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At least 433 records · Page 24

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NASA NTRS2001

Science Autonomy in Robotic Exploration

Historical mission operations have involved: (1) return of scientific data; (2) evaluation of these data by scientists; (3) recommendations for future mission activity by scientists; (4) commands for these transmitted to the craft; and (5) the activity being undertaken. This cycle is repeated throughout the mission with command opportunities once or twice per day. For a rover, this historical cycle is not amenable to rapid long range traverses or rapid response to any novel or unexpected situations. In addition to real-time response issues, imaging and/or spectroscopic devices can produce tremendous data volumes during a traverse. However, such data volumes can rapidly exceed on-board memory capabilities prior to the ability to transmit it to Earth. Additionally, the necessary communication band-widths are restrictive enough so that only a small portion of these data can actually be returned to Earth. Such scenarios suggest enabling some science decisions to be made on-board the robots. These decisions involve automating various aspects of scientific discovery instead of the electromechanical control, health, and navigation issues associated with robotic operations. The robot retains access to the full data fidelity obtained by its scientific sensors, and is in the best position to implement actions based upon these data. Such an approach would eventually enable the robot to alter observations and assure only the highest quality data is obtained for analysis. Additionally, the robot can begin to understand what is scientifically interesting and implement alternative observing sequences, because the observed data deviate from expectations based upon current theories/models of planetary processes. Such interesting data and/or conclusions can then be prioritized and selectively transmitted to Earth; reducing memory and communications demands. Results of Ames' current work in this area will be presented.

Roush, Ted L.↗

NASA NTRS2001

Robotic Exploration: The Role of Science Autonomy

Historical mission operations have involved: (1) return of scientific data; (2) evaluation of these data by scientists; (3) recommendations for future mission activity by scientists; (4) commands for these transmitted to the craft; and (5) the activity being, undertaken. This cycle is repeated throughout the mission with command opportunities once or twice per day. For a rover, this historical cycle is not amenable to rapid long range traverses or rapid response to any novel or unexpected situations. In addition to real-time response issues, imaging and/or spectroscopic devices can produce tremendous data volumes during a traverse. However, such data volumes can rapidly exceed on-board memory capabilities prior to the ability to transmit it to Earth. Additionally, the necessary communication band-widths are restrictive enough so that only a small portion of these data can actually be returned to Earth. Such scenarios suggest enabling some science decisions to be made on-board the robots. These decisions involve automating various aspects of scientific discovery instead of the electromechanical control, health, and navigation issues associated with robotic operations. The robot retains access to the full data fidelity obtained by its scientific sensors, and is in the best position to implement actions based upon these data. Such an approach would eventually enable the robot to alter observations and assure only the highest quality data is obtained for analysis. Additionally, the robot can begin to understand what is scientifically interesting and implement alternative observing sequences, because the observed data deviate from expectations based upon current theories/models of planetary processes. Such interesting data and/or conclusions can then be prioritized and selectively transmitted to Earth; reducing memory and communications demands. Results of Ames' current work in this area will be presented.

Roush, Ted L.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Robotic Surgery

The Automated Endoscopic System for Optimal Positioning, or AESOP, was developed by Computer Motion, Inc. under a SBIR contract from the Jet Propulsion Lab. AESOP is a robotic endoscopic positioning system used to control the motion of a camera during endoscopic surgery. The camera, which is mounted at the end of a robotic arm, previously had to be held in place by the surgical staff. With AESOP the robotic arm can make more precise and consistent movements. AESOP is also voice controlled by the surgeon. It is hoped that this technology can be used in space repair missions which require precision beyond human dexterity. A new generation of the same technology entitled the ZEUS Robotic Surgical System can make endoscopic procedures even more successful. ZEUS allows the surgeon control various instruments in its robotic arms, allowing for the precision the procedure requires.

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NASA NTRS1988

Robot Design

Martin Marietta Aero and Naval Systems has advanced the CAD art to a very high level at its Robotics Laboratory. One of the company's major projects is construction of a huge Field Material Handling Robot for the Army's Human Engineering Lab. Design of FMR, intended to move heavy and dangerous material such as ammunition, was a triumph in CAD Engineering. Separate computer problems modeled the robot's kinematics and dynamics, yielding such parameters as the strength of materials required for each component, the length of the arms, their degree of freedom and power of hydraulic system needed. The Robotics Lab went a step further and added data enabling computer simulation and animation of the robot's total operational capability under various loading and unloading conditions. NASA computer program (IAC), integrated Analysis Capability Engineering Database was used. Program contains a series of modules that can stand alone or be integrated with data from sensors or software tools.

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NASA NTRS2002

Evolutionary Design of a Robotic Material Defect Detection System

During the post-flight inspection of SSME engines, several inaccessible regions must be disassembled to inspect for defects such as cracks, scratches, gouges, etc. An improvement to the inspection process would be the design and development of very small robots capable of penetrating these inaccessible regions and detecting the defects. The goal of this research was to utilize an evolutionary design approach for the robotic detection of these types of defects. A simulation and visualization tool was developed prior to receiving the hardware as a development test bed. A small, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) robot was selected from several candidates as the proof of concept robot. The basic approach to detect the defects was to utilize Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) sensors to detect changes in contrast of an illuminated surface. A neural network, optimally designed utilizing a genetic algorithm, was employed to detect the presence of the defects (cracks). By utilization of the COTS robot and US sensors, the research successfully demonstrated that an evolutionarily designed neural network can detect the presence of surface defects.

Ballard, Gary↗

NASA NTRS2002

Advances in Robotic, Human, and Autonomous Systems for Missions of Space Exploration

Space exploration missions are evolving toward more complex architectures involving more capable robotic systems, new levels of human and robotic interaction, and increasingly autonomous systems. How this evolving mix of advanced capabilities will be utilized in the design of new missions is a subject of much current interest. Cost and risk constraints also play a key role in the development of new missions, resulting in a complex interplay of a broad range of factors in the mission development and planning of new missions. This paper will discuss how human, robotic, and autonomous systems could be used in advanced space exploration missions. In particular, a recently completed survey of the state of the art and the potential future of robotic systems, as well as new experiments utilizing human and robotic approaches will be described. Finally, there will be a discussion of how best to utilize these various approaches for meeting space exploration goals.

Gross, Anthony R.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Laser-Camera Vision Sensing for Spacecraft Mobile Robot Navigation

The advent of spacecraft mobile robots-free-flyng sensor platforms and communications devices intended to accompany astronauts or remotely operate on space missions both inside and outside of a spacecraft-has demanded the development of a simple and effective navigation schema. One such system under exploration involves the use of a laser-camera arrangement to predict relative positioning of the mobile robot. By projecting laser beams from the robot, a 3D reference frame can be introduced. Thus, as the robot shifts in position, the position reference frame produced by the laser images is correspondingly altered. Using normalization and camera registration techniques presented in this paper, the relative translation and rotation of the robot in 3D are determined from these reference frame transformations.

Maluf, David A.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Extensible Hardware Architecture for Mobile Robots

The Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA Ames Research Center has developed a new mobile robot hardware architecture designed for extensibility and reconfigurability. Currently implemented on the k9 rover. and won to be integrated onto the K10 series of human-robot collaboration research robots, this architecture allows for rapid changes in instrumentation configuration and provides a high degree of modularity through a synergistic mix of off-the-shelf and custom designed components, allowing eased transplantation into a wide vane6 of mobile robot platforms. A component level overview of this architecture is presented along with a description of the changes required for implementation on K10 , followed by plans for future work.

Park, Eric↗

NASA NTRS2004

Genetic Optimization and Simulation of a Piezoelectric Pipe-Crawling Inspection Robot

Using the DarwinZk development software, a genetic algorithm (GA) was used to design and optimize a pipe-crawling robot for parameters such as mass, power consumption, and joint extension to further the research of the Miniature Inspection Systems Technology (MIST) team. In an attempt to improve on existing designs, a new robot was developed, the piezo robot. The final proposed design uses piezoelectric expansion actuators to move the robot with a 'chimneying' method employed by mountain climbers and greatly improves on previous designs in load bearing ability, pipe traversing specifications, and field usability. This research shows the advantages of GA assisted design in the field of robotics.

Hollinger, Geoffrey A.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Standardized Action Modules for Humanoid Robot Control

Humanoid robots could reduce the risks of hazardous work by replacing humans in dangerous environments and they could be useful helpers in environments designed primarily for humans. Currently, no robot is capable enough to fulfill either of these roles for any practical application, and the Humanoid Project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Bio-Inspired Technologies and Systems group is striving to change that. For this summer, our goal was to endow a Fujitsu HOAP 2 humanoid robot with the necessary intelligence and knowledge to autonomously assemble a cubical frame structure from tubular bars and corner joints. Performing such a complicated task requires that the robot have a robust control architecture that allows for a multitude of abilities and Operation modes. We have designed and implemented a modular control architecture that allows reusability of existing code and the integration of work by many team members into the larger control system while providing an easy way to implement later improvements. Such a control system has allowed us to achieve important milestones in the humanoid robot assembly task.

Csaszar, Ambrus↗

NASA NTRS2005

Vision and "Hand-Eye" Coordination for the Fujitsu HOAP-2 Humanoid Robot

Software was developed for a Fujitsu HOAP-2 humanoid robot to demonstrate that such "human form" robots can be used to perform useful tasks in an unknown environment; specifically, that they can operate with or in the place of humans to carry out construction operations necessary for space exploration, such as building or maintaining planetary surface habitats for humans. This paper describes the autonomous vision and hand-eye coordination software that enables the HOAP-2 to locate and manipulate objects. Simple vision and pattern detection algorithms including color filtering, noise filtering, image segmentation, orientation filters, and a feedback controlled tracking system enable the robot to locate marked building materials in the workspace. Experimentally determined spatial mappings associate locations in the visual field with the arm joint angles and trajectories necessary to reach these locations, allowing the robot to reach for and manipulate the building materials. These capabilities, when combined with locomotion capabilities, enable the robot to operate autonomously in an unknown workspace.

Moore, Jeffrey D.↗

NASA NTRS2006

The Human-Robot Interaction Operating System

In order for humans and robots to work effectively together, they need to be able to converse about abilities, goals and achievements. Thus, we are developing an interaction infrastructure called the "Human-Robot Interaction Operating System" (HRI/OS). The HRI/OS provides a structured software framework for building human-robot teams, supports a variety of user interfaces, enables humans and robots to engage in task-oriented dialogue, and facilitates integration of robots through an extensible API.

Fong, Terrence↗

NASA NTRS2004

Robotic Assistance for Human Planetary and Lunar Exploration

Human exploration of space will need robotic assistance in many areas. The type and functionality of such robots needs to be more clearly defined as we resume human missions to the moon and begin human missions to Mars. This paper will identify possible robotic assistants, including their control modes, workplaces, and physical attributes. Current JSC human-robot interaction projects are described, and lessons learned from extensive field tests are given. Future scenario considerations are then detailed. Earth-based testing of varied robotic assistants will provide a means of defining what capabilities are needed for future exploration.

Tyree, Kimberly S.↗

NASA NTRS2006

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.

Fong, Terrence↗

NASA NTRS2004

Robotic Assistance for Human Planetary and Lunar Exploration

Tyree, Kimberly S.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Towards Principled Experimental Study of Autonomous Mobile Robots

We review the current state of research in autonomous mobile robots and conclude that there is an inadequate basis for predicting the reliability and behavior of robots operating in unengineered environments. We present a new approach to the study of autonomous mobile robot performance based on formal statistical analysis of independently reproducible experiments conducted on real robots. Simulators serve as models rather than experimental surrogates. We demonstrate three new results: 1) Two commonly used performance metrics (time and distance) are not as well correlated as is often tacitly assumed. 2) The probability distributions of these performance metrics are exponential rather than normal, and 3) a modular, object-oriented simulation accurately predicts the behavior of the real robot in a statistically significant manner.

Object-Oriented Simulation↗

NASA NTRS2006

Integrated Human-Robotic Missions to the Moon and Mars: Mission Operations Design Implications

For most of the history of space exploration, human and robotic programs have been independent, and have responded to distinct requirements. The NASA Vision for Space Exploration calls for the return of humans to the Moon, and the eventual human exploration of Mars; the complexity of this range of missions will require an unprecedented use of automation and robotics in support of human crews. The challenges of human Mars missions, including roundtrip communications time delays of 6 to 40 minutes, interplanetary transit times of many months, and the need to manage lifecycle costs, will require the evolution of a new mission operations paradigm far less dependent on real-time monitoring and response by an Earthbound operations team. Robotic systems and automation will augment human capability, increase human safety by providing means to perform many tasks without requiring immediate human presence, and enable the transfer of traditional mission control tasks from the ground to crews. Developing and validating the new paradigm and its associated infrastructure may place requirements on operations design for nearer-term lunar missions. The authors, representing both the human and robotic mission operations communities, assess human lunar and Mars mission challenges, and consider how human-robot operations may be integrated to enable efficient joint operations, with the eventual emergence of a unified exploration operations culture.

Korth, David↗

NASA NTRS1996

High level language-based robotic control system

This invention is a robot control system based on a high level language implementing a spatial operator algebra. There are two high level languages included within the system. At the highest level, applications programs can be written in a robot-oriented applications language including broad operators such as MOVE and GRASP. The robot-oriented applications language statements are translated into statements in the spatial operator algebra language. Programming can also take place using the spatial operator algebra language. The statements in the spatial operator algebra language from either source are then translated into machine language statements for execution by a digital control computer. The system also includes the capability of executing the control code sequences in a simulation mode before actual execution to assure proper action at execution time. The robot's environment is checked as part of the process and dynamic reconfiguration is also possible. The languages and system allow the programming and control of multiple arms and the use of inward/outward spatial recursions in which every computational step can be related to a transformation from one point in the mechanical robot to another point to name two major advantages.

Rodriguez, Guillermo↗