1.
Robot
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A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. Robots can be guided by a control device or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be constructed to take on human form but most robots are designed to perform a task with no regard to how they look. By mimicking a lifelike appearance or automating movements, a robot may convey a sense of intelligence or thought of its own. These technologies deal with automated machines that can take the place of humans in dangerous environments or manufacturing processes, or resemble humans in appearance, many of todays robots are inspired by nature contributing to the field of bio-inspired robotics. These robots have also created a branch of robotics, soft robotics. From the time of ancient civilization there have many accounts of user-configurable automated devices and even automata resembling animals and humans. As mechanical techniques developed through the Industrial age, there appeared more practical applications such as automated machines, remote-control and wireless remote-control. The word robot was first used to denote a fictional humanoid in a 1920 play R. U. R. by the Czech writer, Karel Čapek but it was Karels brother Josef Čapek who was the words true inventor. Electronics evolved into the force of development with the advent of the first electronic autonomous robots created by William Grey Walter in Bristol. The first digital and programmable robot was invented by George Devol in 1954 and was named the Unimate, there are concerns about the increasing use of robots and their role in society. Robots are blamed for rising unemployment as they replace workers in increasing numbers of functions, the use of robots in military combat raises ethical concerns. The possibilities of robot autonomy and potential repercussions have been addressed in fiction, the word robot can refer to both physical robots and virtual software agents, but the latter are usually referred to as bots. Closely related to the concept of a robot is the field of Synthetic Biology, the idea of automata originates in the mythologies of many cultures around the world. Engineers and inventors from ancient civilizations, including Ancient China, Ancient Greece, since circa 400 BC, myths of Crete include Talos, a man of bronze who guarded the Cretan island of Europa from pirates. In ancient Greece, the Greek engineer Ctesibius applied a knowledge of pneumatics and hydraulics to produce the first organ, in the 4th century BC, the Greek mathematician Archytas of Tarentum postulated a mechanical steam-operated bird he called The Pigeon. Hero of Alexandria, a Greek mathematician and inventor, created numerous user-configurable automated devices, the 11th century Lokapannatti tells of how the Buddhas relics were protected by mechanical robots, from the kingdom of Roma visaya, until they were disarmed by King Ashoka. Yan Shi proudly presented the king with a life-size, human-shaped figure of his mechanical handiwork made of leather, wood, in 1066, the Chinese inventor Su Song built a water clock in the form of a tower which featured mechanical figurines which chimed the hours
2.
Coupling
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A coupling is a device used to connect two shafts together at their ends for the purpose of transmitting power. Couplings do not normally allow disconnection of shafts during operation, however there are torque limiting couplings which can slip or disconnect when some torque limit is exceeded. The primary purpose of couplings is to two pieces of rotating equipment while permitting some degree of misalignment or end movement or both. By careful selection, installation and maintenance of couplings, substantial savings can be made in reduced maintenance costs, shaft couplings are used in machinery for several purposes. The most common of which are the following, to transfer power from one end to another end. To provide for the connection of shafts of units that are manufactured separately such as a motor and generator, to provide for misalignment of the shafts or to introduce mechanical flexibility. To reduce the transmission of shock loads from one shaft to another, to alter the vibration characteristics of rotating units. To connect driving and the driven part slips when overload occurs Clamped or compression rigid couplings come in two parts and fit together around the shafts to form a sleeve and they offer more flexibility than sleeved models, and can be used on shafts that are fixed in place. They consist of short sleeves surrounded by a perpendicular flange, one coupling is placed on each shaft so the two flanges line up face to face. A series of screws or bolts can then be installed in the flanges to hold them together, because of their size and durability, flanged units can be used to bring shafts into alignment before they are joined together. Rigid couplings are used when precise shaft alignment is required, shaft misalignment will affect the performance as well as its life. Examples, A sleeve coupling consists of a pipe whose bore is finished to the required tolerance based on the shaft size, based on the usage of the coupling a keyway is made in the bore in order to transmit the torque by means of the key. Two threaded holes are provided in order to lock the coupling in position, sleeve couplings are also known as Box Couplings. In this case shaft ends are coupled together and abutted against each other which are enveloped by muff or sleeve, a gib head sunk keys hold the two shafts and sleeve together. In other words, this is the simplest type of the coupling and it is made from the cast iron and very simple to design and manufacture. It consists of a pipe whose inner diameter is same as diameter of the shafts. The hollow pipe is fitted over a two or more ends of the shafts with the help of the taper sunk key. a key and sleeve are useful to transmit power from one shaft to another shaft. In this coupling, the muff or sleeve is made into two parts of the cast iron and they are joined together by means of mild steel studs or bolts
3.
Electric motor
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An electric motor is an electrical machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. The reverse of this is the conversion of energy into electrical energy and is done by an electric generator. In normal motoring mode, most electric motors operate through the interaction between an electric motors magnetic field and winding currents to generate force within the motor, small motors may be found in electric watches. General-purpose motors with highly standardized dimensions and characteristics provide convenient mechanical power for industrial use, the largest of electric motors are used for ship propulsion, pipeline compression and pumped-storage applications with ratings reaching 100 megawatts. Electric motors may be classified by electric power source type, internal construction, application, type of motion output, perhaps the first electric motors were simple electrostatic devices created by the Scottish monk Andrew Gordon in the 1740s. The theoretical principle behind production of force by the interactions of an electric current. The conversion of energy into mechanical energy by electromagnetic means was demonstrated by the British scientist Michael Faraday in 1821. A free-hanging wire was dipped into a pool of mercury, on which a permanent magnet was placed, when a current was passed through the wire, the wire rotated around the magnet, showing that the current gave rise to a close circular magnetic field around the wire. This motor is often demonstrated in experiments, brine substituting for toxic mercury. Though Barlows wheel was a refinement to this Faraday demonstration. In 1827, Hungarian physicist Ányos Jedlik started experimenting with electromagnetic coils, after Jedlik solved the technical problems of the continuous rotation with the invention of the commutator, he called his early devices electromagnetic self-rotors. Although they were used only for instructional purposes, in 1828 Jedlik demonstrated the first device to contain the three components of practical DC motors, the stator, rotor and commutator. The device employed no permanent magnets, as the fields of both the stationary and revolving components were produced solely by the currents flowing through their windings. His motor set a record which was improved only four years later in September 1838 by Jacobi himself. His second motor was powerful enough to drive a boat with 14 people across a wide river and it was not until 1839/40 that other developers worldwide managed to build motors of similar and later also of higher performance. The first commutator DC electric motor capable of turning machinery was invented by the British scientist William Sturgeon in 1832, following Sturgeons work, a commutator-type direct-current electric motor made with the intention of commercial use was built by the American inventor Thomas Davenport, which he patented in 1837. The motors ran at up to 600 revolutions per minute, and powered machine tools, due to the high cost of primary battery power, the motors were commercially unsuccessful and Davenport went bankrupt. Several inventors followed Sturgeon in the development of DC motors but all encountered the same battery power cost issues, no electricity distribution had been developed at the time
4.
Robotic arm
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A robotic arm is a type of mechanical arm, usually programmable, with similar functions to a human arm, the arm may be the sum total of the mechanism or may be part of a more complex robot. The links of such a manipulator are connected by joints allowing either rotational motion or translational displacement, the links of the manipulator can be considered to form a kinematic chain. The terminus of the chain of the manipulator is called the end effector. The end effector, or robotic hand, can be designed to any desired task such as welding, gripping, spinning etc. depending on the application. For example, robot arms in automotive assembly lines perform a variety of such as welding and parts rotation. In some circumstances, close emulation of the hand is desired, as in robots designed to conduct bomb disarmament. Cartesian robot / Gantry robot, Used for pick and place work, application of sealant, assembly operations, handling machine tools and its a robot whose arm has three prismatic joints, whose axes are coincident with a Cartesian coordinator. Cylindrical robot, Used for assembly operations, handling at machine tools, spot welding and its a robot whose axes form a cylindrical coordinate system. Spherical robot / Polar robot Used for handling tools, spot welding, diecasting, fettling machines, gas welding. Its a robot whose axes form a coordinate system. SCARA robot, Used for pick and place work, application of sealant, assembly operations and this robot features two parallel rotary joints to provide compliance in a plane. Articulated robot, Used for assembly operations, diecasting, fettling machines, gas welding, arc welding and its a robot whose arm has at least three rotary joints. Parallel robot, One use is a mobile platform handling cockpit flight simulators and its a robot whose arms have concurrent prismatic or rotary joints. Anthropomorphic robot, It is shaped in a way that resembles a hand, i. e. with independent fingers. The Curiosity rover on the planet Mars also uses a robotic arm, in the decade of 2010 the availability of low-cost robotic arms increased substantially. Although such robotic arms are mostly marketed as hobby or educational devices, applications in laboratory automation have been proposed, robot Arm Types How to build your printed robot arm assistant
5.
Spaceflight
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Spaceflight is ballistic flight into or through outer space. Spaceflight can occur with spacecraft with or without humans on board, examples of human spaceflight include the U. S. Apollo Moon landing and Space Shuttle programs and the Russian Soyuz program, as well as the ongoing International Space Station. Examples of unmanned spaceflight include space probes that leave Earth orbit, as well as satellites in orbit around Earth and these operate either by telerobotic control or are fully autonomous. Spaceflight is used in exploration, and also in commercial activities like space tourism. Additional non-commercial uses of spaceflight include space observatories, reconnaissance satellites, a spaceflight typically begins with a rocket launch, which provides the initial thrust to overcome the force of gravity and propels the spacecraft from the surface of the Earth. Once in space, the motion of a spacecraft—both when unpropelled, some spacecraft remain in space indefinitely, some disintegrate during atmospheric reentry, and others reach a planetary or lunar surface for landing or impact. The first theoretical proposal of space using rockets was published by Scottish astronomer and mathematician William Leitch. More well-known is Konstantin Tsiolkovskys work, Исследование мировых пространств реактивными приборами, spaceflight became an engineering possibility with the work of Robert H. Goddards publication in 1919 of his paper A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes. His application of the de Laval nozzle to liquid fuel rockets improved efficiency enough for travel to become possible. He also proved in the laboratory that rockets would work in the vacuum of space, nonetheless and his attempt to secure an Army contract for a rocket-propelled weapon in the first World War was defeated by the November 11,1918 armistice with Germany. Nonetheless, Goddards paper was influential on Hermann Oberth, who in turn influenced Wernher von Braun. Von Braun became the first to produce modern rockets as guided weapons, von Brauns V-2 was the first rocket to reach space, at an altitude of 189 kilometers on a June 1944 test flight. At the end of World War II, von Braun and most of his rocket team surrendered to the United States, over the same period, the Soviet Union secretly tried but failed to develop the N1 rocket to give them the capability to land one person on the Moon. Rockets are the only means currently capable of reaching orbit or beyond, other non-rocket spacelaunch technologies have yet to be built, or remain short of orbital speeds. Spaceports are situated away from human habitation for noise and safety reasons. ICBMs have various special launching facilities, a launch is often restricted to certain launch windows. These windows depend upon the position of bodies and orbits relative to the launch site. The biggest influence is often the rotation of the Earth itself, once launched, orbits are normally located within relatively constant flat planes at a fixed angle to the axis of the Earth, and the Earth rotates within this orbit
6.
Canadarm
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The Shuttle Remote Manipulator System, also known as Canadarm, is a series of robotic arms that were used on the Space Shuttle orbiters to deploy, maneuver and capture payloads. In 1969, Canada was invited by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to participate in the Space Shuttle program, at the time what that participation would entail had not yet been decided but a manipulator system was identified as an important component. Canadian company, DSMA ATCON, had developed a robot to load fuel into CANDU nuclear reactors, in 1975, NASA and the Canadian National Research Council signed a memorandum of understanding that Canada would develop and construct the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System. NRC awarded the contract to Spar Aerospace. Anthony “Tony” Zubrzycki, an engineer at DSMA ATCON, while seconded to SPAR, originated the concept for the Canadarm End Effector. Tony formally presented this concept to NASA officials, frank Mee, head of the SPAR mechanical development laboratory, built the end effector prototypebased on Tony’s concept and is credited by SPAR as the inventor of the Canadarm End Effector. The three-wire crossover design won over the mechanisms and others, such as the camera iris model. The main controls algorithms were developed by SPAR and by subcontractor Dynacon Inc. of Toronto, CAE Electronics Ltd. in Montreal provided the display and control panel and the hand controllers located in the Shuttle aft flight deck. Other electronic interfaces, servoamplifiers and power conditioners located on the Canadarm were designed, rockwell Internationals Space Transportation Systems Division designed, developed, tested and built the systems used to attach the Canadarm to the payload bay of the orbiter. An acceptance ceremony for NASA was held at Spars RMS Division in Toronto on the 11th of February 1981, here Larkin Kerwin, then the head of the NRC, gave the SRMS the informal name, Canadarm. The first remote manipulator system was delivered to NASA in April 1981, in all, five arms were built and delivered to NASA. Arm 302 was lost in the Challenger accident, the original Canadarm was capable of deploying and retrieving payloads weighing up to 332.5 kg in space. In the mid-1990s the arm control system was redesigned to increase the capability to 3,293 kg in order to support space station assembly operations. While able to maneuver payloads with the mass of a bus in space. NASA therefore developed a model of the arm for use at its training facility within the Johnson Space Center located in Houston, most of the time, the arm operators see what they are doing by looking at the Advanced Space Vision System screen next to the controllers. One crew member operates the Canadarm from the aft flight deck control station, the Canadarm is outfitted with an explosive-based mechanism to allow the arm to be jettisoned. This safety system allows the Orbiters payload bay doors to be closed in the event that the arm fails in a position and is not able to be retracted. The Canadarm is 15.2 m long and 38 cm diameter with six degrees of freedom and it weighs 410 kg by itself, and 450 kg as part of the total system
7.
Mobile Servicing System
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The Mobile Servicing System, is a robotic system on board the International Space Station. Astronauts receive specialized training to them to perform these functions with the various systems of the MSS. The MSS is composed of three components - the Space Station Remote Manipulator System, known as Canadarm2, the Mobile Remote Servicer Base System and the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator. The system can move along rails on the Integrated Truss Structure on top of the US provided Mobile Transporter cart which hosts the MRS Base System, the systems control software was written in the Ada 95 programming language. The MSS was designed and manufactured by MDA Space Missions for the Canadian Space Agencys contribution to the International Space Station, launched on STS-100 in April 2001, this second generation arm is a larger, more advanced version of the Space Shuttles original Canadarm. Canadarm2 is 17.6 m when fully extended and has seven motorized joints and it has a mass of 1,800 kg and a diameter of 35 cm. The arm is capable of handling large payloads of up to 116,000 kg and was able to assist with docking the space shuttle. Officially known as the Space Station Remote Manipulator System, it is self-relocatable, in this movement, it is limited only by the number of Power Data Grapple Fixtures on the station. PDGFs located around the station power, data and video to the arm through its Latching End Effectors. The arm can also travel the length of the space station truss using the Mobile Base System. In addition to moving itself around the station, the arm can move any object with a grapple fixture, in construction of the station the arm was used to move large segments into place. The arm is used to undock and release the spacecraft after use. On-board operators see what they are doing by looking at the three Robotic Work Station LCD screens, the MSS has two RWS units, one located in the Destiny module and the other in the Cupola. Only one RWS controls the MSS at a time, the RWS has two sets of control joysticks, one Rotational Hand Controller and one Translational Hand Controller. In addition to this is the Display and Control Panel and the Portable Computer System laptop, in recent years, the majority of robotic operations are commanded remotely by flight controllers on the ground at Mission Control Center, or from the Canadian Space Agency. Operators can work in shifts to accomplish objectives with more flexibility than when done by on-board crew operators, astronaut operators are used for time-critical operations such as visiting vehicle captures and robotics supported Extra-Vehicular Activity. The Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, is a smaller two-armed robot that can attach to Canadarm2, the arms and its power tools are capable of handling the delicate assembly tasks and changing Orbital Replacement Units currently handled by astronauts during space walks. Although Canadarm2 can move around the station in an inchworm motion, testing was done in the space simulation chambers of the Canadian Space Agencys David Florida Laboratory in Ottawa
8.
International Space Station
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The International Space Station is a space station, or a habitable artificial satellite, in low Earth orbit. Its first component launched into orbit in 1998, and the ISS is now the largest man-made body in space, the ISS consists of pressurised modules, external trusses, solar arrays, and other components. ISS components have been launched by Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets, the ISS serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which crew members conduct experiments in biology, human biology, physics, astronomy, meteorology, and other fields. The station is suited for the testing of systems and equipment required for missions to the Moon. The ISS maintains an orbit with an altitude of between 330 and 435 km by means of reboost manoeuvres using the engines of the Zvezda module or visiting spacecraft and it completes 15.54 orbits per day. The ISS is the space station to be inhabited by crews, following the Soviet and later Russian Salyut, Almaz. The station has continuously occupied for 16 years and 156 days since the arrival of Expedition 1 on 2 November 2000. This is the longest continuous presence in low Earth orbit. It has been visited by astronauts, cosmonauts and space tourists from 17 different nations, Soyuz has very limited downmass capability. The ISS programme is a joint project among five participating space agencies, NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, the ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements. The station is divided two sections, the Russian Orbital Segment and the United States Orbital Segment, which is shared by many nations. As of January 2014, the American portion of ISS is being funded until 2024, Roscosmos has endorsed the continued operation of ISS through 2024 but has proposed using elements of the Russian Orbital Segment to construct a new Russian space station called OPSEK. On 28 March 2015, Russian sources announced that Roscosmos and NASA had agreed to collaborate on the development of a replacement for the current ISS. NASA later issued a statement expressing thanks for Russias interest in future co-operation in space exploration. According to the original Memorandum of Understanding between NASA and Rosaviakosmos, the International Space Station was intended to be a laboratory, observatory and factory in low Earth orbit. It was also planned to provide transportation, maintenance, and act as a base for possible future missions to the Moon, Mars. In the 2010 United States National Space Policy, the ISS was given roles of serving commercial, diplomatic. The ISS provides a platform to conduct scientific research, the ISS simplifies individual experiments by eliminating the need for separate rocket launches and research staff
9.
European Robotic Arm
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The European Robotic Arm is a robotic arm to be attached to the Russian segment of the International Space Station. It will be the first robot arm able to work on the Russian space station segments, the ERA is designed and assembled by Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands. The ERA has several interesting features, the third arm is fixed on the Japanese Experiment Module, the Remote Manipulator System uses a similar grapple fixture to Canadarm2. In 2010, an elbow joint for the arm was launched preemptively. The MLM will also serve as base for ERA, originally. Astronauts can control the robot from both inside and outside the space station, control from inside the space station uses a laptop, which shows a model of the ERA and its surroundings
10.
Kibo (ISS module)
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The Japanese Experiment Module, nicknamed Kibo, is a Japanese science module for the International Space Station developed by JAXA. It is the largest single ISS module, the first two pieces of the module were launched on Space Shuttle missions STS-123 and STS-124. The third and final components were launched on STS-127, the Pressurized Module is the core component connected to the port hatch of the Node 2 Module. The racks are placed 6-6-6-5 along the four walls of the module, the end of the JEM-PM has an airlock and two window hatches. The Exposed Facility, Experiment Logistics Module and the Remote Manipulator System all connect to the pressurized module, Kibo is also the location for many of the press conferences that take place on board the station. The Exposed Facility, also known as Terrace, is located outside the cone of the PM. The EF has 12 EFU ports that attach to PIU connectors on EF-EEUs, all experiment payloads are fully exposed to the space environment. For proper functioning of these experiments, the payload requires an ORU which consists of the EPS, CT, of the 12 ORUs, eight are replaceable by the JEMRMS while the other four are EVA-replaceable. The Experiment Logistics Module includes two sections, The Japanese Experiment Logistics Module, Pressurized Section –- also called the JLP –- is an addition to the PM. The module is a facility that provides storage space for experiment payloads, samples. The unpressurized section serves the EF as a storage and transportation module, the Remote Manipulator System is a 10m long robotic arm, mounted at the port cone of the PM, intended to service the EF and to move equipment from and to the ELM. The RMS control console was launched while inside the ELM-PS, the main arm was launched with the PM. The Small Fine Arm, is 2m long and attaches to the end effector of the arm, was launched aboard. The free end of the arm is able to use the type of grapple fixtures that the Canadarm2 uses, NASA launched the JEM complex over three flights using the Space Shuttle. The shuttle had a payload bay which carried the modules into orbit along with the crew. This is in contrast to the Russian modules, which are launched into orbit on multistage Proton rockets and then rendezvous, on 12 March 2007, the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section, the main laboratory, arrived at the Kennedy Space Center from Japan. It was stored in the Space Station Processing Facility until launched into orbit aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour as part of the STS-123 mission, on 30 May 2003, the Pressurized Module arrived at KSC from Japan. It was stored at the Space Station Processing Facility until launched into orbit aboard Space Shuttle Discovery as part of the STS-124 mission, on 3 June 2008 the PM was attached to the Harmony module
11.
Dextre
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It was launched March 11,2008 on mission STS-123. Dextre is part of Canadas contribution to the ISS and is named to represent its dexterous nature and it is sometimes also referred to as the SPDM. Dextre is the third Canadian robotic arm used on the ISS, preceded by the Space Shuttles Canadarm, Dextre was designed and manufactured by MacDonald Dettwiler. In the early morning of February 4,2011, Dextre completed its first official assignment which consists of unpacking two pieces for Kounotori 2 while the crew was sleeping. Dextre resembles a gigantic torso fitted with two extremely agile,3.5 metres arms, the 3.5 metre long body pivots at the waist. The other end of the body has an end effector virtually identical to that of Canadarm2. At the end of Dextres arms are ORU/Tool Changeout Mechanisms, the OTCM has built-in grasping jaws, a retractable socket drive, a monochrome TV camera, lights, and an umbilical connector that can provide power, data, and video to/from a payload. Dextre moves one arm at a time, while one arm may hold onto the station for stability the other is available to perform tasks. The lower body of Dextre has a pair of orientable colour TV cameras with lights, a platform for stowing ORUs, the tool holster is equipped with two Robotic Micro Conical Tools, which allow an arm to grasp additional types of ORU fixtures. The Socket Extension Tool extends the length of the socket on an arm. Several new tools were added as part of the 2011 Robotic Refueling Mission, a Wire Cutter, Safety Cap Removal Tool, EVR Nozzle Tool and a Multifunction Tool with several adapters. Robotic Refueling Mission — Phase 2 will use the Visual Inspection Poseable Invertebrate Robot VIPIR borescope camera with a 34 inch long flexible tube, SARAH is a three fingered hand that is designed to attach to the end of Dextres arm. It has not been delivered to the ISS and it completed all necessary testing and was delivered to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, in mid-June 2007. Once at KSC, it underwent flight testing followed by shuttle integration. Dextre was launched to the ISS on March 11,2008 aboard Endeavour on mission STS-123 and it woke up and activated heaters needed for keeping its joints and electronics warm after receiving power from the space stations Canadarm2 on March 14. After the spacewalk, crew members hooked Dextre back up to the robotic arm to keep it warm. Later that day, the crew tested all of its joints, astronauts finished outfitting the robot during a third spacewalk on March 17,2008. Dextre is designed to handle Orbital replacement units, many spares are stored on the ISS and Dextre is able to carry them to and from worksites, before Dextre arrived astronauts were required to perform space walks to carry out this work
