Abstract: This disclosure relates to a wheel assembly (1) comprising a wheel, a deformable chamber (6) containing a transition substance (15) comprising jamming particles and an interstitial gas, and an actuator (14) configured to transform the transition substance (15) between a fluid state in which the deformable chamber (6) can deform into a conformal state as the wheel encounters an obstacle during use, and a rigid state by evacuation of the interstitial gas in which the transition substance is rigidified to maintain the deformable chamber (6) in said conformal state to provide increased purchase on said obstacle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly apparatus for assembling components of spacecraft in space. The assembly apparatus comprises: a core platform (7); and a mobile platform (4) comprising an end effector configured to perform an assembly or manufacturing task. The mobile platform (4) is connected to the core platform (7) by a tether (6a). The core platform comprises a body and a coupling element (15a) connected to and extendable from the body (7) such that the coupling element (15a) may be spaced from the body of the core platform (7). The tether (6a) connects the mobile platform (4) to the body (7) via the coupling element (15a). The assembly apparatus further comprises an actuator configured to vary the length of the tether extending between the coupling element and the mobile platform to control the position of the mobile platform relative to the body of the core platform.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a wheel assembly (1) comprising a wheel, the wheel having a hub and a rim concentrically mounted to the hub, a plurality of deformable chambers (6) disposed outwardly of the rim, each chamber extending about a discreet portion of the wheel and containing a transition substance (15), and an actuator (14) configured to transform the transition substance (15) within each chamber (6) between a fluid state in which the deformable chamber (6) can deform into a conformal state as the wheel encounters an obstacle during use, and a rigid state in which the transition substance is rigidified to maintain the deformable chamber (6) in said conformal state to provide increased purchase on said obstacle.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a wheel assembly (1) comprising a wheel, a deformable chamber (6) containing a transition substance (15) comprising jamming particles and an interstitial gas, and an actuator (14) configured to transform the transition substance (15) between a fluid state in which the deformable chamber (6) can deform into a conformal state as the wheel encounters an obstacle during use, and a rigid state by evacuation of the interstitial gas in which the transition substance is rigidified to maintain the deformable chamber (6) in said conformal state to provide increased purchase on said obstacle.