Results for “mobility as a service” — Page 38

NASA NTRS2016

Space Mobile Network: A Near Earth Communication and Navigation Architecture

This paper describes a Space Mobile Network architecture, the result of a recently completed NASA study exploring architectural concepts to produce a vision for the future Near Earth communications and navigation systems. The Space Mobile Network (SMN) incorporates technologies, such as Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) and optical communications, and new operations concepts, such as User Initiated Services, to provide user services analogous to a terrestrial smartphone user. The paper will describe the SMN Architecture, envisioned future operations concepts, opportunities for industry and international collaboration and interoperability, and technology development areas and goals.

Spacecraft Communication↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Space Transformation -- Localizing the Remote and Connecting the Isolated

In motivating the Space Transformation theme for this year’s 4S symposium, the organizers provided the following context, “Transformation of economies are driven by a change in values and accelerated by new technologies.” These words rang particularly true when I read them at the beginning of the holiday season. Like so many others, I was in the early phases of my Christmas shopping procrastination campaign, and I’d just been reflecting on how Amazon Prime was the transformational tool I’d been waiting for. Basic limiting principles of time and space, supply and demand, were all but erased by the Amazon Prime phenomenon. Coupled with emerging 3D printing and other adaptive manufacturing technologies, a transformation from deliberate planning to “think it … have it” had occurred, empowering me to procrastinate longer than I’d ever dreamed possible. The organizers went on to ponder, “Will space transformation also affect society?”, just as our team at the Air Force Research Lab’s (AFRL) Center for Rapid Innovation (CRI) were working alongside partners within our larger Integrated Capabilities Directorate, NASA’s Flight Opportunities and Small Spacecraft Technology programs, and DARPA’s Luna-10 program to develop technologies and execute demonstration missions that leverage the space domain to genuinely connect even the most remote and austere domains on the timeline of need. Picking apart the miracle that is Amazon prime, where does the model fail, and why? More relevantly to the theme of this year’s symposium, how can the space domain be used to overcome its limitations and minimize its weaknesses? Perhaps it is best assessed in the context of Use Cases. What are the Amazon delivery cost, schedule, and cargo limiters to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Research Station, or the Lunar South Pole Research Station? This paper will explore enabling infrastructure that allows Amazon prime to thrive and assess the transformational enabling technologies that would be necessary to extend that miracle to the truly remote or the truly austere. Localizing the Remote • First, it will evaluate the ability of the on-going AFRL Rocket Cargo and Space Initiatives Ringside Seats systems, coupled with Astrobotic’s Xodiak and Xogdor capabilities, developed to support the NASA Flight Opportunities Program (FOP), to supply orbital/suborbital delivery to both improved and austere sites on the Earth and Moon. • Then, it will add the surface terminal distribution leg, with an examination of Lunar Outpost’s Mobile Autonomous Prospecting Platform (MAPP), equipped with Mobile Autonomous Robotic Swarm (MARS) software, and Intuitive Machine’s Hopper, developed with support of AFRL and NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. Connecting the Isolated From there, it will focus on the destination, asking what implied destination services are required to support highly assured autonomous delivery. • Specifically, it will highlight Astrobotic’s Skymage mesh-networked publish and subscribe communication and navigation service, as well as AFRL’s on-going developments of radioisotope and reactor nuclear-sourced thermoelectric power generation and distribution systems under development under the Joint Emergent Technology Supplying On-orbit Nuclear Power (JETSON) program by Lockheed Martin, Westinghouse, Intuitive Machines, and Zeno Power, to provide the power service to locations well off the grid. • Finally, the paper will connect to the “human machine”. What connects the remote or in-situ human consumer to the remote domain? What connects the diverse international government and commercial services to each other? The former will focus on AFRL’s OraCloud feeding their Space Defense Control and Characterization System (SDCCS) and Lunar Station’s MoonHacker systems, while the latter will focus on the BlueHalo/Tensor LunX Technology Platform for the Cislunar Commodity Marketplace. In 1984, Krafft Ehricke famously remarked that, “If God wanted man to become a spacefaring species, He would have given man a Moon.” This paper is not about the Moon, but is about humans as a spacefaring species, shedding the pesky land/air limitations of the Amazon Prime model … so that we can all live a procrastinator’s “think it … have it” existence.

Charles Finley↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Classification of Notices to Airmen using Natural Language Processing

This paper establishes the feasibility of using Natural Language Processing (NLP) to classify NOTAMs or Notices to Airmen – a pilot messaging framework to gather real-time situational awareness. Present day air mobility operations heavily rely on NOTAMs. However, pilots often have difficulty interpreting NOTAMs due to the sheer volume of inapplicable messages and unclear abbreviations. Using NLP, the presented study analyzes the accuracy of classifying NOTAMs and, thereby, the efficiency of generating actionable interpretations in real time. To this effect, efficacies of four NLP neural network architectures were analyzed, including three Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) with GloVe, Word2Vec, and FastText word embeddings, and one trained Bi-Directional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model. The four neural networks were trained and evaluated on three open-source datasets of varying text lengths, vocabularies, and grammars, taken from e-commerce product descriptions, social media tweets, and unstructured descriptions for data and analytics services on open data marketplaces such as NASA’s Data and Reasoning Fabric (DRF) platform. This provided cross-analysis of each neural network architecture’s performance per text type. The best performing architecture, BERT, was then fine-tuned on a collection of open-source NOTAM data. Post-training, a real-time NOTAM classification service was implemented to draw inference on new NOTAMs using the trained model, which demonstrated close to 99% accuracy in classification. This modular classification service is envisioned to be integrated with a data and analytics delivery platform, such as the DRF, thus availing real-time contextualization of NOTAMs to air mobility clients, humans, and machines for enhanced decision making.

Aiden C. Szeto↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Classification of Notices to Airmen using Natural Language Processing

This paper establishes the feasibility of using Natural Language Processing (NLP) to classify NOTAMs or Notices to Airmen – a pilot messaging framework to gather real-time situational awareness. Present day air mobility operations heavily rely on NOTAMs. However, pilots often have difficulty interpreting NOTAMs due to the sheer volume of inapplicable messages and unclear abbreviations. Using NLP, the presented study analyzes the accuracy of classifying NOTAMs and, thereby, the efficiency of generating actionable interpretations in real time. To this effect, efficacies of four NLP neural network architectures were analyzed, including three Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) with GloVe, Word2Vec, and FastText word embeddings, and one trained Bi-Directional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model. The four neural networks were trained and evaluated on three open-source datasets of varying text lengths, vocabularies, and grammars, taken from e-commerce product descriptions, social media tweets, and unstructured descriptions for data and analytics services on open data marketplaces such as NASA’s Data and Reasoning Fabric (DRF) platform. This provided cross-analysis of each neural network architecture’s performance per text type. The best performing architecture, BERT, was then fine-tuned on a collection of open-source NOTAM data. Post-training, a real-time NOTAM classification service was implemented to draw inference on new NOTAMs using the trained model, which demonstrated close to 99% accuracy in classification. This modular classification service is envisioned to be integrated with a data and analytics delivery platform, such as the DRF, thus availing real-time contextualization of NOTAMs to air mobility clients, humans, and machines for enhanced decision making.

Aiden Szeto↗

DOE OSTI2022

Using Wi-Fi Location-Based Services (LBS) for Commercial Building Occupancy Sensing

From May 2019 through October 2022, this DOE-funded project investigated and demonstrated the use of Wi-Fi Location-Based Services (LBS) to perform occupancy sensing in commercial buildings. Wi-Fi LBS can be used to detect the presence of Wi-Fi enabled mobile devices and laptops that accompany occupants as they move through the building. These signals can be used to determine occupant presence, head count, and location. When integrated with the building automation system, this emerging technology approach can be used to manage other connected systems such as lighting and HVAC to reduce energy usage in the building and improve occupant comfort. An open source location detection algorithm was developed, which uses data collected from three or more Wi-Fi access points to determine the presence and estimate the location of mobile devices and laptops. Access points can detect Wi-Fi enabled devices even if they are not connected to the existing Wi-Fi network. Building occupancy is determined based on the presence, location, and movement of these devices through the space. From lab and small-scale in-situ testing, the Location Detection Algorithm (LDA) was found to be accurate to within 10 feet and could be further refined by tuning the algorithm for the specific space characteristics such as layout and obstructions (walls, furniture, etc.). An open source method to integrate the occupancy data with existing building automations systems was investigated. The Wi-Fi occupancy sensing approach was then demonstrated and validated at two commercial buildings located in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS2020

Urban Air Mobility Noise: Current Practice, Gaps, and Recommendations

In 2018, NASA formed an Urban Air Mobility Noise Working Group to assemble noise experts from industry, universities and government agencies to identify, discuss, and address urban air mobility (UAM) noise issues. This paper presents a set of high-level goals intended to address barriers associated with UAM noise that may hamper their entry into service. It summarizes the current practice, identifies gaps in the current practice, and makes recommendations to address the gaps to achieve the high-level goals in four areas of interest: Tools and Technologies, Ground and Flight Testing, Human Response and Metrics, and Regulation and Policy.

urban air mobility↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Immutable Secure Data Exchange and Storage for Urban Air Mobility Environments

The Urban Air Mobility (UAM) environment is derived from the Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) concept of operations. Within the environment, UAM operators work independently to manage aerial vehicles in the urban environment. Providers of Services (PSU), UAM operators, and Supplemental Data Service Providers provide services to support flight operations within the UAM environment. The intent of this work is to leverage a permissioned blockchain approach, to, simulate secure data exchange and storage for UAM environments. Blockchain technologies can be used for identity management of vehicles, people, and systems.

Blockchain↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Simulating Secure Data Exchange and Storage for Urban Air Mobility Environments

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) defines an environment for managing operations of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and short takeoff and landing (STOL) vehicles in an urban environment. Within a UAM environment, UAM operators manage fleets of vehicles, relying on Providers of Services for UAM (PSUs) for managing flights in a region of airspace. Flight plan deconfliction is primarily performed by the Discovery and Synchronization Service (DSS), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintains control over the UAM space via the FAA-Industry Exchange Protocol (FIDXP). UAM is a federated environment with many different entities owning and operating vehicles, PSUs, and other services. These entities often need to interoperate or access data generated by other organizations. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of using blockchain to facilitate a secure data exchange and storage for this flight information in a UAM environment. In particular, this paper is focused on flight plans and telemetry data. A blockchain network was developed with a set of smart contracts for managing relevant flight data. Hyperledger Fabric was chosen as it is performent, scalable, and allows organizations to reuse existing public key infrastructure (PKI) for identity management. A set of simulated UAM services were also developed. These services propose flight plans and negotiate with other UAM services for airspace access. All interactions between UAM services, as well as vehicle telemetry data, is recorded onto the blockchain. Vehicle telemetry data is generated by a vehicle flight simulation service. This paper successfully demonstrates the feasibility of using blockchain as a secure data exchange and storage mechanism in a UAM environment.

UAM↗

NASA NTRS2004

Application of AirCell Cellular AMPS Network and Iridium Satellite System Dual Mode Service to Air Traffic Management

The AirCell/Iridium dual mode service is evaluated for potential applications to Air Traffic Management (ATM) communication needs. The AirCell system which is largely based on the Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) technology, and the Iridium FDMA/TDMA system largely based on the Global System for Mobile Communications(GSM) technology, can both provide communication relief for existing or future aeronautical communication links. Both have a potential to serve as experimental platforms for future technologies via a cost effective approach. The two systems are well established in the entire CONUS and globally hence making it feasible to utilize in all regions, for all altitudes, and all classes of aircraft. Both systems have been certified for air usage. The paper summarizes the specifications of the AirCell/Iridium system, as well as the ATM current and future links, and application specifications. the paper highlights the scenarios, applications, and conditions under which the AirCell/Iridium technology can be suited for ATM Communication.

Shamma, Mohammed A.↗

NASA NTRS2019

The Evaluation of Composite Energy Absorbers for Use in UAM EVTOL Vehicle Impact Attenuation

The demand for new personal air-taxi services is leading to the development of lightweight Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles with electric propulsion for the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) industry. Manufacturers (OEMs) are considering many different designs to develop a vehicle that is able to take-off, cruise, and land autonomously with seating arrangements ranging between 2 and 15 passengers. It is unclear at present how the eventual market will mature; however, one of the common design characteristics noted by many of the OEMs is the use of advanced materials such as composites. A test and analysis program was initiated at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) in 2018 to evaluate the impact attenuation capabilities of various composite material systems with the goal of eventual implementation into an eVTOL vehicle. A series of 3-inch diameter by 6-inch length tubular specimens were fabricated from different material systems which included both traditional carbon and hybrid woven layers of fibers. Additionally, a subset of specimens were filled with closed-cell polyisocyanurate foam to help both with stabilization and crush response. The ultimate goal of the test program was to design a specimen capable of limiting the sustained crush acceleration to 20 g through a stable crush progression. After a series of material tests, these specimens were evaluated under both static and dynamic conditions for impact energy attenuation characteristics and crush stability. Additionally, a series of simulation models were developed in parallel to the test efforts. It is anticipated that the models developed using the component level test efforts can be used to help guide the development of a design for use in full-scale eVTOL vehicle applications.

Littell, Justin↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Investigation of Intelligent Resource Management for Aviation Communications

The emergence of new aerial vehicles into the airspace as part of new initiatives, such as Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), will place growing demand for spectrum resources to support airspace operations. The traditional approach of using fixed channel allocations within standard service volumes will not allow for dynamic and efficient distribution of resources based on airspace demand; consequently, a new approach to aviation spectrum management will be required to meet the anticipated needs of airspace users. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is investigating the application of advanced concepts to implement a novel spectrum management approach that allows for the intelligent utilization of aviation spectrum throughout the airspace while maintaining the quality of service prescribed by aeronautical standards. This technical investigation evaluates the dynamic assignment of resources for both air-ground and air-air communication links applicable to both the emerging AAM initiative as well as the existing air traffic management system. The performance of the proposed spectrum management concepts will be evaluated using a custom modeling and simulation capability that is currently under development. The implementation of these approaches is anticipated to facilitate increased spectrum utilization efficiency and enhanced airspace capacity, which will better serve the needs of future applications.

Aeronautics↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Investigation of Intelligent Resource Management for Aviation Communications

The emergence of new aerial vehicles into the airspace as part of new initiatives, such as Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), will place growing demand for spectrum resources to support airspace operations. The traditional approach of using fixed channel allocations within standard service volumes will not allow for dynamic and efficient distribution of resources based on airspace demand; consequently, a new approach to aviation spectrum management will be required to meet the anticipated needs of airspace users. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is investigating the application of advanced concepts to implement a novel spectrum management approach that allows for the intelligent utilization of aviation spectrum throughout the airspace while maintaining the quality of service prescribed by aeronautical standards. This technical investigation evaluates the dynamic assignment of resources for both air-ground and air-air communication links applicable to both the emerging AAM initiative as well as the existing air traffic management system. The performance of the proposed spectrum management concepts will be evaluated using a custom modeling and simulation capability that is currently under development. The implementation of these approaches is anticipated to facilitate increased spectrum utilization efficiency and enhanced airspace capacity, which will better serve the needs of future applications.

Eric Knoblock↗

NASA NTRS1984

EMU Battery/module Service Tool Characterization Study

The power tool which will be used to replace the attitude control system in the SMM spacecraft is being modified to operate from a self contained battery. The extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) battery, a silver zinc battery, was tested for the power tool application. The results obtained during show the EMU battery is capable of operating the power tool within the pulse current range of 2.0 to 15.0 amperes and battery temperature range of -10 to 40 degrees Celsius.

Palandati, C. F.↗

NASA NTRS2012

New Technology for Microfabrication and Testing of a Thermoelectric Device for Generating Mobile Electrical Power

Thermoelectric (TE) power generation is an increasingly important power generation technology. Major advantages include: no moving parts, low-weight, modularity, covertness/silence, high power density, low amortized cost, and long service life with minimum or no required maintenance. Despite low efficiency of power generation, there are many specialized needs for electrical power that TE technologies can uniquely and successfully address. Recent advances in thermoelectric materials technology have rekindled acute interest in thermoelectric power generation. We have developed single crystalline n- and p- type PbTe crystals and are also, developing PbTe bulk nanocomposites using PbTe nano powders and emerging filed assisted sintering technology (FAST). We will discuss the materials requirements for efficient thermoelectric power generation using waste heat at intermediate temperature range (6500 to 8500 K). We will present our recent results on production of n- and p- type PbTe crystals and their thermoelectric characterization. Relative characteristics and performance of PbTe bulk single crystals and nano composites for thermoelectric power generation will be discussed.

Prasad, Narasimha S.↗

DOE OSTI2023

NREL On-Demand Transit Research and Fort Erie Case Study

On-demand systems have increased in popularity in recent years, especially in rural and smaller-sized communities. This presentation provides a brief introduction to NREL's on-demand mobility research and an in-depth case study of the town of Fort Erie, Ontario. Fort Erie is a relatively sparsely populated region of 32,901 residents, spread across a land area of 166 square kilometers (64 square miles), for an average population density of 193 residents per square kilometer (500 per square mile). In October 2021, the town implemented a mobility-on-demand system integrated with smartphone software to replace its fixed-route community bus system, which consisted of four buses with three routes, each with a roughly 1-hour, one-way loop. The new service utilizes a fleet of six minivans, two of which are retrofitted with wheelchair-accessible ramps. The system may require that a passenger requesting a standard van walk up to 400 meters (a quarter mile) to their pickup location to optimize vehicle routing while providing origin-to-destination service. The on-demand system proved effective in providing service, eclipsing pre-pandemic ridership by 40%, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions per ride by 63%, and decreasing the cost to the town per ride by 29%. This presentation documents both the previous system and the new system in terms of routes, ridership, costs, fuel, and other notable system parameters. This work is part of an ongoing series of case studies on providing small communities with on-demand, right-sized vehicle service coupled with a smartphone application.

emerging technology↗

DOE OSTI2023

The Integration of Wi-Fi Location-Based Services to Optimize Energy Efficient Commercial Building Operations

This project investigated and demonstrated the use of Wi-Fi Location-Based Services (LBS) to perform occupancy sensing in commercial buildings. Wi-Fi LBS can be used to detect the presence of Wi-Fi enabled mobile devices and laptops that accompany occupants as they move through the building. These signals can be used to determine occupant presence, head count, and location. When integrated with the building automation system, this emerging technology approach can be used to manage other connected systems such as lighting and HVAC to reduce energy usage in the building and improve occupant comfort. An open source location detection algorithm was developed, which uses data collected from three or more Wi-Fi access points to determine the presence and estimate the location of mobile devices and laptops. Access points can detect Wi-Fi enabled devices even if they are not connected to the existing Wi-Fi network. Building occupancy is determined based on the presence, location, and movement of these devices through the space. From lab and small-scale in-situ testing, the Location Detection Algorithm (LDA) was found to be accurate to within 10 feet and could be further refined by tuning the algorithm for the specific space characteristics such as layout and obstructions (walls, furniture, etc.). An open source method to integrate the occupancy data with existing building automations systems was investigated. The Wi-Fi occupancy sensing approach was then demonstrated and validated at commercial buildings located in Saint Paul, MN; Madison, WI; New York City; and Fort Worth, TX.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

NASA NTRS1991

EMU evolution

Evolution of Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) technology is necessary to support the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) requirements of the Space Station Freedom Program and those of the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). Key qualities supporting long-duration missions include technologies that are highly reliable, durable, minimize logistics requirements, and are in-flight maintainable and serviceable. While these qualities are common to SSF and SEI EVA, development paths will differ where specific mission requirements impose different constraints. Development of reusable, regenerative technologies is necessary to minimize the logistics penalties. Increased battery discharge/recharge cycle life and usable wet life, compact high current density fuel cells, reusable CO2 absorbing media, and thermal radiation coupled with venting heat rejection technologies are just some methods of reducing consumables. Development must strive for durable, reliable systems that are in-flight serviceable and maintainable, which are vital for missions where logistics capabilities are extremely constrained. Key areas include suit components (e.g., gloves, boots, and cooling garments), and life support hardware such as fans, pumps, instrumentation, and emergency O2 systems. Higher pressure suits will reduce EVA prebreathe requirements and pre-EVA operations overall. Many challenges of higher pressure suits have been addressed by on-going development. Emphasis on glove development is necessary to provide low fatigue, dexterous glove mobility at higher suit pressures. Minimum impact hooks and scars which support an advanced SSF EMU have been identified. These accommodations permit upgrades that support servicing of low volume, high pressure oxygen systems, and hydrogen technologies such as fuel cell, and venting hydrogen heat rejection systems.

Rouen, M.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Expedition Memory: Towards Agent-based Web Services for Creating and Using Mars Exploration Data.

Explorers ranging over kilometers of rugged, sometimes "feature-less" terrain for over a year could be overwhelmed by tracking and sharing what they have done and learned. An automated system based on the existing Mobile Agents design [ I ] and Mars Exploration Rover experience [2], could serve as an "expedition memory" that would be indexed by voice as wel1 as a web interface, linking people, places, activities, records (voice notes, photographs, samples). and a descriptive scientific ontology. This database would be accessible during EVAs by astronauts, annotated by the remote science team, linked to EVA plans, and allow cross indexing between sites and expeditions. We consider the basic problem, our philosophical approach, technical methods, and uses of the expedition memory for facilitating long-term collaboration between Mars crews and Earth support teams. We emphasize that a "memory" does not mean a database per se, but an interactive service that combines different resources, and ultimately could be like a helpful librarian.

Clancey, William J.↗