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At least 433 records · Page 24

M.I.T./Canadian vestibular experiments on the Spacelab-1 mission. II - Visual vestibular tilt interaction in weightlessness

Adaptation to weightlessness includes the substitution of other sensory signals for the no longer appropriate graviceptor information concerning static spatial orientation. Visual-vestibular interaction producing roll circularvection was studied in weightlessness to assess the influence of otolith cues on spatial orientation. Preliminary results from four subjects tested on Spacelab-1 indicate that visual orientation effects were stronger in weightlessness than pre-flight. The rod and frame test of visual field dependence showed a weak post-flight increase in visual influence. Localized tactile cues applied to the feet in space reduced subjective vection strength.

Young, L. R.↗

M.I.T./Canadian vestibular experiments on the Spacelab-1 mission: 2. Visual vestibular tilt interaction in weightlessness

Adaptation to weightlessness includes the substitution of other sensory signals for the no longer appropriate graviceptor information concerning static spatial orientation. Visual-vestibular interaction producing roll circularvection was studied in weightlessness to assess the influence of otolith cues on spatial orientation. Preliminary results from four subjects tested on Spacelab-1 indicate that visual orientation effects were stronger in weightlessness than pre-flight. The rod and frame test of visual field dependence showed a weak post-flight increase in visual influence. Localized tactile cues applied to the feet in space reduced subjective vection strength.

Non-NASA Center↗

Displays for supervisory control of manipulators

The problem of displaying information generated by sensors attached to the terminal device of a remotely controlled manipulator is considered. The sensors under consideration are proximity, force-torque, tactile and slip-page sensors. The paper describes and evaluates several examples that have been implemented in the JPL teleoperator project using audio and graphic displays of information generated by four proximity sensors attached to a manipulator end effector. Design schemes are also discussed related to the display of information generated by a six-dimensional force-torque sensor, a multipoint proportional tactile sensor, and a directional slippage sensor. The paper concludes with a discussion of future integrated displays of visual (TV) and handbased sensor information.

Bejczy, A. K.↗

Developing Digital Twin Visualizations: A Methodology and Case Study on Chemical Separation Processing

As advances in digital engineering continue to push the technological boundaries, digital twin (DT) visualizations for diagnostics and safeguards advancement become much more feasible and practical. DTs generate large and complex data streams that require effective user interfaces to provide monitoring and diagnostic capabilities. Unfortunately, while these frameworks exist, there is not much research on the systematic documentation of human–computer interaction (HCI) for DT visualization. This work presents a dual-mode visualization methodology (two dimensional [2D] graphical user interface dashboard and 3D mixed reality) designed to support diagnostic tasks in DT systems and building on a validated framework and applying established HCI principles. The methodology is demonstrated through a case study of aqueous processing at Idaho National Laboratory, using experimental data from the chemical solvent extraction runs. Our interfaces display real-time alerts and monitoring to inform users of safeguards anomalies. The interfaces use immersive 3D mixed-reality visualization for further system and experiment investigation. This work demonstrates how the systematic application of HCI principles can inform DT visualization design for diagnostic and safeguards applications. While formal user evaluation studies remain as future work, this paper documents the systematic design methodology and demonstrates a proof-of-concept implementation.

3D visualization↗

MaROS: Web Visualization of Mars Orbiting and Landed Assets

Mars Relay operations currently involve several e-mails and phone calls between lander and orbiter teams in order to settle on an agreed time for performing a communication pass between the landed asset (i.e. rover or lander) and orbiter, then back to Earth. This new application aims to reduce this complexity by presenting a visualization of the overpass time ranges and elevation angle, as well as other information. The user is able to select a specific overflight opportunity to receive further information about that particular pass. This software presents a unified view of the potential communication passes available between orbiting and landed assets on Mars. Each asset is presented to the user in a graphical view showing overpass opportunities, elevation angle, requested and acknowledged communication windows, forward and back latencies, warnings, conflicts, relative planetary times, ACE Schedules, and DSN information. This software is unique in that it is the first of its kind to visually display the information regarding communication opportunities between landed and orbiting Mars assets. The software is written using ActionScript/FLEX, a Web language, meaning that this information may be accessed over the Internet from anywhere in the world.

Wallick, Michael N.↗

High-Throughput Optical Mapping for Accelerated Stress Testing of PV Module Materials

The study will provide guidance towards the design and application of larger and/or outdoor-use intended instruments. Measurement capability will be benchmarked against existing specimens, examined in a round-robin study using conventional spectrophotometer instruments. Data acquisition and storage will be integrated into the DuraMAT DataHub network along with data visualization tool, facilitating sharing of information.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

The Human Research Program Grant Lifecycle & Data Integration Schedule: Infographic

The Human Research Program (HRP) Grant Lifecycle process can be described using information from several government authoritative sources with overlapping generalizations. It is the responsibility of the HRP Program Planning & Control (PP&C) Office and the Data Management Integration Office (DMIO)to interpret this information into a cohesive process that can be communicated to the human research organization. PP&C and DMIO have been exploring training opportunities to facilitate understanding through the form of infographics. This communication tool combines eye-catching visuals and text making complex information and data more digestible and shareable. The infographic poster tells a short story about a federally awarded grant and is intended to help both the new and experienced HRP workforce understand the timeline for a research procurement and where their specific tasks fall within the 4 phases of the grant lifecycle. The Pre-Award, Award, Post-Award, and Closeout phases are overlayed with business swimlanes so HRP stakeholders can see where they fit into the timeline rather than working in an isolated part. This includes the Chief Scientist Office (CSO), PP&C, the Data Management Integration Office (DMIO), the Principal Investigator (PI), the Element stakeholders, the LSDA Archivists, and the Research & Operations Integration (ROI) team along with the stakeholders in the Human Health and Performance Directorate. Additionally, the poster introduces (1) the HRP Data Integration Schedule identified in the HRP Data Management Plan HRP-48047, Table 8-2 and (2) a Smartsheet Solution to automate the grants tracking business process. Emphasis is given to the Data Integration Schedule which is the basis for the milestone tasks that are to be completed during the Post-Award phase in the grant lifecycle. The poster is also an opportunity to present the Smartsheet Solution, a software collaboration and work management tool used to assign tasks and track project progress. This PP&C FY24 effort will facilitate an end-to-end solution to track grants and provide insight to the health of HRP grant research procurements using metrics, reports, and dashboards.

J Peace↗

The persistence of a visual dominance effect in a telemanipulator task: A comparison between visual and electrotactile feedback

The possibility to use an electrotactile stimulation in teleoperation and to observe the interpretation of such information as a feedback to the operator was investigated. It is proposed that visual feedback is more informative than an electrotactile one; and that complex electrotactile feedback slows down both the motor decision and motor response processes, is processed as an all or nothing signal, and bypasses the receptive structure and accesses directly in a working memory where information is sequentially processed and where memory is limited in treatment capacity. The electrotactile stimulation is used as an alerting signal. It is suggested that the visual dominance effect is the result of the advantage of both a transfer function and a sensory memory register where information is pretreated and memorized for a short time. It is found that dividing attention has an effect on the acquisition of the information but not on the subsequent decision processes.

Gaillard, J. P.↗

Millimeter-wave sensor image analysis

Images of an airborne, scanning, radiometer operating at a frequency of 98 GHz, have been analyzed. The mm-wave images were obtained in 1985/1986 using the JPL mm-wave imaging sensor. The goal of this study was to enhance the information content of these images and make their interpretation easier for human analysis. In this paper, a visual interpretative approach was used for information extraction from the images. This included application of nonlinear transform techniques for noise reduction and for color, contrast and edge enhancement. Results of the techniques on selected mm-wave images are presented.

Wilson, William J.↗

Geologic mapping of the Bauru Group in Sao Paulo state by LANDSAT images

The occurrence of the Bauru Group in Sao Paulo State was studied, with emphasis on the western plateau. Regional geological mapping was carried out on a 1:250.000 scale with the help of MSS/LANDSAT images. The visual interpretation of images consisted basically of identifying different spectral characteristics of the geological units using channels 5 and 7. Complementary studies were made for treatment of data with an Interative Image (I-100) analyser in order to facilitate the extraction of information, particularly for areas where visual interpretation proved to be difficult. Regional characteristics provided by MSS/LANDSAT images, coupled with lithostratigraphic studies carried out in the areas of occurrence of Bauru Group sediments, enabled the homogenization of criteria for the subdivision of this group. A spatial distribution of the mapped units was obtained for the entire State of Sao Paulo and results were correlated with proposed stratigraphic divisions.

Parada, N. D. J.↗

Report for the ASCR Workshop on Visualization for Scientific Discovery, Decision-Making, and Communication

Visualization—the use of visual elements to explore data, form hypotheses, or convey conclusions—is an integral part of the scientific process. Starting from an initial exploration of new data to illustrating outcomes for the general public, visualization is one of the most intuitive and powerful modes of communication. With the explosion of new data sources and types, unprecedented volumes of data, and new technologies, such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI), visualization has become increasingly essential but also ever more challenging. The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) sponsored a Basic Research Needs workshop in January 2022 to understand the major opportunities and grand challenges in visualization tools and technologies for scientific computing as well as for DOE-relevant applications and goals in general. The workshop identified five priority research directions (PRDs) for visualization to support scientific discovery, decision making, and communication. The first three PRDs describe interconnected research themes addressing the need for new techniques to deal with complex data, uncertainty, and interpretability (PRD 1); the need for scalable and interoperable software stacks (PRD 2); and the challenges and opportunities inherent in new technologies, such as VR, cloud, or exascale computing (PRD 3). The remaining two PRDs describe foundational research themes that recognize the potential of visualizations to provide equitable access to information and to strengthen the scientific discourse (PRD 4); and the need to consider human factors when designing visualizations (PRD 5). Collectively, these PRDs form the pillars for a coherent, long-term research and development strategy in Visualization for Scientific Discovery, Decision-Making, and Communication in the context of the Office of Science’s mission scope.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

A Collaborative Decision Environment for UAV Operations

NASA is developing Intelligent Mission Management (IMM) technology for science missions employing long endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's). The IMM groundbased component is the Collaborative Decision Environment (CDE), a ground system that provides the Mission/Science team with situational awareness, collaboration, and decisionmaking tools. The CDE is used for pre-flight planning, mission monitoring, and visualization of acquired data. It integrates external data products used for planning and executing a mission, such as weather, satellite data products, and topographic maps by leveraging established and emerging Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards to acquire external data products via the Internet, and an industry standard geographic information system (GIs) toolkit for visualization As a Science/Mission team may be geographically dispersed, the CDE is capable of providing access to remote users across wide area networks using Web Services technology. A prototype CDE is being developed for an instrument checkout flight on a manned aircraft in the fall of 2005, in preparation for a full deployment in support of the US Forest Service and NASA Ames Western States Fire Mission in 2006.

D'Ortenzio, Matthew V.↗

Visualizations to Aid Decision-Making in the ACCP Value Framework

NASA’s priorities for Earth Science are informed by the 2017-2027 Decadal Survey for Earth Science and Applications from Space of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. In that document, five Designated Observables are identified as priorities for research, two of which are Aerosols, and Clouds, Convection, and Precipitation. NASA is addressing these two Designated Observables by a combined study (the Aerosols, Clouds, Convection, and Precipitation, or ACCP, study). In this context of the ACCP study’s multiple objectives and multiple stakeholders, heuristic-based approaches are insufficient to assess candidate observing system concepts due to the complexity of the decision problem. For the ACCP study, this complexity in assessment is such that absent a structured approach that permits understanding of the steps leading to a decision, the decision risks being made on an incomplete basis. While prose and numeric data both have their place in effective communication, visualizations play an important part not only in presenting information, but also in structuring conversations around that information. Each of the visualizations developed for the ACCP Value Framework serve at least one of several functions: it structures communication about a method or process, it facilitates the elicitation and aggregation of data, or it summarizes complex information to enable analysis. Thus, these visualizations can present information, structure conversations, or do both.

Christopher A Jones↗

Antagonistic otolith-visual units in cat vestibular nuclei

The nature of neural coding of visual (Vis) and vestibular (Vst) information on translational motion in the region of the vestibular nuclei was investigated using extracellular single-unit recordings in alert adult cats. Responses were recorded and averaged over 60 cycles of stimulation in the vertical and horizontal planes, which included the Vst (movement of the animal in the dark), Vis (movement within lighted visual surround), and combined Vis and Vst (movement of the animal within the lighted stationary visual surround). Data are reported on responses to stimulations along the axis showing maximal sensitivity. A small number of units were identified that showed an antagonistic relationship between their Vis and Vst responses (since they were maximally excited by Vis and by Vst stimulations in the same direction). Results suggest that antagonistic units may belong to an infrequently encountered, but functionally distinct, class of neurons.

Daunton, Nancy G.↗

Sequential Phenomena in Psychophysical Judgments: A Theoretical Analysis

This paper deals with an analysis of psychophysical detection experiments designed to assess the limit of a human observer's level of sensitivity. A mathematical theory or the detection process is introduced that, in contrast to previous theories, provides an analysis of the sequential effects observed in psychophysical data. Two variations of the detection task are considered: information feedback and no-information feedback. In the feedback situation the subject is given information concerning the correctness of his responses, whereas in the no-feedback situation he is not. Data from a visual detection experiment with no-information feedback, and from an auditory detection experiment with information feedback are analyzed in terms of the theory. Finally, some general results are derived concerning the relationship between performance in the feedback situation and the no-feedback situation.

Atkinson, R. C.↗

Multispectral combination and display of ERTS-1 data

A significant problem in the use of ERTS-1 data is the extraction of information pertinent to each application and the presentation of that information in a form most suitable to users. When the information is to be displayed for visual study by an observer, the problem can be reduced to two steps: (1) Dimensionality reduction, an objective procedure which attempts to preserve most of the ERTS-1 information in a smaller number of components. (2) Display of the reduced number of components for optimum visibility by an observer. A specific dimensionality reduction technique has been applied to ERTS-1 data for several geographical areas in California and distinct types of earth resources. In the display of the reduced number of components, consideration has to be given to properties of the human visual system and the statistics of the data to be displayed. Previous work on digital image enhancement was applied to this problem to generate color composites which contain and display most of the information provided by the ERTS-1 sensors. Results of this approach were interesting, both in terms of the small mean-square caused by the dimensionality reduction, as well as for the examples of enhanced images that have been obtained.

Algazi, V. R.↗

Exploring Innovative Methods for Earth Science Communication Through NASA’s Earth Information Center

Environmental challenges stemming from unprecedented changes in our planet have increased the need to communicate our understanding of Earth as a connected system. In June 2023, NASA unveiled the Earth Information Center (EIC), part of NASA’s Earth Action Strategy aimed at amplifying NASA’s Earth science impact by engaging decision-makers beyond the scientific community. Existing in both physical and virtual space, the EIC provides critical information on how the planet is changing and affecting livelihoods across the globe. For over fifty years, NASA has utilized the unique vantage point space offers to monitor Earth in collaboration with Federal partners. Through an expanding fleet of Earth observing satellites and sensors, NASA informs local to global decision making within nine thematic areas: agriculture, biodiversity, disasters, greenhouse gases, health and air quality, sea level rise and coastal impacts, sustainable energy, water resources, and wildfires. Visitors to the inaugural location of the EIC at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C., can interact with Earth observation data and models through innovative exhibits and storytelling. Designed by an interdisciplinary team, the EIC is designed for multiple modality learning to reach a wide base of end-users. Data driven visualizations, near real-time information, and curated stories highlight the applications of Earth observations to address environmental challenges. Complementary exhibits and immersive storytelling allow visitors to physically step inside environmental data and connect with information on an emotional level. Taken together, the collective EIC provides scientists and non-scientists alike with the ability to see our home planet as NASA sees it, as a system of systems, while delivering easily accessible information to those who need it most.

Earth Information Center↗