Joe Strout wrote:
a hard shell slightly larger than a man, which the pilot/user
flies/wears around for assembly, maintenance, and perhaps even
sight-seeing tasks. It would have jointed arms & hands which the user
can stick his hands into to manipulate things, but when he doesn't need
to do that, he can withdraw his arms into the pod.


That is what the candarm is for and will be able to do once it gets its
"hand". Getting PGDF grapple points on the russian segment would be the smart
thing to do since the arm would then be able to service all of the station.
The hand is designed to have enough dexterity to change computer boards
outside of the station.

Note that NASA is developping such a unmanned pod to save Hubble from the
presidential decree that the Shuttle is no longer able to do what it was
supposed to do. (go to hubble and repair/improve it).