Display Comparison for Six-Degree-of-Freedom Force/Torque Control

A device has been developed (by others) which senses and displays forces and torques generated at the end of a manipulator arm. This device was integrated and evaluated in the one-g version of the Space Transportation System Canadian remote manipulator system arm at the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Evaluations of astronaut performance and preference under varying task conditions and using alternative display formats were performed. Findings indicate that providing visual graphic feedback of force and torque information affects both the time taken to do manipulator tasks and the size of forces generated during these tasks. Also, the format of graphics used affects operator reaction time.