Citation

Chang KH, Cross II. J. Occup. Accid. 1988; 10(3): 179-189.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1988, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

NASA has committed to the design and implementation of a Space Station Flight Telerobotic Servicer (FTS) to assist the astronauts in assembly, maintenance, servicing, and inspection tasks on the Space Station and the Space Shuttle. One of the major requirements of FTS is safety. An acceptable level of safety can only be reached by analyzing and implementing safety issues through the conceptualization, design, construction, and operation phases of the FTS. This safety requirement is not solely dependent on the visible hardware components such as manipulators and hydraulic systems. It is also dependent on the underlying software which controls every action of these hardware components. This article discusses three issues that are crucial to robot software safety. These issues include software design philosophy, software operation modes, and a safety subsystem.