NUC manipulators

Our goal is to extend the reach of man to the depths of the hostile ocean environment. Experience indicates that the best approach is the use of electro-hydraulic manipulators. For a decade NUC has been doing useful work in the sea with remotely controlled hydraulic devices. These devices have ranged from the early three-function "claw" of the Cable-controlled Undersea Research Vehicle, made famous by the recovery of an H-bomb off the coast of Spain, to the current seven-degree-of-freedom manipulator. This manipulator is spot mounted and rate controlled and has a parallel jaw hand. It possesses unique mechanical, electrical and hydraulic features to make it especially well adapted for ease of control and for operation in a high pressure corrosive medium. A new and highly sophisticated manipulator is now being manufactured for the Remote Unmanned Work System. Position control and force feedback will give the manipulator capabilities approaching the highly successful mechanical master-slave devices now used in hot cell work. This will be the first time the principals of electro-hydraulic feedback control will be fully applied to an undersea manipulator.