99--TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY - COMPACT LONG-REACH ROBOTIC ARM

NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits interest from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. THE TECHNOLOGY: NASA Langley Research Center is developing a robotic arm with lightweight joints that provide a wide range of motion. The envisioned design provides users with a long reach and numerous degrees of freedom. The arm, ideal for use in aquatic environments or for manipulation of light terrestrial loads, consists of articulating booms connected by antagonistic cable tension elements. The arm elements are structurally efficient and lightweight, and support compact packaging. The inherent mechanical advantage provided by the tendon articulation allows the use of small, efficient motor systems. The manipulator can be scaled over a large range from 10m (load-bearing arm) to over 1000m (submersible or float-supported arm). Current efforts are focusing on a 15m prototype and a 300m subsystem to test the unique robotic architecture. NASA is seeking partners to assist with the development of its concept system for specific applications. To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to Sean Sullivan, Research Triangle International (RTI), at: NASA Langley Research Center, 17 West Taylor St., Mail Stop 218, Building 1212, Room 110 Hampton, Virginia, E-mail: [email protected], or phone: 757-864-5055. Please indicate the date and title of the FBO notice and include your company and contact information. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at http://technology.nasa.gov/. RTI is responsible for aggregating and acknowledging all responses. These responses are provided to members of NASA Langleys Innovative Partnerships Office within the Office of Strategic Analysis and Business Development (OSACB) for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. If direct licensing interest results from this posting, OSACB will follow the required formal licensing process of posting in the Federal Register. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.