Status Report

NASA JSC Exoskeleton for Operations and Training

By SpaceRef Editor
January 13, 2014
Filed under , ,

Synopsis – Jan 10, 2014

Statement of Interest – Posted on Jan 10, 2014 

General Information

    Solicitation Number: NNJ14ZBH018L

    Posted Date: Jan 10, 2014

    FedBizOpps Posted Date: Jan 10, 2014

    Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No

    Original Response Date: Mar 17, 2014

    Current Response Date: Apr 11, 2014

    Classification Code: A — Research and Development

    NAICS Code: 541712

Contracting Office Address

NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas, 77058-3696, Mail Code: BH

Description

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) is seeking parties interested in collaborative development and mature technologies required for NASA’s future missions and to enhance life on Earth. JSC is looking to partner on the development of broadly applicable technologies as a means to accelerate technology development and strengthen commercialization of federally-funded research and development.

Purpose:

NASA JSC seeks parties interested in co-developing technology associated with its X1 exoskeleton to include additional powered degrees of freedom and increased sensing capability.

NASA JSC has been the leader in space-based humanoid robots for several years and seeks to leverage this position to advance NASA JSC’s current X1 Exoskeleton for rehabilitation.

By co-developing this dual-use technology, NASA JSC and interested parties may be able to extend and enhance the current capability in the areas of overall performance, controls modeling and safety, in addition to biofeedback and sensing, thereby creating a more advanced exoskeleton with capabilities that mitigate muscle atrophy in space, as well as strengthen muscle function for persons suffering from paresis and other motor function pathologies.

Technology:

NASA JSC’s goal is to improve the current exoskeleton design to create a fully customizable device whose dual-use technology will improve life here on Earth as well as keep astronauts healthy.

R&D Status:

NASA JSC’s current X1 Exoskeleton was initially designed as a mobility assist device for persons with lower extremity paralysis. It has since shown great promise as a novel and compact in-space countermeasure and dynamometry device. A ten-degree of freedom robotic exoskeleton, X1, has the ability to impart high torques at its active joints while providing real-time joint feedback to physicians and scientists. X1’s adaptable control software makes custom exercise and rehabilitation routines easy to realize.

Intellectual Property (IP):

Multiple individual technologies associated with robotics are currently available for co-development and licensing. Visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/techtransfer/technology/robonaut2_licensing.html#.UovXQ7ajSIk

This co-development project may produce new IP that could be jointly owned by NASA and the partner or may become the property of the partner.

This announcement is not to be construed as a Request for Proposal and is not a commitment by the government, nor will the government pay for any information provided. Since this is an Announcement, no evaluation letters or results will be issued to the respondents.

Please submit the attached Statement of Interest Form to Mark Dillard

To view all Co-Development and Partnering Opportunities with the NASA Johnson Space Center please visit our website at http://1.usa.gov/1bL99AF

Point of Contact

    Name: Mark A. Dillard Title: Lead Partnership Development Office Integration

    Phone: 281-244-8460 Fax: 281-483-4146 Email: mark.a.dillard@nasa.gov

    Name: Dana Altmon-Cary    Title: Contracting Office    Phone: 281-483-8228    Fax: 281-483-4066    Email: dana.altmon-cary-1@nasa.gov

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SpaceRef staff editor.