances in the state-of-the-art of remote-handling equipment dictate that much equipment will be used to an ever-increasing extent in space.
PROBLEM AREAS
There are, of course, many problem areas associated with the design and development of remote-handling systems for space applications. A rather detailed analysis of the remote-handling tasks for each specific mission will be required. The problems of force feedback and tactile perception are important in terms of the information furnished to the operator of remote-handling equipment and manipulators, as well as the "body image" and "frame of reference" problems. The competent operation of remote-handling equipment is heavily dependent upon visual access. Should this access be remote or direct using optical or television techniques? The areas of output control, control transducers, and control actuation requires considerable study. Present control actuation methods for manipulators do not appear operable in the space environment. Pneumatic or hot gas actuation systems seem to hold promise for application to manipulators. Similarly, the results of concurrent work in the fields of materials, structures, mechanisms, bearings, and seals for space vehicles and equipment will have to be implemented. Special effort may be required in these areas to solve problems peculiar to remote-handling equipment. Early recognition and definition of all these problem areas are instrumental to development work for space remote-handling systems. Basic research will undoubtedly be required in many of these areas.

GENERAL DESIGN
Many general design characteristics of manipulators and associated equipment are already apparent. Early space manipulators are expected to be simple with somewhat limited dexterity and force reflection capability. They will be capable of simple, basic movements and operations. The relative simplicity of these early models will necessarily be due to problems with such items as materials, bearings, seals, and control actuation. Also, the size and weight of equipment associated with manipulators, particularly electrically controlled manipulators, limit the complexity and dexterity of these early systems since there is a limit to early booster payload capability. Early remote manipulators will probably be used to position, locate, and place in operation special, self self-contained automatic mechanisms or programmed machines capable of specific operations as required by the specific mission in order to provide the overall remote-handling ssytem capabilitys A new approach to the design of this equipment is required using previous designs and configurations are guide lines rather than as first approximations. The established philosophy of designing vehicles and equipment to be handled or operated on by remote means so as to augment the remote-handling equipment itself will have to be used to a very great extent. This includes consideration of such things as grasping points, register points, orientation indicators, and pilot pins.
CONCLUSIONS
As advances are made in the many technologies used in remote handling, equipment will become more complex and capable of a greater variety of operations. The role which remote handling plays in space can be a large and vital one. Just how large depends upon how much timely develupment work can be started to make equipment available when the need for it arises. Careful planning and study, along with the early initiation of development programs, will insure the future of remote-handling equipment in space.

Source: "Survey of Remote Handling in Space", D. Frederick Baker,  USAF, 1962

See other early Teleoperators here.

See other early Lunar and Space Robots here.