Morphing Upper Torso: A Novel Concept in EVA Suit Design 2006-01-2142

The University of Maryland Space Systems Laboratory and ILC Dover LP have developed a novel concept: a soft pressure garment that can be dynamically reconfigured to tailor its shape properties to the wearer and the desired task set. This underlying concept has been applied to the upper torso of a rear entry suit, in which the helmet ring, waist ring and two shoulder rings make up a system of four interconnected parallel manipulators with tensile links. This configuration allows the dynamic control of both the position and orientation of each of the four rings, enabling modification of critical sizing dimensions such as the inter-scye distance, as well as task-specific orientations such as helmet, scye and waist bearing angles.

Half-scale and full-scale experimental models as well as an analytical inverse kinematics model were used to examine the interconnectedness of the plates, the role of external forces generated by pressurized fabric, and the controllability of the system. The kinematics of the system were investigated, and tensile forces in the links were quantified to determine actuator requirements. A third experimental model was developed to eliminate material effects and thereby quantify the loads born by the pressure garment, thus allowing further understanding of the behavior of this highly complex system. This lightweight, resizable, dynamically reconfigurable suit certainly makes the MUT concept appealing as a candidate for a next generation planetary exploration suit.