Bernhard Brunner

ICRA Conference 2015 Conference Paper

The OOS-SIM: An on-ground simulation facility for on-orbit servicing robotic operations

• Jordi Artigas
• Marco De Stefano
• Wolfgang Rackl
• Roberto Lampariello
• Bernhard Brunner
• Wieland Bertleff
• Robert Burger
• Oliver Porges

On-orbit servicing involves a new class of space missions in which a servicer spacecraft is launched into the orbit of a target spacecraft, the client. The servicer navigates to the client with the intention of manipulating it, using a robotic arm. Within this framework, this work presents a new robotic experimental facility which was recently built at the DLR to support the development and experimental validation of such orbital servicing robots. The facility allows reproducing a close-proximity scenario under realistic three-dimensional orbital dynamics conditions. Its salient features are described here, to include a fully actuated macro-micro system with multiple sensing capabilities, and analyses on its performance including the amount of space environment volume that can be simulated.

ICRA Conference 2009 Conference Paper

Rollin' Justin - Mobile platform with variable base

• Christoph Borst 0001
• Thomas Wimböck
• Florian Schmidt 0001
• Matthias Fuchs
• Bernhard Brunner
• Franziska Zacharias
• Paolo Robuffo Giordano
• Rainer Konietschke

Research on humanoid robots for use in servicing tasks, e. g. fetching and delivery, attracts steadily more interest. With “Rollin' Justin” a mobile robotic system and research platform is presented that allows sophisticated control algorithms and dexterous manipulation. This video gives an overview of the mobile humanoid robotic system “Rollin' Justin” with special emphasis on mechanical design features, control issues and high-level system capabilities such as human robot interaction.

ICRA Conference 2007 Conference Paper

A humanoid upper body system for two-handed manipulation

• Christoph Borst 0001
• Christian Ott 0001
• Thomas Wimböck
• Bernhard Brunner
• Franziska Zacharias
• Berthold Bäuml
• Ulrich Hillenbrand
• Sami Haddadin

This video presents a humanoid two-arm system developed as a research platform for studying dexterous two-handed manipulation. The system is based on the modular DLR-Lightweight-Robot-III and the DLR-Hand-II. Two arms and hands are combined with a three degrees-of-freedom movable torso and a visual system to form a complete humanoid upper body. The diversity of the system is demonstrated by showing the mechanical design, several control concepts, the application of rapid prototyping and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) development as well as two-handed manipulation experiments and the integration of path planning capabilities.

ICRA Conference 2000 Conference Paper

Advances in Orbital Robotics

• Gerhard Hirzinger
• Bernhard Brunner
• Roberto Lampariello
• Klaus Landzettel
• Jörg Schott
• Bernhard-Michael Steinmetz

Outlines the situation in orbital space robotics with special reference to what DLR (German Aerospace Center) has contributed to the field. After our ROTEX experiment, the first remotely controlled space robot inside the space shuttle, the Japanese ETS VII has now been the first remotely controlled free-flying space robot. We had the opportunity to control this arm from the ground, too, including the use of the robot arm as a satellite attitude controller. It is outlined how it is now time to take the next steps towards operational ground-controlled space robot systems, presumably first on the International Space Station, but later on as free flying robonauts assisting or even replacing extra vehicular activities.

ICRA Conference 1994 Conference Paper

ROTEX - The First Remotely Controlled Robot in Space

• Gerhard Hirzinger
• Bernhard Brunner
• Johannes Dietrich
• Johann Heindl

In April 1993 for the first time in the history of space flight, a small multisensory robot performed a number of prototype tasks on-board a spacecraft (spacelab D2 on shuttle COLUMBIA) in different operational modes that are feasible today, namely preprogrammed remotely controlled operations by the astronauts using a control ball and a stereo TV-monitor, as well as remotely controlled from ground via the human operator and machine intelligence. In these operational modes the robot successfully closed and opened connector plugs (bayonet closure), assembled structures from single parts and captured a free-floating object. Several key technologies have made this space robot technology experiment ROTEX a big success: multisensory gripper technology, local (shared autonomy) sensory feedback control concepts, and the powerful delay-compensating 3D-graphics simulation (predictive simulation) in the telerobotic ground station. This paper focusses on the tele-sensor-programming approach and the predictive simulation used for remote ground control. >

IROS Conference 1994 Conference Paper

Task directed programming of sensor based robots

• Bernhard Brunner
• Klaus Arbter
• Gerhard Hirzinger

We propose the so-called TeleSensor programming concept that uses sensory perception to achieve local autonomy in robotic manipulation. Sensor based robot tasks are used to define elemental moves within a high level programming environment. This approach is applicable in both, the real robot's world and the simulated one. Beside the graphical off-line programming concept, the range of application lies especially in the field of teleoperation with large time delays. A shared autonomy concept is proposed that distributes intelligence between man and machine. The feasibility of graphically simulating the robot within its environment is extended by emulating different sensor functions to achieve a correct copy of the real system behaviour as far as possible. The programming paradigm is supported by a sophisticated graphical man machine interface. Sensor fusion aspects with respect to autonomous sensor controlled task execution are discussed as well as the interaction between the real and the simulated system. >

IROS Conference 1993 Conference Paper

Multisensory shared autonomy and tele-sensor-programming-Key issues in the space robot technology experiment ROTEX

• Bernhard Brunner
• Gerhard Hirzinger
• Klaus Landzettel
• Johann Heindl

Outlines key technologies in the approach of the author's research establishment to space robotics. Based on multisensory gripper technology, local on-board sensory feedback, and predictive graphic simulation (with emphasis on sensory simulation) a tele-sensor programming concept is introduced that allows sensor-based teleoperation in spite of large signal delays as well as sensor-based off-line programming following a "learning by showing" concept. A small multisensory robot based on these concepts has flown in space with a ten-day Space Shuttle mission. This robot technology experiment ROTEX was very successful and showed that, with these sensor-based concepts, even present-day space robots can perform different prototype tasks in a variety of operational modes, including automatic (reprogrammable) operation, and on-board teleoperation using human and/or machine intelligence.

IROS Conference 1992 Conference Paper

Multisensory Shared Autonomy - A Key Issue In The Space Robot Technology Experiment ROTEX

• Gerhard Hirzinger
• Johann Heindl
• Klaus Landzettel
• Bernhard Brunner