Flogiston Corporation proposes to design and develop an advanced display system for immersive telepresence applications which provides full spherical field of view, using its proprietary Bubble Dome technology, combined with a Head Mounted Display (HMD) to provide high resolution stereo vision in the foveal area. Astronauts will use the compact display system on board the Space Station to interact with and control robotic systems such as the Robonaut, perform inspections of external systems using autonomous EVA robotic cameras, and view immersive virtual and telepresenced environments for training and communications. Existing robots retain their current head tracked stereoscopic cameras, while adding fixed fisheye view cameras. The fisheye image is back projected on to the exterior of the small dome, called a telesphere, to provide a general field of view without lag that engages peripheral vision, while the stereoscopic image is displayed on the HMD for detailed inspection. This enables the astronaut to look around freely inside the telesphere, providing a sense of presence that HMDs alone cannot convey. This display significantly increases the capabilities of humans to control robotic systems and put their awareness at the robot's location.
