Human-Robotic Field Relations for the Moon:

Lessons from Simulated Martian EVAs

NASA/Johnson Space CenterS&K TechnologiesJeffrey S. Graham

UC Santa Cruz John Dowding

NASA/Ames Research Center Intelligent Systems Division

William J. Clancey - PIMaarten Sierhuis

Richard Alena

University at Buffalo, NYDept. of GeologyW. Brent GarryAbigail SempleLEAG

Conference on Lunar ExplorationOctober 26, 2005

BRAHMS Modeling and Simulation System

Ron Van HoofMike Scott

Serge YentusCharis Kaskiris

NASA JSC (The Robot Guys & Gal)Rob Hirsh

Nathan HowardEduardo Herrera

Bill VreugdeKim Tyree

NASA Ames (Science Organizer)Dan BerriosIan SturkenDavid Hall

Richard Keller

NASA AmesMars Exploration System

Charles LeeJohn Osenfort

Ed Walker

NRENNASA Research & Education Network

Ray GilstrapKevin BassBill Notley

Open University (Compendium)Simon Buckingham Shum

Michelle BachlerAl Selvin

Marc EisenstadtBertrand Sereno

Remote Science TeamShannon Rupert

Stacy Sklar

Project Overview• Three 2-week-long missions at the MDRS

• Test & discover human-robot interactions during geologic field studies

• Automate tasks for collection and dissemination of data and roles of Apollo CapCom

2003 2004 2005

Mobile AgentsWireless EVA Management System

MDRSBrahms

Dialogue SystemE-mail

CompendiumScienceOrganizer

EVA astronaut 2Brahms

Dialogue SystemBiovest

GPSDigital Camera

ERA RobotBrahmsCamera

GPS

EVA astronaut 1Brahms

Dialogue SystemBiovest

GPSDigital Camera

ATVAgent

Directory Service

L5

L6

L4

Link L1

1stRepeater

L3

L2

2ndRepeater

~ 5km

Internet

Remote Science Team Location

E-mailCompendiumScienceOrganizer

1st image relayed

Mobile Agents Servicesplug & play

• Location tracking• Health monitoring• Location awareness• Capturing data• Data downlink• Remote Science Collaboration

• Data sampling (e.g. sample bags)

• Voice note taking• Data associations• Human-Robot interaction• Developing EVA plan• Monitoring EVA plan

Voice CommandsRIALIST Dialogue System

• “Create Sample Bag 12”• “Create Voice Note”• “Download all images”• “Follow me”• “Track Astronaut”• “Take my picture”• “Move to waypoint 3”• “Take a Panorama”

Year 2003 2004 2005Commands 40 60 120Vocabulary 800 850 1200

“Name this location

broccoli.”

EVA Robotic Assistant (ERA)• Autonomous mobility

• Differential GPS

• 2 Video cameras

• Obstacle avoidance

• Responds to voice commands

• Science trailer & Arm

Boudreaux

Reconnaissance EVAPooh’s Corner

Off to Pooh’s Corner

Live feed to MDRS

MDRS Crew 29

Apollo 15 Stand-up EVA

Relay Deployment

MDRS

Repeater

Image: www.terraserver.microsoft.com

Video CamerasManual Tracking Automated Tracking

Monitoring & Network Relay

Lith Canyon5 km from MDRS

ERA Video Still Frame

ERA

Apollo 11

Crew 29

Carrying Equipment

Remote WorkstationCarry Equipment & Samples

100 m

• Photographer– Panoramas– Astronauts in front of large

geologic features

• Reference point– Visual scale in desolate landscape– Meeting place for astronauts

• Camera Tracking– Automatically follows astronauts– Live feed back to crew & M.C.

• Storage & Hauling– Carry larger and more equipment– Max. sample return increases

• Communication Relay– Deploy, move, return stationary

relays– Mobile relay in the field when

Astronauts are in valleys or behind hills

• Instruments– Add sophisticated suite of

instruments for autonomous analysis of surface

– Arm for sample collection

HOW to explore another planet?

For More Information

http://vesuvius.jsc.nasa.gov/er_er/html/era/era.htmlERA

Mobile Agents/Crew 38http://www.marssociety.org/MDRS/fs04/crew38/

2003 2004 2005

Clean & Safe path Transition to next waypoint

Proximity to Astronauts for data collection

A Few Lessons