Results for “Assistant” — Page 2

NASA NTRS1997

NASA Research Announcement Phase 2 Final Report for the Development of a Power Assisted Space Suit Glove

The main goal of this program was to develop an unobtrusive power-assisted EVA glove metacarpalphalangeal (MCP) joint that could provide the crew member with as close to nude body performance as possible, and to demonstrate the technology feasibility of power assisted space suit components in general. The MCP joint was selected due to its being representative of other space suit joints, such as the shoulder, hip and carpometacarpal joint, that would also greatly benefit from this technology. In order to meet this objective, a development team of highly skilled and experienced personnel was assembled. The team consisted of two main entities. The first was comprised of ILC's experienced EVA space suit glove designers, who had the responsibility of designing and fabricating a low torque MCP joint which would be compatible with power assisted technology. The second part of the team consisted of space robotics experts from the University of Maryland's Space Systems Laboratory. This team took on the responsibility of designing and building the robotics aspects of the power-assist system. Both parties addressed final system integration responsibilities.

Lingo, Robert↗

NASA NTRS1997

NASA Worldwide Emergency Medical Assistance

In an effort to maintain employee health and welfare, ensure customer satisfaction, and to deliver high quality emergency medical care when necessary to employees located overseas, NASA has instituted a new contract with International SOS Assistance INC. International SOS Assistance INC. will provide civil servants and contractors engaged in official NASA business with many services upon request during a medical or personal emergency. Through the years, International SOS Assistance INC. has developed the expertise necessary to provide medical service in all remote areas of the world. One phone call connects you to the SOS network of multilingual staff trained to help resolve travel, medical, legal, and security problems. The SOS network of critical care and aeromedical specialists operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year from SOS Alarm Centers around the world. This exhibit illustrates the details of the NASA-International SOS Assistance INC. agreement.

Martin, George A.↗

NASA NTRS2000

A Survey and Recent Development of Lunar Gravity Assist

Earth's moon is the largest in the solar system relative to its parent body, the Earth, and can have significant effect on the path of a spacecraft flying close by. This effect, when planned to benefit a specific mission, is called lunar gravity assist (LGA) , and assumes that one aims the spacecraft towards the Moon in such a way that the Moon's gravitational pull will alter the spacecraft's course in a favorable manner. The first application of LGA was in the Apollo program, where the command and lunar modules (and astronauts) were propelled to the Moon such that, if no additional course changes were made, they would swing around the backside of the Moon at a certain altitude and be flung back to Earth to enter the atmosphere at a specified location in the Pacific ocean. This LGA was an essential element saving the lives of the astronauts on Apollo 13. This paper will illustrate the basic mechanics of gravity assist, and list the many applications where it has been used effectively over the past 30 some years. These include missions to the sun and Earth libration points, redirecting a spacecraft from one of these point to a comet encounter, and enhancing payloads by providing an energy boost by the Moon. More recently, studies and actual missions have shown the benefits of LGA in: (1) assisting lunar capture, (2) repositioning geosynchronous communications satellites, (3) boosting spacecraft to Earth escape and departure to planets and other solar system bodies, and (4) allowing small spacecraft to be launched as secondary payloads and released into almost a random orbit from which each may depart and maneuver in space with gravity assists from the Earth and Moon to perform a specific planetary or other mission. This latter application is a recent development by the author and is being applied in 2002 and later years, with piggyback flights on the Ariane 5 which launches comsats to GEO.

Penzo, Paul A.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Intelligence for Human-Assistant Planetary Surface Robots

The central premise in developing effective human-assistant planetary surface robots is that robotic intelligence is needed. The exact type, method, forms and/or quantity of intelligence is an open issue being explored on the ERA project, as well as others. In addition to field testing, theoretical research into this area can help provide answers on how to design future planetary robots. Many fundamental intelligence issues are discussed by Murphy [2], including (a) learning, (b) planning, (c) reasoning, (d) problem solving, (e) knowledge representation, and (f) computer vision (stereo tracking, gestures). The new "social interaction/emotional" form of intelligence that some consider critical to Human Robot Interaction (HRI) can also be addressed by human assistant planetary surface robots, as human operators feel more comfortable working with a robot when the robot is verbally (or even physically) interacting with them. Arkin [3] and Murphy are both proponents of the hybrid deliberative-reasoning/reactive-execution architecture as the best general architecture for fully realizing robot potential, and the robots discussed herein implement a design continuously progressing toward this hybrid philosophy. The remainder of this chapter will describe the challenges associated with robotic assistance to astronauts, our general research approach, the intelligence incorporated into our robots, and the results and lessons learned from over six years of testing human-assistant mobile robots in field settings relevant to planetary exploration. The chapter concludes with some key considerations for future work in this area.

Hirsh, Robert↗

NASA NTRS2008

Hydroxide-Assisted Bonding of Ultra-Low-Expansion Glass

A process for hydroxide-assisted bonding has been developed as a means of joining optical components made of ultra-low-expansion (ULE) glass, while maintaining sufficiently precise alignment between. The process is intended mainly for use in applications in which (1) bonding of glass optical components by use of epoxy does not enable attainment of the required accuracy and dimensional stability and (2) conventional optical contacting (which affords the required accuracy and stability) does not afford adequate bond strength. The basic concept of hydroxide-assisted bonding is not new. The development of the present process was prompted by two considerations: (1) The expertise in hydroxide-assisted bonding has resided in very few places and the experts have not been willing to reveal the details of their processes and (2) data on the reliability and strength attainable by hydroxide-assisted bonding have been scarce.

Abramovici, Alexander↗

NASA NTRS2012

Gravity-Assist Mechanical Simulator for Outreach

There is no convenient way to demonstrate mechanically, as an outreach (or inreach) topic, the angular momentum trade-offs and the conservation of angular momentum associated with gravityassist interplanetary trajectories. The mechanical concepts that underlie gravity assist are often misunderstood or confused, possibly because there is no mechanical analog to it in everyday experience. The Gravity Assist Mech - anical Simulator is a hands-on solution to this longstanding technical communications challenge. Users intuitively grasp the concepts, meeting specific educational objectives. A manually spun wheel with high angular mass and low-friction bearings supplies momentum to an attached spherical neodymium magnet that represents a planet orbiting the Sun. A steel bearing ball following a trajectory across a glass plate above the wheel and magnet undergoes an elastic collision with the revolving magnet, illustrating the gravitational elastic collision between spacecraft and planet on a gravity-assist interplanetary trajectory. Manually supplying the angular momentum for the elastic collision, rather than observing an animation, intuitively conveys the concepts, meeting nine specific educational objectives. Many NASA and JPL interplanetary missions are enabled by the gravity-assist technique.

Doody, David F.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Grasp Assist Device with Automatic Mode Control Logic

A system includes a glove, sensors, actuator assemblies, and controller. The sensors include load sensors which measure an actual grasping force and attitude sensors which determine a glove attitude. The actuator assembly provides a grasp assist force to the glove. Respective locations of work cells in the work environment and permitted work tasks for each work cell are programmed into the controller. The controller detects the glove location and attitude. A work task is selected by the controller for the location. The controller calculates a required grasp assist force using measured actual grasping forces from the load sensors. The required grasp assist force is applied via the glove using the actuator assembly to thereby assist the operator in performing the identified work task.

Davis, Donald R.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Numerical Modeling of No Vent Filling of a Cryogenic Tank with Thermo-dynamic Vent System Assisted Injector

This paper presents a multi-node finite volume model of No Vent Filling (NVF) of a cryogenic tank with Thermo-dynamic Vent System (TVS) assisted injector, using the Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP), a general purpose flow network code. NVF tests were conducted in a CRYOgenic Orbital Testbed (CRYOTE) tank which was filled by liquid nitrogen using a TVS assisted injector with vent valve closed during the entire filling process. In TVS assisted injector, the liquid flow splits into two streams: one stream is routed to a Joule-Thomson (J-T) orifice where the flow immediately flashes from liquid to vapor or two phase mixture because the downstream to J-T leg is maintained at vacuum level.; the other stream is injected into the tank after being cooled by cold vapor of J-T leg in a heat exchanger. The flow through J-T leg is also used to cool the outer metal matrix of the injector which in turn cools the vapor in the tank ullage. The cooling of vapor in the ullage by cold injector surface reduces ullage pressure that allows liquid to enter and fill the tank. An integrated numerical model of the test set up was developed. The model included the dual lines of TVS assisted injector, tank and tank wall. The tank was discretized into multiple fluid nodes and branches to represent the ullage and liquid nitrogen and multiple solid nodes to represent the tank wall and structure. The heat transfer between solid to fluid was calculated from pool boiling correlations which include film, transition, and nucleate boiling, as well as natural convection during pre- and post-boiling. The model also accounts for the condensation of vapor at ullage-injector interface and when it comes in contact with the liquid spray. The predicted pressure, resident mass, wall temperature in the tank were compared with the test data.

Alok Majumdar↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assistive Detect and Avoid for Pilots in the Cockpit

Aircraft not receiving radar services rely on see and avoid and radio coordination via Common Traffic Advisory Frequencies to remain well clear of each other and avoid mid-air collisions. Radio coordination is usually performed in the vicinity of non-towered airports whereas non-radar services en-route operations rely solely on see and avoid. This paper presents the results of a simulation study of the effectiveness of assistive detect and avoid technologies when used to enhance pilots’ ability to see and avoid nearby traffic. Three different experimental conditions are modeled, representing “unaided see and avoid”, “see and avoid with traffic advisories”, and “see and avoid with assistive detect and avoid technology”. The effectiveness of see and avoid is evaluated using a set of head-on, crossing, and overtaking encounter scenarios and a model of visual acquisition embedded in a Monte Carlo simulation. The effectiveness of assistive detect and avoid is estimated for the same encounter scenarios. A prototype system for detect and avoid and a summary of results are presented. Preliminary results strongly suggest that assistive detect and avoid could greatly enhance the capabilities of flight crews to avoid traffic and remain well clear.

collision, detect and avoid, resolution, well clea↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assistive Detect and Avoid for Pilots in the Cockpit

Aircraft not receiving radar services rely on see and avoid and radio coordination via Common Traffic Advisory Frequencies to remain well clear of each other and avoid mid-air collisions. Radio coordination is usually performed in the vicinity of non-towered airports whereas non-radar services en-route operations rely solely on see and avoid. This paper presents the results of a simulation study of the effectiveness of assistive detect and avoid technologies when used to enhance pilots’ ability to see and avoid nearby traffic. Three different experimental conditions are modeled, representing “unaided see and avoid”, “see and avoid with traffic advisories”, and “see and avoid with assistive detect and avoid technology”. The effectiveness of see and avoid is evaluated using a set of head-on, crossing, and overtaking encounter scenarios and a model of visual acquisition embedded in a Monte Carlo simulation. The effectiveness of assistive detect and avoid is estimated for the same encounter scenarios. A prototype system for detect and avoid and a summary of results are presented. Preliminary results strongly suggest that assistive detect and avoid could greatly enhance the capabilities of flight crews to avoid traffic and remain well clear.

collision↗

NASA NTRS1995

Gravitational Assist

Deep-space missions some times use close gravity-assist 'swingbys' of planets and moons to gain or lose velocity. These maneuvers increase the amount of mass that can be delivered and/or decrease mission flight times. The two Voyager spacecraft used gravity assists to leave the solar system. The Galileo spacecraft is using gravity assists to move among the various moons of Jupiter and the Cassini spacecraft will do similar maneuvers around Saturn.

gravity assist↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assistive Detect and Avoid Technology in Urban Air Mobility Environments

The use of Assistive Detect and Avoid (Assistive DAA or ADAA) technology in Urban Air Mobility (UAM) environments poses potential benefits as well as challenges. Assistive DAA refers to the leveraged use of DAA technology, originally developed to replace see-and-avoid capabilities for remotely piloted aircraft, in onboard-piloted aircraft to augment (rather than replace) pilots’ see-and-avoid abilities and thus enhance the safety and efficiency of visual flight operations. ADAA is anticipated to be especially safety-enhancing in airspace where traffic density is high or traditional air traffic services are limited, such as in future UAM environments. ADAA may also enable higher-tempo UAM operations than with only see-and-avoid capabilities, while still maintaining acceptable levels of safety. UAM concepts under development by the FAA, NASA, and industry focus on operations moving people and cargo in urban and suburban areas using innovative technologies, operations, and aircraft, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center, in collaboration with FAA researchers at the William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, NJ, have conducted a series of medium-fidelity, human-in-the-loop research simulations of potential future UAM operations and concepts in both Class C and Class B airspace environments. These simulations have included use of a Langley-developed ADAA research tool called DANTi, which enables configurable ADAA displays to be presented to pilots of simulated eVTOL aircraft participating in higher-density and higher-tempo UAM operations. Experience and observations made during testing of the NASA-developed DANTi ADAA capability in the UAM NFLITE simulation environment will be reported in this paper together with a discussion of airspace integration and regulatory topics.

Detect and Avoid↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Assistive Detect and Avoid Technology in Urban Air Mobility Environments

The use of Assistive Detect and Avoid (Assistive DAA or ADAA) technology in Urban Air Mobility (UAM) environments poses potential benefits as well as challenges. Assistive DAA refers to the leveraged use of DAA technology, originally developed to replace see-and-avoid capabilities for remotely piloted aircraft, in onboard-piloted aircraft to augment (rather than replace) pilots’ see-and-avoid abilities and thus enhance the safety and efficiency of visual flight operations. ADAA is anticipated to be especially safety-enhancing in airspace where traffic density is high or traditional air traffic services are limited, such as in future UAM environments. ADAA may also enable higher-tempo UAM operations than with only see-and-avoid capabilities, while still maintaining acceptable levels of safety. UAM concepts under development by the FAA, NASA, and industry focus on operations moving people and cargo in urban and suburban areas using innovative technologies, operations, and aircraft, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Researchers at NASA Langley Research Center, in collaboration with FAA researchers at the William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, NJ, have conducted a series of medium-fidelity, human-in-the-loop research simulations of potential future UAM operations and concepts in both Class C and Class B airspace environments. These simulations have included use of a Langley-developed ADAA research tool called DANTi, which enables configurable ADAA displays to be presented to pilots of simulated eVTOL aircraft participating in higher-density and higher-tempo UAM operations. Experience and observations made during testing of the NASA-developed DANTi ADAA capability in the UAM NFLITE simulation environment will be reported in this paper together with a discussion of airspace integration and regulatory topics.

Detect and Avoid↗

NASA NTRS1977

Technical assistance and the transfer of remote sensing technology

The transfer of technology from industrialized countries to the third world is a very complicated process and one that requires a great deal of research and development. The political and social obstacles to this transfer are generally greater than the technical obstacles, but technical assistance programs have neither the competence nor the inclination to deal with these factors adequately. Funding for technical assistance in remote sensing is now expanding rapidly, and there is a growing need for institutions to study and promote the effective use of this technology for economic development. The United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Bank, the United States Agency for International Development and the Canadian technical assistance agencies take different approaches to the problem and deal with the political pressures in different ways.

Chipman, R.↗

NASA NTRS1986

ASSIST: User's manual

Semi-Markov models can be used to compute the reliability of virtually any fault-tolerant system. However, the process of delineating all of the states and transitions in a model of a complex system can be devastingly tedious and error-prone. The ASSIST program allows the user to describe the semi-Markov model in a high-level language. Instead of specifying the individual states of the model, the user specifies the rules governing the behavior of the system and these are used by ASSIST to automatically generate the model. The ASSIST program is described and illustrated by examples.

Johnson, S. C.↗

NASA NTRS1988

An intelligent interface for satellite operations: Your Orbit Determination Assistant (YODA)

An intelligent interface is often characterized by the ability to adapt evaluation criteria as the environment and user goals change. Some factors that impact these adaptations are redefinition of task goals and, hence, user requirements; time criticality; and system status. To implement adaptations affected by these factors, a new set of capabilities must be incorporated into the human-computer interface design. These capabilities include: (1) dynamic update and removal of control states based on user inputs, (2) generation and removal of logical dependencies as change occurs, (3) uniform and smooth interfacing to numerous processes, databases, and expert systems, and (4) unobtrusive on-line assistance to users of concepts were applied and incorporated into a human-computer interface using artificial intelligence techniques to create a prototype expert system, Your Orbit Determination Assistant (YODA). YODA is a smart interface that supports, in real teime, orbit analysts who must determine the location of a satellite during the station acquisition phase of a mission. Also described is the integration of four knowledge sources required to support the orbit determination assistant: orbital mechanics, spacecraft specifications, characteristics of the mission support software, and orbit analyst experience. This initial effort is continuing with expansion of YODA's capabilities, including evaluation of results of the orbit determination task.

Schur, Anne↗

NASA NTRS1989

DAWN (Design Assistant Workstation) for advanced physical-chemical life support systems

This paper reports the results of a project supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (NASA-OAST) under the Advanced Life Support Development Program. It is an initial attempt to integrate artificial intelligence techniques (via expert systems) with conventional quantitative modeling tools for advanced physical-chemical life support systems. The addition of artificial intelligence techniques will assist the designer in the definition and simulation of loosely/well-defined life support processes/problems as well as assist in the capture of design knowledge, both quantitative and qualitative. Expert system and conventional modeling tools are integrated to provide a design workstation that assists the engineer/scientist in creating, evaluating, documenting and optimizing physical-chemical life support systems for short-term and extended duration missions.

Rudokas, Mary R.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The Generic Spacecraft Analyst Assistant (GenSAA): A tool for automating spacecraft monitoring with expert systems

Flight Operations Analysts (FOAs) in the Payload Operations Control Center (POCC) are responsible for monitoring a satellite's health and safety. As satellites become more complex and data rates increase, FOAs are quickly approaching a level of information saturation. The FOAs in the spacecraft control center for the COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer) satellite are currently using a fault isolation expert system named the Communications Link Expert Assistance Resource (CLEAR), to assist in isolating and correcting communications link faults. Due to the success of CLEAR and several other systems in the control center domain, many other monitoring and fault isolation expert systems will likely be developed to support control center operations during the early 1990s. To facilitate the development of these systems, a project was initiated to develop a domain specific tool, named the Generic Spacecraft Analyst Assistant (GenSAA). GenSAA will enable spacecraft analysts to easily build simple real-time expert systems that perform spacecraft monitoring and fault isolation functions. Lessons learned during the development of several expert systems at Goddard, thereby establishing the foundation of GenSAA's objectives and offering insights in how problems may be avoided in future project, are described. This is followed by a description of the capabilities, architecture, and usage of GenSAA along with a discussion of its application to future NASA missions.

Hughes, Peter M.↗