Description: An identified need exists for lightweight, low-volume, and low-power actuation solutions with compact integrated sensing approaches to create end-effectors capable of robust fine dexterity for human-hand-like tasks and tool/interface manipulation that are for environmental extremes. Magnetic gear technology is recognized by NASA (through the Motors for Dusty and Extremely Cold Environments Game Changing Development project) to be capable of achieving attractive specific torque, efficiency, and lifetime for future lunar missions. This proposal aims to leverage the spring-like behavior of magnetic gears to demonstrate integrated, compact, and accurate direct torque and position sensing using only two low cost encoders, and to experimentally validate the critical function of torque-feedback in achieving impedance control targets. While the physical demonstrator is created and tested and the control and sensing approach is validated, the team will simultaneously create an end effector model will be created by the target infusion application (robot arm) and in Phase II the team will test the integrated system. The funding will be used for prototype fabrication and labor for testing and modeling. The immediate target market is an end-effector for in-space satellite capture, but the scalable magnetic gear can be integrated to create an end-effectors for dual-use applications ranging from intravehicular, lunar surface, and in-space servicing tasks such as assembly, maintenance, and outfitting; installation, stowage, and handling of cables and fluid lines; manipulation of soft goods; sample collection in extreme environmental conditions, particularly cryogenic conditions; science utilization such as moving samples between cold storage and instruments, small and logistics management. This technology can also be used terrestrially or in low earth orbit to target semiconductor, pharmaceutical, beauty and personal care, and food and nutrients manufacturing industries.

Benefits: A return to the Moon to extend human presence, pursue scientific activities, use the Moon to prepare for future human missions to Mars (Moon-to-Mars initiative), and expand Earth's economic sphere through programs such as Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) will require investment in developing new technologies and capabilities to achieve affordable and sustainable human extraterrestrial exploration. The immediate applications for infusion for this technology with ratings given in Phase I are targeted towards end-effectors for kinetic capture of satellites. However, the same size gear can be applied to antenna, solar array, gimbal deployment and motion, and some robotic arm joint applications for lunar or low earth orbit (LEO) vehicle applications. However, the technology can be scaled to higher torque ratings and powers for rover propulsion, large robotic arm joints, and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) drilling mechanisms. The ultimate vision for this technology is to create a product line, the Celestial Gear, with multiple gear ratios and rated torque and speed offerings to cover a plethora of missions. In order to successfully infuse and transition magnetic gear technology to a NASA mission, in Phase II and beyond, FluxWorks has already begun to engage with companies that submitted for the LTV, so that upon announcement in March and negotiations ending in the Fall, FluxWorks can transition the technology to the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) Human Surface Mobility (HSM) program via LTV. Particularly, the first envisioned product in this line is sized to strategically infuse it in near-term NASA lunar surface manipulation, cold-temperature sample collection and curation, and servicing and assembly applications. This technology could fall under fall under one of the following NASA taxonomies: TX 07.2, TX 04.3, or TX 12. This technology also could be considered a Dust Tolerant Component, which is a lane in the new roadmap.Backlash-free, backdrivable, compliant gearboxes offer an attractive opportunity in commercial in-space manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, beauty and personal care, food and nutrients, and semiconductors. This same technology in space can be used terrestrially for the same applications, as magnetic gears offer a low-cost, high-precision solution for robotic end-effectors. Since magnetic gears are contactless and behave as two inertias connected by a spring, they act as low pass filters. Therefore, they offer an attractive solution for microgravity research and development and to commercial space station infrastructure. Beyond manufacturing, the same size magnetic gears for fragile logistics management, mirror wiping, wire detangling, circuit board maintenance, low-maintenance, high up-time turbines, small pumps, industrial positioning systems, and a larger gear based on the same platform intellectual property can be used for high-power, high impact activities: catching, impact absorption, and then a future FDA-approved gearbox mechanism could be employed for medical applications such as surgical robotics, augmentation arms, and exoskeleton actuator mechanisms.