Auger attached to the RoboCrane platform drilling in the dirt An auger was used to demonstrate drilling in the dirt while attached to the platform suspended from the NIST Horse. Large tools such as this are easily controlled with the six degree-of-freedom, cable-driven, Stewart platform. A spine can push down on the platform (as in photos a through d) to allow itÕs use in non-gravity environments. The lightweight and powerful cable-driven platform system provides extremely dexterous manipulation over a large work volume.