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The Maryland Advanced Research/Simulation (MARS) Suit is
designed to be a low-cost test bed for extravehicular
activity (EVA) research, providing an environment for
the development and application of biomedical sensors
and advanced EVA technologies. It is also designed to be
used in gaining more experience with human-telerobotic
interactions in an integrated EVA worksite. MARS Suit is
currently in its second generation (MX-2) design.
The body of the MX-2 suit analogue consists of a hard
upper torso of hand-crafted resin and fiberglass with
integrated hemispherical helmet and rear-entry hatch.
Three-layer soft goods (urethane-coated nylon pressure
bladder, nylon restraint layer, and
thermal/micrometeoroid garment with integral ballast
system) are used for the arms and lower torso. Designed
for human use at 3psid, the MX-2 provides (in a coarse
sense) the outer envelope and joint restrictions of
operational pressure suits, while providing realistic
visual and audio environments and a dry interior for
instrumentation.
Initial tests and applications of MX-2 include
correlation of MX-2 performance in EVA tasks to both
neutral buoyancy and space flight performance in Shuttle
suits, adaptation and integration of the SSL Joint Angle
and Muscle Signature system to measure body joint
motions and muscular fatigue, tests of various
approaches to EVA/robotic cooperation, and development
of a virtual reality visual environment integrated into
neutral buoyancy simulations.
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