Mission Simulation Toolkit

The Mission Simulation Toolkit (MST) is a flexible software system for autonomy research. It was developed as part of the Mission Simulation Facility (MSF) project that was started in 2001 to facilitate the development of autonomous planetary robotic missions. Autonomy is a key enabling factor for robotic exploration. There has been a large gap between autonomy software (at the research level), and software that is ready for insertion into near-term space missions. The MST bridges this gap by providing a simulation framework and a suite of tools for supporting research and maturation of autonomy. MST uses a distributed framework based on the High Level Architecture (HLA) standard. A key feature of the MST framework is the ability to plug in new models to replace existing ones with the same services. This enables significant simulation flexibility, particularly the mixing and control of fidelity level. In addition, the MST provides automatic code generation from robot interfaces defined with the Unified Modeling Language (UML), methods for maintaining synchronization across distributed simulation systems, XML-based robot description, and an environment server. Finally, the MSF supports a number of third-party products including dynamic models and terrain databases. Although the communication objects and some of the simulation components that are provided with this toolkit are specifically designed for terrestrial surface rovers, the MST can be applied to any other domain, such as aerial, aquatic, or space

A Preliminary Study of Peer-to-Peer Human-Robot Interaction

The Peer-to-Peer Human-Robot Interaction (P2P-HRI) project is developing techniques to improve task coordination and collaboration between human and robot partners. Our work is motivated by the need to develop effective human-robot teams for space mission operations. A central element of our approach is creating dialogue and interaction tools that enable humans and robots to flexibly support one another. In order to understand how this approach can influence task performance, we recently conducted a series of tests simulating a lunar construction task with a human-robot team. In this paper, we describe the tests performed, discuss our initial results, and analyze the effect of intervention on task performance

Human-Robot Site Survey and Sampling for Space Exploration

NASA is planning to send humans and robots back to the Moon before 2020. In order for extended missions to be productive, high quality maps of lunar terrain and resources are required. Although orbital images can provide much information, many features (local topography, resources, etc) will have to be characterized directly on the surface. To address this need, we are developing a system to perform site survey and sampling. The system includes multiple robots and humans operating in a variety of team configurations, coordinated via peer-to-peer human-robot interaction. In this paper, we present our system design and describe planned field tests

Robotic Follow-Up for Human Exploration

We are studying how "robotic follow-up" can improve future planetary exploration. Robotic follow-up, which we define as augmenting human field work with subsequent robot activity, is a field exploration technique designed to increase human productivity and science return. To better understand the benefits, requirements, limitations and risks associated with this technique, we are conducting analog field tests with human and robot teams at the Haughton Crater impact structure on Devon Island, Canada. In this paper, we discuss the motivation for robotic follow-up, describe the scientific context and system design for our work, and present results and lessons learned from field testing

VIPER: Virtual Intelligent Planetary Exploration Rover

Simulation and visualization of rover behavior are critical capabilities for scientists and rover operators to construct, test, and validate plans for commanding a remote rover. The VIPER system links these capabilities. using a high-fidelity virtual-reality (VR) environment. a kinematically accurate simulator, and a flexible plan executive to allow users to simulate and visualize possible execution outcomes of a plan under development. This work is part of a larger vision of a science-centered rover control environment, where a scientist may inspect and explore the environment via VR tools, specify science goals, and visualize the expected and actual behavior of the remote rover. The VIPER system is constructed from three generic systems, linked together via a minimal amount of customization into the integrated system. The complete system points out the power of combining plan execution, simulation, and visualization for envisioning rover behavior; it also demonstrates the utility of developing generic technologies. which can be combined in novel and useful ways

Online Educa Berlin, 7

The new university of applied sciences of Italian speaking part of Switzerland (SUPSI) is developing a multilingual open distance learning environment. Within the framework of the Virtual Campus Switzerland Programme we are participating at several projects in order to set up a virtual campus with strong local roots and with closed relationships to other universities of Switzerland and of the close foreign countries. The main objective of these activities is to expand the offer of modular courses, to make them available anytime and anywhere for more interested people and thus to set-up a life long learning platform for continuous education. We attach great importance to the media didactic aspects, the multilinguality (the support of some courses will be available in different languages) and the integration of on-line courses into the existing master curricula offered, until now, only in face-to-face modality. For this reason, we started useful collaborations with other institutions with competence in didactical aspects and communication issues. The result of these collaborations is a strong partnership among institution of the same region with the main goal to establish a common open distance learning curricula. The University of Applied Sciences of southern Switzerland The `Scuola universitaria professionale della Svizzera italiana (SUPSI)' is the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland. SUPSI was established in 1995 as the successor institution of the former technical college of Southern Switzerland and is situated within the region of Tessin. The overriding goal of SUPSI is the promotion of technological development and technological transfer. Today SUPSI consists of five departments and three institutes. The basic educational programs lead to a th..

Autonomous Robotic Inspection for Lunar Surface Operations

Summary. In this paper, we describe NASA Ames Research Center’s K10 rover a

The Peer-to-Peer Human-Robot Interaction Project

The Peer-to-Peer Human-Robot Interaction (P2P-HRI) project is developing techniques to improve task coordination and collaboration between human and robot partners. Our hypothesis is that peer-to-peer interaction can enable robots to collaborate in a competent, non-disruptive (i.e., natural) manner with users who have limited training, experience, or knowledge of robotics. Specifically, we believe that failures and limitations of autonomy (in planning, in execution, etc.) can be compensated for using human-robot interaction. In this paper, we present an overview of P2P-HRI, describe our development approach and discuss our evaluation methodology.</p