Good Vibrations Engineering Ltd.

Home Contact Vestibulator FMS HMI Sim HMI Paper Mechanical concept paper

FMS program management has been a peculiar challenge for many years. A new patent is generated, each time a new group considers the problem. Solving the space robotic FMS problem needs a single, long term focus. The technical problems are substantial, but the requirement seems easy - any mechanical engineer can get their head around it

There are three components to our virtual boss FMS project.

  1. Technology Development Plan. It has been updated once, based on some technical 'discoveries'. The updated Technology Development Plan was done on the assumption that we would obtain significant funding - which we have not - YET.
  2. The monthly reporting system. most recent monthly report
  3. Progress, as shown in rolled up GANTT chart. The schedule shows that we should have been 50% done by now - 4 years was our estimated time to complete. And we are not there. But we have been spending at less than 10% of our planned rate.

There are 2 application for a space robotic force moment sensor. One is for autonomous operations - ie, no human in the loop. The other is as an assist to an astronaut maneuvering a large payload. One example of a difficult challenge for a human operator would be to try and clean windows - some force, but not too much.

We recognized the human machine interface (hmi) problem of expecting an astronaut to utilize 6 dof force data, usefully, in real time. So we've developed a simulation of the audio portion of a means of intuitively providing the data.

Try it out by downloading HMI Sim. Our only 'commercial' product started from the HMI sim. Our vestibulator Product, originated as a means of improving the hmi audio experience for sounds which are coming from behind a users head - the cone of confusion. We now sell the vestibulator as a stand alone research device to some pretty prestigeous customers

Virtual Boss Concept

Doing long term, unfunded R&D lacks pressure and motivation. While it has been clear that the space robotic force moment sensor problem was not going to be easily solved, there had been no near term large market to enthuse investors. We have addressed the problem of not having a boss by using perceived peer pressure as motivation. Engineers have pride.

In an attempt to obtain SADI funding towards the American defense market for the FMS problem, we produced a technology development plan. At the time of the SADI application, there were two supporting 'receiver' team members - CSA and MDA. When no funding was received, we indicated to them that we would keep working on the project, and place monthly reports on our web site. Our assumption is that from time to time, they check out our progress.

So potential humiliation drives our progress. And there has definitely been progress. Not at the rate we might have managed with financial support - but more than enough to keep our pride.