Objective:

This is a subtask of NASA-funded autonomous rotorcraft development. Investigators will design and evaluate mixed-initiative surveillance concepts for human-robotic operations, and will demonstrate autonomous and mixed-initiative performance in simulation and flight-test. Autonomous control will incorporate the Apex modeling architecture, which will also be integrated into NASA's Mission Simulator Facility (MSF), for use in rotorcraft scenarios and rover failure/recovery scenarios. Investigators will also develop metrics for mixed-initiative and autonomous control, with comparisons of human and autonomous performance in simulation.

Applications:

Control techniques for aerial search and monitoring by autonomous rotorcraft.

NASA Benefit:

Rotorcraft provide a low-cost, flexible testbed for planetary lander and aerobot research, cluster operations, and possible vertical-lift vehicles in planetary exploration. The Apex modeling architecture will have various uses in autonomous operations.

Keywords:

mixed-initiative autonomous rotorcraft control interface, performance modeling, Apex, HCI

Prior Technology:

Joystick control of helicopters; manual path planning, obstacle avoidance, landing, and other control tasks.

FY04 Milestone:

Integrate Apex modeling architecture with Mission Simulator Facility Develop rover failure/recovery scenarios

FY04 Quadchart Slide:

HCC_DIR_Freed_AutSurv.ppt.

Accomplishments:

Testbed environment and modeling architecture; initial tests of autonomous and mixed-initiative surveillance; documented system performance.

Parent Task:

Autonomous Rotorcraft Project (in AR).

Contacts:

Michael A. Freed (PI), Ames Research Center (Code THI).