NASA Contest: Design a “Smart” Coarse-positioning Arm

  • Status: Closed
  • Pris: $1500
  • Bidrag mottagna: 15
  • Vinnare: Calixdesign

Tävlingssammandrag

Design a “Smart” Coarse-positioning Arm (SCA)

In this contest, you are asked to design a “Smart” Coarse-positioning Arm (SCA) that will be mounted to Astrobee and move a stowed end effector to a specified location and control the end effector. The SCA receives all power and high-level commands from the Astrobee free flyer, but implements the following functions autonomously: stowing and deploying from a payload volume, positioning its free end at a specified location near and Handrail, and orienting Astrobee by panning and tilting it.

How it works: Initially, the SCA will be packed in a stowed configuration. When powered and commanded by the Astrobee, the SCA must be capable of performing three operations autonomously:

1) deploy, which involves moving from a stowed configuration and placing an interface plate at a pre-determined location and then commanding the End Effector to attach,
2) orient, which involves the SCA moving the attached Astrobee side to side and up and down around the now-static interface plate, and
3) stow, which involves commanding the end effector to stow and then stowing itself and the attached end effector back in the stowage volume.

Click on the links below to see detailed design instructions, constraints and solution templates for this problem.

Challenge rules:
The prize will be awarded for the lowest mass, technically feasible solution, submitted by the contest deadline.
No working prototype is required for submission, but the design must be sufficiently detailed to allow experts to assess the feasibility of your design (i.e., comply with all requirements) and the credibility of your mass estimate.
Only complete submission packages will be evaluated.

UPDATE: See "Figure 6 and Requirement 2 on panning and tilting.pdf" attached.

Rekommenderade kompetenser

Arbetsgivares feedback

“Calix K. developed an innovative design for a “Smart” Coarse-positioning Arm (SCA) for a free flying robot designed for the International Space Station. This was a contest and this design was selected from 23 entries as the most feasible and least mass design. Calix K. provided an impressive design submission and has been very responsive in providing everything that is needed. This was the 2nd contest where Calix K. has developed the winning robotic solution.”

Profilbild nasacoeci, United States.

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Klargörandetavla

  • nasacoeci
    Tävlingsinnehavare
    • 5 år sedan

    Please join us in congratulating Calix K. as the winner for this challenge. Thanks to all of the participants for all of your hard work on this challenge. Again, the evaluation team was very impressed by the great designs submitted for this contest and the evaluation was not easy. We hope that many of you will participate in the rest of the challenges that we will be posting over the next few weeks.

    • 5 år sedan
  • nasacoeci
    Tävlingsinnehavare
    • 5 år sedan

    This contest is now closed. Thank you for all of your hard work on some really great designs. The team will be evaluating the submissions and announcing the winners as soon as we can (likely about 1-2 weeks). There are several other contests currently active with even more launching this month. We look forward to seeing more of this amazing talent! Thanks!

    • 5 år sedan
    1. Sumon205
      Sumon205
      • 5 år sedan

      Thanks a lot......

      • 5 år sedan
  • maximyudayev
    maximyudayev
    • 5 år sedan

    Quick last minute question, for the previous contest, when I uploaded it I immediately received 3 stars for complete solution, however, right now upon submitting a seemingly complete solution, no stars have been offered. Does it mean there is something wrong with the file?

    • 5 år sedan
    1. maximyudayev
      maximyudayev
      • 5 år sedan

      Thank you very much Triassic R.!

      • 5 år sedan
    2. nasacoeci
      Tävlingsinnehavare
      • 5 år sedan

      Thanks for covering this Triassic. That is correct. Once we do a quick review, we use 3 stars to indicate that the submission looks complete (per the submission guidelines). This one ended early on a Saturday morning, so we were a bit late on getting the last minute submissions checked. I just checked both and they both look good. Thanks.

      • 5 år sedan
  • varunvp
    varunvp
    • 5 år sedan

    NASA, due to lack of time, I may not be able to complete this. But thanks to your answers, I will hopefully be able to contribute to the other challenges.

    • 5 år sedan
  • Myrds
    Myrds
    • 5 år sedan

    Will the other contests be extended as well?

    • 5 år sedan
    1. nasacoeci
      Tävlingsinnehavare
      • 5 år sedan

      There is no current plan to extend other challenges. however, we are trying to be responsive to feedback from freelancers since we recognize the challenge of working on multiple, parallel contests.

      • 5 år sedan
  • nasacoeci
    Tävlingsinnehavare
    • 5 år sedan

    Hi all, thanks for all of your questions on the SCA challenge. Because of them, we wanted to clarify Figure 6 and Requirement 2 on panning and tilting.

    During panning and tilting, you are allowed to move the Astrobee radially away from the geometric center of the End Effector Interface Plate. See the new file attachment which shows an image showing another acceptable configuration for the panning and tilting motion to avoid any conflict with the End Effector Keep Out Zone.

    (Link to Contest Descripton: https://www.freelancer.com/contest/NASA-Contest-Design-a-Smart-Coarsepositioning-Arm-1328497.html... Open attachment “Clarification of Figure 6 and Requirement 2 on panning and tilting.pdf”)

    Notice the Astrobee has been moved away (light gray Astrobee) from the the End Effector Keep Out Zone to prevent conflict the SCA.

    Additionally, because of this confusion, we will be extending the challenge another week.

    • 5 år sedan
  • Myrds
    Myrds
    • 5 år sedan

    Hello NASA, I just would like to confirm something. In your submission guidelines, you indicated an end effector volume(on the deployment) and an end effector keepout volume. During panning and tilting, is it ok if some parts intersect the end effector volume(the one on the deployment) but but does not intersect the end effector keep out volume? Kindly confirm asap for a few days are left and I still need to finish the documentation. These is more in particular around the sides of the end effector volume(indicated at the deployment area) during panning and tilting.

    • 5 år sedan
    1. nasacoeci
      Tävlingsinnehavare
      • 5 år sedan

      For your question: "Or maybe, let us say, End Effector Volume (Page 3) will only be used to test for stowing and deployment, and End Effector Keepout Volume (Page 5) will only be used to test tilting and panning. Please correct me if I am wrong. Thank you." That is correct.

      • 5 år sedan
    2. Myrds
      Myrds
      • 5 år sedan

      Thank you.

      • 5 år sedan
  • varunvp
    varunvp
    • 5 år sedan

    There is a step of 25 X 25 mm in the SCA + End effector stowage volume, in the bottom front of the astrobee. Will this step exist after the SCA has been deployed? Why is that step there? Is it to clamp the end effector in place when it is stowed?

    • 5 år sedan
    1. nasacoeci
      Tävlingsinnehavare
      • 5 år sedan

      There is no physical thing or potential block in that step cutout when your system is commanded to deploy.

      • 5 år sedan
    2. varunvp
      varunvp
      • 5 år sedan

      Thank you for the clarification!

      • 5 år sedan
  • Myrds
    Myrds
    • 5 år sedan

    Also NASA, just to clarify. On page 6 of SCA Submission Guidelines, is the PAN and TILTING be presented separately or as a combined orientation? Thank you.

    • 5 år sedan
    1. nasacoeci
      Tävlingsinnehavare
      • 5 år sedan

      The Astrobee will separately command the Astrobee to pan and tilt. However, the Astrobee could definitely tell the arm to first move in one direction, and then move in the other direction, resulting in an Astrobee that is both panned and tilted simultaneously.

      • 5 år sedan
    2. Myrds
      Myrds
      • 5 år sedan

      I will just present it then in a combination of TILT and PAN. Thank you.

      • 5 år sedan
  • Myrds
    Myrds
    • 5 år sedan

    Though it may lack time, and NASA can just implement it in the actual prototyping. Is it necessary to show the wiring on the designs? Although, I did not include the wires from previous competitions as well.

    • 5 år sedan
    1. Myrds
      Myrds
      • 5 år sedan

      For the wirings, maybe I will just add a presentation the shows the wirings (3D with wire sketch, like how others presented it), showing how wires are attached and another presentation for the circuit (3D and PCB layout design). This I will be adding on the design drawings.

      • 5 år sedan
    2. nasacoeci
      Tävlingsinnehavare
      • 5 år sedan

      That is excellent!

      That is excellent too and so is just sketching on CAD images using a utility like paint would help us in assessing your design's feasibility. Thank you for your efforts.

      • 5 år sedan
  • varunvp
    varunvp
    • 5 år sedan

    Hey NASA, is it OK if the Astrobee, after tilting or panning, doesn't face towards the centre of the End Effector interface plate? What I mean is, just pure translation motion of the Astrobee about the End Effector interface plate, but no rotation of Astrobee about it's own co ordinate axes. I hope you get my question.

    • 5 år sedan
    1. nasacoeci
      Tävlingsinnehavare
      • 5 år sedan

      The intent of the SCA is to make the Astrobee rotate around the interface plate to point in different directions and different orientations. There is a camera on the Astrobee and we want to be able to angle it to see different things in the ISS without having to go to a new ISS Handrail.

      • 5 år sedan
  • TriassicXYZ
    TriassicXYZ
    • 5 år sedan

    Requesting an extension please.. #extended

    • 5 år sedan
    1. nasacoeci
      Tävlingsinnehavare
      • 5 år sedan

      Just extended by 10 days. Hope that helps.

      • 5 år sedan
    2. TriassicXYZ
      TriassicXYZ
      • 5 år sedan

      Thank you

      • 5 år sedan
  • Myrds
    Myrds
    • 5 år sedan

    Hello NASA. I am confused about your plates, particularly the drawings and I don't know what to use. (A) On page 3-6 your end effector interface plate uses a FEMALE DSUB connector, while on page 12, the end effector interface plate uses a MALE DSUB connector. Which should I use in the design. (B) Also interface plates, based on drawings are already fixed with screws. Like the screws on the astrobee interface plate fixed to astrobee and the screws of the end effector plate fixed to the end effector. Just to confirm, are these screw holes intended to attach these plates to the indicated parts, or are these screw holes intended for attachment purposes of the SCA design? (3) How thick are the plates? This is to be able to create a more accurate positioning, specially for the end effector plate. Thank you.

    • 5 år sedan
    1. Myrds
      Myrds
      • 5 år sedan

      So to summarize, my assumptions are the same. Summary indicated as, (1)The SCA will be using a Female DSUB connector that will be connected to the SCA-End Effector Plate that uses a Male DSUB Connector. (2) The screw holes are for SCA design attachments and not for attaching the plates to the astrobee or to the end effector part. (3) Plates are 4mm thick with screw holes that are all thru (4mm deep). Please correct me NASA if I understood it wrong. Thank you.

      • 5 år sedan
    2. nasacoeci
      Tävlingsinnehavare
      • 5 år sedan

      (1) Correct
      (2) The screw holes on the Astrobee Interface Plate are for attaching the SCA to Astrobee. The screw holes that SCA must supply are for attaching the end effector to the SCA. Astrobee< --SCA < --End Effector
      (3) All of these screw holes are, or must be, 4 mm deep.

      • 5 år sedan
  • Myrds
    Myrds
    • 5 år sedan

    Hello NASA, just to confirm, we are not going to design an end effector and will just be representing it as a plate and a volume. And there are no automated attachements like the SPAM?

    • 5 år sedan
    1. Myrds
      Myrds
      • 5 år sedan

      I've been reading the SCA problem description over and over again. It seems that we don't need to create an End-Effector, and use specified volumes instead. Please correct me if I am wrong.

      • 5 år sedan
    2. nasacoeci
      Tävlingsinnehavare
      • 5 år sedan

      You are correct, the end effector is not within the scope of this subproblem and you are to represent it as the volume and interface plate attached to that volume described. That being said, you still need to provide commands and power to the end effector to perform its own autonomous operations.

      • 5 år sedan
  • fbcouto
    fbcouto
    • 5 år sedan

    The angles passed through commands Pan and Tilt are positions to be reached? If no, for instance, two consecutive commands would be considered incremental?
    If after command Pan(45) the SCA receives a command Tilt(30) the SCA needs to Pan(-45) and then Tilt(30) or the SCA will Tilt directly 30 degrees maintaining 45 degrees?

    • 5 år sedan
    1. nasacoeci
      Tävlingsinnehavare
      • 5 år sedan

      The angles for pan and tilt are absolute relative tot he SCA-End Effector Interface Plate and that two consecutive commands would not be incremental. If commanded to Pan (45) and then receiving another command to Tilt(30), the final orientation would be expected to be 45 degrees in Pan and 30 degrees in Tilt. The path you take to acheive this outcome is entirely up to your design however (i.e. if you need to go to a different orientation to acheive that outcome, you may)

      • 5 år sedan
  • nasacoeci
    Tävlingsinnehavare
    • 5 år sedan

    Please refer to the contest description and the attached submission guidelines for all of the elements required for this contest. Make sure you take the exit survey and include the resulting code in your submission.

    • 5 år sedan

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