Computer Supported Collaborative Work of a

Distributed Remote Science Team and a Mars Crew

Maarten Sierhuis, Ph.D.Maarten Sierhuis, Ph.D.Mobile Agents Project LeadMobile Agents Project Lead

RIACS/NASA Ames Research CenterRIACS/NASA Ames Research CenterMoffett Field, CAMoffett Field, CA

PlayPlayMobile Agents 2004Mobile Agents 2004Field Test @ MDRSField Test @ MDRS

DVDDVD

Slides from Last YearSlides from Last YearReview of Mobile AgentsReview of Mobile Agents

Mobile AgentsMobile AgentsA software agent architecture for A software agent architecture for supporting EVAs on Mars tested at supporting EVAs on Mars tested at

the MDRSthe MDRS

Mobile Agents ObjectivesMobile Agents Objectives

Use what we’ve learned studying and modeling planetary Use what we’ve learned studying and modeling planetary EVA’s to develop a new generation of EVA support systemsEVA’s to develop a new generation of EVA support systems

A model-based intelligent architecture to seamlessly A model-based intelligent architecture to seamlessly Integrate data from mobile system components (robot, atv, suit, Integrate data from mobile system components (robot, atv, suit,

tools, etc.)tools, etc.) Provide this data to the, EVA astronaut, rover, habitat and Provide this data to the, EVA astronaut, rover, habitat and

remote mission support (with time delay) remote mission support (with time delay) Use software "intelligent agents" to Use software "intelligent agents" to

interpret this data interpret this data provide model-based advice pertinent to carrying out efficient and safe provide model-based advice pertinent to carrying out efficient and safe

EVAs.EVAs. Help crews and mission control coordinate their workHelp crews and mission control coordinate their work

Key: Based on Work Practice Studies of actual field work.

Brahms & CompendiumBrahms & Compendium(possible future KMi collaboration)(possible future KMi collaboration)

Compendium as a Human-Agent InterfaceCompendium as a Human-Agent Interface Semi-formal Semi-formal Informal: Human Informal: Human Human Human Formal: Human Formal: Human Agent Agent

Agents put data into CompendiumAgents put data into Compendium Humans communicate to agentsHumans communicate to agents Agents get data out of CompendiumAgents get data out of Compendium

Last Slide of Last Year’s TalkLast Slide of Last Year’s Talk

Collaborative Planetary ScienceCollaborative Planetary Science

TeamworkTeamwork Collaborative Collaborative

decision-makingdecision-making Man or machine Man or machine

science?science?

Apollo missionsApollo missions MER missionMER mission Human mission to Human mission to

Mars (MDRS ’03)Mars (MDRS ’03)

QuickTime™ and aPhoto - JPEG decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aPhoto - JPEG decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Mission Operations Support Issues Mission Operations Support Issues during Apolloduring Apollo

Technology LimitationsTechnology Limitations No image processingNo image processing No image downloadNo image download No Location trackingNo Location tracking

Ground processing “by hand”Ground processing “by hand” Voice transcriptionsVoice transcriptions Sample & image recordingSample & image recording Health monitoringHealth monitoring

Ground-based human CapComGround-based human CapCom Short missionsShort missions Time delayTime delay EVA schedule monitoringEVA schedule monitoring AdviceAdvice

Mission Operations Issues Mission Operations Issues during MERduring MER

Large Science Team co-Located Large Science Team co-Located at JPL (50)at JPL (50)

24 * 7 Mission Operations on 24 * 7 Mission Operations on Mars time (2 shifts per Sol)Mars time (2 shifts per Sol)

No Round-Trip Data TrackingNo Round-Trip Data Tracking Collaborative Science PlanningCollaborative Science Planning Contention with Engineering Contention with Engineering

Requirements for RobotsRequirements for Robots

Research QuestionsResearch Questions How can a Mars crew communicate about their How can a Mars crew communicate about their

daily EVA plans with a Remote Science Team on daily EVA plans with a Remote Science Team on Earth?Earth?

How can science data be captured and How can science data be captured and communicated during and after an EVA?communicated during and after an EVA?

What is the role of an Earth-based science team?What is the role of an Earth-based science team? Can they effectively participate in the planning of daily EVAs? Can they make useful and timely suggestions to the crew? How can they collaborate before, during or after an EVA? Can they lead an EVA?

Mobile Agents at MDRSMobile Agents at MDRS

MDRSBrahms

Dialog SystemE-mail

CompendiumScienceOrganizer

Powerpoint EVA astronaut 2Brahms

Dialog SystemBio-sensors

Absolute GPSDigital Camera

ERA RobotBrahms

Panorama/Video CameraDifferential GPS

Link L1

1stRepeater

L3

L2

2ndRepeater

~ 5km

Internet

Remote Science Team Location E-mailCompendiumScienceOrganizer Powerpoint

ATVAgent

Directory Service

L5

L6

L4 EVA astronaut 1Brahms

Dialog SystemBio-sensors

Differential GPSDigital Camera

Human and AgentsHuman and AgentsSoftware AgentSoftware Agent

An artificial, non-human, software component An artificial, non-human, software component with which humans or other agents can interact with which humans or other agents can interact as if it is an independent behavioral entity.as if it is an independent behavioral entity.

Astro_1

Dialog System

Dialog Com agent

Brahms VM

Astro_1 agent

DigitalCamera_1

CameraCom agent

Proxy agents

Software Agents at MDRS ‘04Software Agents at MDRS ‘04

Email Agent

Hab Brahms VM

CapCom agent

Hab Crew

Dialog System

Dialog agent

ScienceOrganizer

agent

ERA Brahms VMERA agent

Comm. agent

ERA

Astro_1

Dialog System

Dialog Com agent

SpaceSuit_1 Brahms VM

SpaceSuit_1 agent

Astro_1 agent

Switch BoardCom agent

GPS & Biovest

MEX Switch BoardOn SpaceSuit_1

DigitalCamera_1

CameraCom agent

Proxy agents

Proxy agents

Proxy agents

MEX WirelessNetwork

KAoSCompendium

Aagent

ScienceOrganizerAagent

ScienceOrganizerCompendium

RST

SUNY BuffaloRST

Mars SocietyRST

AZ

CA

RST Facilitator

UK/NY

Mobile Agents Remote Science Team ‘04Mobile Agents Remote Science Team ‘04

Mars Crew & Mobile Agents

Mars SocietyMission Support

TX

CA

ScienceOrganizer

Compendium

MeetingReplay

BuddySpace

NASA Webex

CSCW Tools

Crew/RST Work FlowCrew/RST Work Flow

CrewPerforms

EVA

CrewAnalyzesData in

Hab

Individual RST Member

Analyzes EVA Data

CrewDiscussesNext DayEVA Plan

RemotelyFacilitated RST

Meeting

Morning EVABriefing

EVA plan

ScienceData

ScienceData

CrewAnalysis

CrewAnalysis

+Next DayEVA Plan

IndividualRST Member

Analysis

Crew’sNext DayEVA Plan

RST’sAnalysis

+Next DayEVA Plan

Stored in Hab Compendium &

ScienceOrganizer DBs

Stored inScienceOrganizer DB

on Earth

Stored in HabCompendium &

ScienceOrganizer DBs

Stored in MeetingReplay Video &

Compendium DBon Earth

Stored inCompendium,

ScienceOrganizer DBs orE-mail/Word doc

on Earth

Stored in HabCompendium DB

Stored in Hab and EarthCompendium DB

MARSEARTH

Collaborative Planetary Science Collaborative Planetary Science

EVA astronaut 2

ERA Brahms VMERA agent

Comm. agent

ERA

MDRS Crew

SpaceSuit_2 Brahms VM

SpaceSuit_1 agent

Astro_1 agent

EVA astronaut 1

SpaceSuit_1 Brahms VM

SpaceSuit_1 agent

Astro_1 agentSUNY Buffalo

RST

Mars SocietyRST

AZ

CA

RST FacilitatorUK/NY

Compendium

MeetingReplay Hab Brahms VMCapCom

agentScience

Organizer agent

CompendiumAagent

ScienceOrganizerAagent

ScienceOrganizerCompendium

Research Questions RevisitedResearch Questions Revisited How can a Mars crew communicate about their daily EVA plans with How can a Mars crew communicate about their daily EVA plans with

a Remote Science Team on Earth?a Remote Science Team on Earth? Compendium for asynchronous shared understandingCompendium for asynchronous shared understanding MeetingReplay for time-delayed Mars<->Earth CommunicationMeetingReplay for time-delayed Mars<->Earth Communication

How can science data be captured and communicated during and How can science data be captured and communicated during and after an EVA?after an EVA? MAA Agents capture, correlate and store science data in Compendium MAA Agents capture, correlate and store science data in Compendium

& ScienceOrganizer& ScienceOrganizer What is the role of an Earth-based science team?What is the role of an Earth-based science team?

Can they effectively participate in the planning of daily EVAs? Yes, the tools provide contextual, situated informationYes, the tools provide contextual, situated information Needs serious Knowledge ManagementNeeds serious Knowledge Management RST Facilitator is a crucial roleRST Facilitator is a crucial role

Can they make useful and timely suggestions to the crew? No, there is not enough turn-around time in a single-day cycleNo, there is not enough turn-around time in a single-day cycle

How can they collaborate before, during or after an EVA? Before and after => use of toolsBefore and after => use of tools During has not been triedDuring has not been tried

Can they lead an EVA? Has not been triedHas not been tried

People InvolvedPeople Involved PI: Bill ClanceyPI: Bill Clancey Project Lead: Maarten SierhuisProject Lead: Maarten Sierhuis Brahms Team (Ames)Brahms Team (Ames)

Ron van Hoof (lead)Ron van Hoof (lead) Mike ScottMike Scott Charis KaskirisCharis Kaskiris Yilmaz CengelogluYilmaz Cengeloglu

ScienceOrganizer Team (Ames)ScienceOrganizer Team (Ames) Dan Berrios (lead)Dan Berrios (lead) Ian SturkenIan Sturken David HallDavid Hall Rich KellerRich Keller

Compendium Team (KMi Open University, UK)Compendium Team (KMi Open University, UK) Simon Buckingham Shum (lead)Simon Buckingham Shum (lead) Michelle BachlerMichelle Bachler Al Selvin (Verizon)Al Selvin (Verizon) Marc EisenstadtMarc Eisenstadt Jiri KomzakJiri Komzak

MeetingReplay Team (Univ. of Southampton, UK)MeetingReplay Team (Univ. of Southampton, UK) Danius MichaelidesDanius Michaelides Kevin PageKevin Page David De RoureDavid De Roure Nigel ShadboltNigel Shadbolt

MEX Team (Ames)MEX Team (Ames) Rick Alena (lead)Rick Alena (lead) Charles LeeCharles Lee John OssenfortJohn Ossenfort

RIALIS Team (Ames)RIALIS Team (Ames) John Dowding (lead)John Dowding (lead)

NREN (Ames & Glenn)NREN (Ames & Glenn) Marjorie Johnson (Lead)Marjorie Johnson (Lead) Ray GilstrapRay Gilstrap NASA GlennNASA Glenn

RST (Mars Society & SUNY Buffalo)RST (Mars Society & SUNY Buffalo) Shannon Rupert (lead)Shannon Rupert (lead) Stacy SklarStacy Sklar SUNY Buffalo RSTSUNY Buffalo RST

ERA Team (JSC)ERA Team (JSC) Jeff Graham (lead)Jeff Graham (lead) Kim Tyree-SchillcuttKim Tyree-Schillcutt Robert HirschRobert Hirsch

EVA Astronauts (SUNY Buffalo)EVA Astronauts (SUNY Buffalo) Brent GarryBrent Garry Abby SempleAbby Semple

Further InformationFurther Information

BrahmsBrahms http://www.agentisolutions.comhttp://www.agentisolutions.com

CompendiumCompendium http://www.http://www.compendiuminstitutecompendiuminstitute.org.org

MeetingReplay & BuddyspaceMeetingReplay & Buddyspace http://www.aktors.org/http://www.aktors.org/coaktingcoakting

ScienceOrganizerScienceOrganizer http://sciencedesk.arc.nasa.gov/so/http://sciencedesk.arc.nasa.gov/so/

MDRS:MDRS: http://www.marssociety.org/MDRShttp://www.marssociety.org/MDRS