NNX17608090Q_SOW.pdf

Statement of Work Five Degree-of-Freedom Whole-Body Human Vibration Platform

1. BACKGROUND

A five degree-of-freedom computer-controlled vibration platform is required by Code TH to upgrade the space-launch simulation capability of the Ames Research Center’s Human Vibration Laboratory. This procurement is for the actuators and associated controller components to drive the platform’s vibration.

2. OBJECTIVE or REQUIREMENTS

The vibration platform shall provide NASA-ARC with the capability to conduct human-in-the-loop (HITL) studies using experimentally controlled vibration profiles that emulate the multi-axis vibration experienced by astronaut crews during the different phases of space launch. This capability is needed to enable collection of critical human performance data for the Orion, Space Launch System (SLS), and Commercial Crew Programs. These data will serve HITL evaluations of vehicle displays and controls (D&C) designs, validations of HITL analyses and models of crew-vehicle D&C interaction, and HITL verifications of program, system, and component requirements.

The platform shall comprise the vibration actuators, controller hardware, as well as the supporting structure onto which the actuators and a variety of custom-designed chairs will be mounted. The supporting structure and chair(s) will be designed and built in-house by ARC to fit the actuator and controller components and are not part of this procurement. The assembled vibration platform components, supporting structure, and chair(s) will be installed in the Human Vibration Laboratory by ARC.

3. CHARACTERISTICS, SCOPE or SPECS

The vibration platform shall provide controlled motion in all three translational degrees-of-freedom (dofs) plus two rotational dofs. For a semi-supine (i.e., recumbent) seat and occupant, the rotational dofs correspond to occupant yaw and pitch.

The platform shall comprise two horizontal translational ball-screw electrical actuators (i.e., electric servo-motors), one to drive each of the sway (lateral) and heave (head-to-foot) dofs for a semi-supine seat and occupant. The platform shall also comprise four vertical translational ball-screw actuators to stably support the four seat points and raise/lower the chair in the surge (chest-to-spine) direction. The seat’s pitch and yaw rotational dofs shall be driven by activating different combinations of translational actuators at each of the four support points. This actuator arrangement will enable the chair’s surge, pitch, and yaw dofs to be operated in an identical manner to the vibration chair already installed in the cabin of the ARC 20-G Centrifuge facility. Thus, a total of six linear actuators and controller components are needed.

The vibration platform’s actuators and controllers shall enable chair translational acceleration amplitudes up to 0.7g (0-peak) at individual frequencies from 10-100 Hz and displacement amplitudes up to 1.5 inch (peak-peak) at frequencies from DC (zero Hz) up to 0.3 Hz in each of the translational dofs.

The total payload of the vibration platform actuators shall equal 1600 lbs in surge and 400 lbs in each of the sway and heave. This payload capacity is necessary to ensure that a variety of different seat designs and human occupants in space suits and helmets can be vibrated at the full-scale oscillatory motion amplitudes indicated above.

The vibration platform controller shall include a USB interface and be controllable via the USB interface from a commodity Personal Computer.

The vibration platform shall be powered using standard 120-Volt, 60-Hz AC service from a single 10-amp circuit.

4. Place of Performance

NASA-Ames Research Center, Human System Integration Division

5. Period of Performance

January 1, 2017 to February 28, 2017