Log Book for May 6, 2006
Mission Summary
Bill Clancey Reporting
Prototype Software for Future Spaceflight Tested
at Mars Society's Mars Desert Research Station
Rotation 49 at MDRS (April 23-May 7, 2006) tested and significantly extended a prototype system that integrates data from the MDRS power system over a network to an agent monitoring and advising system that interacts with crew to provide alerts, data (through voice command), and procedures.
The prototype system adapts the Mobile Agents system to receive data from the OneMeter (Brand Electronics) electric metering system deployed by Crew 47. The agents were initially designed to detect five anomalous events (e.g., impending shut-down of inverter due to low battery voltage) and inform the crew of troubleshooting and/or corrective procedures.
One networked computer (HabCom) was placed on the upper deck, connected to loudspeakers. Several times the crew was preoccupied doing other things when we received the alert of low battery cutoff (22 volts), prompting us to reduce load and restart the generator.
Using voice commanding over four wireless headsets paired with four laptop computers, as well as by speaking directly into the HabCom computer, crew members could roam the MDRS habitat and ask any of the following questions:
What is the {battery | generator} {volts | amps | volts and amps}?
What is the status of the {generator | inverter | battery | solar panel}?
Are the batteries charging?
What is the hab{itat} {power usage | volts | voltage | amps | volts and amps}?
What is the low battery cut {off | out voltage}?
Before arriving we tested the system with simulated power system data. During the first week, we completed the system integration with the OneMeter system and verified the operation of the voice commands. Note that the phrasings given here are preliminary and not intended for routine operations. Voice commands and responses are refined through practical use in an analog environment like MDRS.
From direct experience maintaining the diesel and gas generators during the first week, we designed extensions to the system to allow historical inquiries, providing data not available directly at the inverter or OneMeter displays:
What was the average hab{itat} {amps | volts | voltage} since <#> {AM | PM}?
When did the {generator | batteries} change status?
When did the batteries start {dis}charging?
What was the {hab{itat} | battery} {amps | volts | voltage} at <#> {AM | PM}?
What was the maximum hab{itat} {amps | volts | voltage} {today | this morning | this afternoon | this evening | yesterday | last night}
Other extensions included more flexible alerting, set by any crew member (“when” alerts the first time; “whenever” alerts every time):
Tell {me | | everyone} when{ever} the generator goes offline.
Tell {me | | everyone} when the hab{itat} {amps | volts | voltage} {exceeds | drops below} <#>.
We also made it possible to know in general what other people were doing, according to the predetermined activity model stored in the agent system:
What is {my | } current activity?
Finally, based on our experience in the hab, we added an ability to send voice messages to each other:
Like text messaging, the voice messaging capability allowed us to exchange information without interrupting what we were doing. The “time” option allows setting reminders for oneself or other people.
These additional voice commands were functional by Thursday of the second week and fully exercised in a variety of situations in the galley, outside by the generator, and by the inverter on the lower deck. We also determined that when the hab doors were open, the Bluetooth wireless range extended at least as far as the Musk Observatory and the low point in the south berm heading towards the generators.
Our work demonstrated the principles of design in the context of use, investigating requirements through experimental use of prototype systems in an analog setting, and use of MDRS as a research station for designing and implementing new computer systems. (See the commander's journals for several essays defining and illustrating these ideas.)
During this rotation we also accomplished the following:
Successfully used iMAS (individual Mobile Agents System) for exploration EVAs by a geologist operating off the network and downloading data upon return to the hab.
Deployed and used the Crew Activity Analyzer to video and audio record activities in the upper deck, synchronized with records of crew movements. This recording captured several impromptu alerts from the HabCom agent on the upper deck, regarding low battery cutoff and changes in the generator status.
Formally represented the generator restart procedure in the PLEXIL language and developed methods to integrate the agent system with an “executive” system interpreting the procedure.
Based on actual crew activities, developed a model that could be used in the future to help crew members and automated systems relate tasks and problems to where they are located and what they are doing.
Project Funding:
This project was funded in part by a NASA Research Announcement (NRA), “Intelligent Systems.” Funding was also provided by the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) within NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD): Exploration Systems Architecture Study (ESAS), Program 12B, “Human System Interaction” and ESAS 6E, “Spacecraft and Vehicle Autonomy.”
Collaborators:
MDRS Rotation 49 participants were all from NASA Ames Research Center: Bill Clancey (Commander), Maarten Sierhuis (Engineer), John Dowding (GreenHab), Vandi Verma (first week GreenHab), Paul Tompkins (Health & Safety Officer), Brent Garry (Geologist), Rick Alena (second week Engineer), and staying in Hanksville, Ron van Hoof and Mike Scott.
We gratefully acknowledge the people who were in email contact and made possible our work in the past two weeks:
Emily Colvin deployed the OneMeter system during Crew 47, led by Jan Osburg.
Ethan Brand provided methods for connecting the OneMeter system to Mobile Agents.
Jim Murray and Judy Gertler at Foster-Miller, Inc developed the Crew Activity Analyzer, through NASA SBIR funding, including testing during our Rotation 38 in April 2005.
Shannon Rupert and Penny Boston first tested the iMAS system during Crew 41.
Don Foutz provided key support so we never lost electric power.
The Mars Society Engineering Team and Mission Support Team, including: Julie Edwards, Paul Graham, Pete Gray, James Harris, Shannon Rupert, Tony Muscatello, Artemis Westenberg.
John Bluck in NASA Ames Public Affairs prepared a press release and media advisory.
One cannot help but notice how collaborations between rotations and accumulating improvements to MDRS are increasing the sophistication of the simulations we can carry out. In building the MDRS facility, the Mars Society has also created a community of volunteers across countries and disciplines, private and government. Now we stand on each other's shoulders, sharing tools, methods and ideas, reaching one step closer to Mars.
