Adaptive control man-augmentation system for a suspended work station

An adaptive control man-augmentation system for controllably moving a load manipulator, comprising:

• a support structure including at least one movable member supporting a load manipulation means;
• means for moving said at least one movable member to move said load manipulation means in preselected directions;
• means for continuously monitoring the position of said load manipulating means relative to a predetermined support structure coordinate;
• a directing member means including means for connection of said directing member to an operator's body part for movement therewith, said directing member means being a body mounted interface attached to and responsive to movements of the upper torso;
• said body mounted interface comprises a vest-back attached biaxial inclinometer sensor means, said biaxial inclinometer means responsive to forward, backward, and side to side movements of said torso for generating electrical outputs proportional to said torso movements;
• control means for determining movement of said directing member by said operator and resolving said movement relative to two axes normal to each other and in a substantially horizontal plane and having a substantially fixed relationship to said support structure;
• said control means including means for producing control signals related to the direction of said movement relative to said axes and related to the displacement of said directing member, to move said load manipulation means in the direction of said movement at a speed relative to said displacement, and further including a micro-processor adapted to receive signals produced by said operator's body part positioning and to generate said control signals, said micro-processor being programmable so as to transpose said operator's body reflex generated movements into precise work station movements, maintaining said load manipulator at a predetermined position.

A gravity-driven inclinometer for indicating relative body movements comprising;

• a non-conducting face section;
• a flat-faced, ribbon-shaped linear resistive strip bonded to said non-conductive face section;
• terminal connecting means connecting supply voltage across said linear resistive strip;
• a rear-section attached to said face-section behind said linear resistive strip, said rear section having a circumferential groove;
• a low-resistance conductive material in said circumferential groove;
• an output terminal connected to said low resistance conductive material;
• gravity responsive contact wiping means connecting said linear resistive strip to said output terminal through said low-resistance conductive material in said circumferential groove;
• whereby the relative position of said gravity responsive contact wiping means indicates the position of a body part.