Assignment
5.4 - Research Blog 4: Unmanned Systems Space-Based Applications
Miguel
H. Quine
UNSY
501 Applications of Unmanned Systems
Embry
Riddle Aeronautical University
2015
NASA Technology Roadmaps TA 4: Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Published by NASA in July 2015
Robotics and autonomous systems play a
critical role in the space exploration, aeronautics, unmanned systems, and
science research. NASA has defined that roll in the space exploration for human
and science exploration. For human
exploration, the goal is to use robots as precursor explorers before crewed
missions and helpers for crewed missions in space. For science exploration the
role is focused to research of planetary surfaces. The main goal of robotics
and autonomous systems is focused to extend the human reach into space, expand
the capacity of the human beings to planetary access, and the human ability to
manipulate resources that aid in planetary exploration, supporting and helping
space operations, and improve the efficiency of the human operations. Then, it
will be necessary to drive new and advanced technologies in robotics, onboard
and ground-based autonomous capabilities, human-systems integration, robot
software, and robot modeling and simulation. The autonomy and automation needed
in these areas will be reached with the development of new algorithms and
software for integration with the hardware of the new advanced technologies
such as, multi-modal interaction, supervisory control, physical proximity with
autonomous for gesture detection and speech recognition, data analysis for
decision making, robot modeling and simulation, and advances in robot software
for intelligent robots. (Quine, 2016)
Programs and research in robotics and
autonomous systems are conducted by NASA with the purpose to develop
technological advances in the space systems that will support future space
mission of scientific and human exploration. (Quine, 2016)
The report “2015 NASA Technology
Roadmaps TA 4: Robotics and Autonomous Systems” (NASA, 2015) shows the programs
and research in progress and technologies areas that were defined by NASA in
this field. The report involves “a wide range of needed technologies and
development pathways for the next 20 years (2015-2035). The roadmaps focus on
‘applied research’ and ‘development’ activities” (NASA, 2015).
Technologies Areas: Mobility,
Manipulation, Human-System Interaction, System-Level Autonomy, Systems
Engineering.
Capacity of mobility in terrains of
extreme topographies such as “steep and deep craters, gullies, canyons, lava
tubes, and soft, friable terrains” (NASA, 2015) will be enhanced. The surface
mobility of the rovers in the planetary exploration will be increased in speed;
also, the capabilities of the sensing onboard and software of control to manage
extreme conditions of the terrains will be increased.
The robotic navigation will provide “a
highly reliable, well-characterized, and fast autonomous or semi-autonomous
mobility capability to navigate to designated targets on planetary surfaces”
(NASA, 2015). Also, collaborative mobility will be provided to enable the
distribution and collaboration of tasks by using multiple robotics mobile
systems or any combination of robotics systems and manned systems. The new
technology must provide critical mobility components such as “compliant
long-life wheels, fast and high-torque actuators, energy-efficient and
miniaturized actuators, strong abrasion-resistant tethers, and all terrain
anchors to meet future mobility needs” (NASA, 2015).
Robotics systems require the increasing of the
dexterity and power efficiency of the manipulators and overall reduction in
mass and volume of launch. Collaborative operations and tasks of multiple
manipulators will be enabled by integration of 3D sensors with advanced control
of the manipulation of multiple arms mobile systems and by enhancing of the
overall synchronism of the hand and eye.
Enhances in human-machine interaction will
be developed for a fast human understanding of the state of the system under
operation and control and adequate decision making. The human operators will
have access to virtual environment of multiples modes of sensing or multimodal
interactions. Remote interaction for manual and supervisory control will be
allowed in case of failing or short delays of the communication systems.
Proximity interaction capacity will be developed with the purpose to provide
recognizing of the speech, gesture detection.(Quine, 2016)
The System-Level Autonomy of the space
mission must be increased to allow operations without human interaction and the
improvement of the “overall performance of human exploration, robotic missions,
and aeronautics applications through increased autonomy” (NASA, 2015). Every
new and advanced technology will involve any system level autonomy. In
addition, systems with full autonomy would be ready to work as independent and
intelligent systems in environments with dynamic and uncertain behavior. (Quine, 2016)
Robotics systems will have the onboard
capacity of analyze their behavior by monitoring, predicting, detecting, and
diagnosing of faults, perform analysis of data to define the causes, effects,
and take decisions about onboard actions of solutions or requiring the ground
support through of the telemetry system. (Quine, 2016)
Generation of intelligent behavior in
the robotics systems will be implemented by providing an infrastructure of
hardware and software algorithms for distribution of autonomous functionalities
and operations or by generating models of simulations for coordination of the
functionalities in distributed manner. (Quine, 2016)
Automated analysis of large volumes of
data onboard for decision making that can exceed the ability of the humans to
address conflicting data information will be implemented. The requirements
point to the optimization of the computing time for decision making and the
time to make decision onboard; also, the improvement of the quality of
services.(Quine, 2016)
Characteristics of modularity and
self-reconfiguration will be implemented in robotics systems, to allow high
level of versatility and hardiness to the replacement of components that have
failed in the field and the possibility of self-adaptation and self-reparation.
Advances in robot software technology will
provide “architectures, frameworks, design patterns, and advances in software
to enable the realization of intelligent robots and autonomous systems from
component technologies, and providing standardized interfaces and messages”
(NASA, 2015).
References
References
TA 4 Robotics and Autonomous Systems - NASA. (2015, July).
Retrieved November, 2016, from http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/2015_nasa_technology_roadmaps_ta_4_robotics_autonomous_systems.pdf
Advances in Robotics and Autonomous Technologies for
Space Systems. (July 25, 2016). Miguel H. Quine – MS Unmanned Systems – Space Systems
Concentration – Student –Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.
