{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":18159,"title":"Advanced Algorithms and Controls for Superior Robotic All-Terrain Mobility","primaryTaxonomyNodes":[{"taxonomyNodeId":10617,"taxonomyRootId":8816,"parentNodeId":10616,"level":3,"code":"TX04.2.1","title":"Below-Surface Mobility","definition":"Below-surface mobility offers access to traverse across and in extreme terrain topographies, through natural and human-made cavities and holes including deep craters, gullies, canyons, lava tubes, and soft, friable terrains for finding the best samples for scientific analysis.","exampleTechnologies":"Subsurface access through natural cavities, subsurface access through human-made holes, burrowing mobility, long-endurance submerged mobility","hasChildren":false,"hasInteriorContent":true}],"startTrl":3,"currentTrl":4,"endTrl":4,"benefits":"The proposed research is expected to lead to greatly enhanced rough-terrain mobility performance of wheeled planetary exploration rovers. During Phase 2 of this work, we will demonstrate our control methods to various individuals at NASA centers, with the aim of identifying potential future missions for transition of this technology. We expect that the 2020 Mars rover mission is an example of a wheeled rover mission that could directly benefit from the algorithms and control methods developed under this STTR project. The PI/MIT team will actively seek post-Phase 2 support to further develop, mature, and integrate our control technology into future NASA missions.
Beyond NASA, there is a large and growing application space for mobile robotic systems in applications such as defense and security, mining and forestry, and infrastructure monitoring and inspection. Many of these systems are tasked with traveling at low speeds through very difficult terrain. The PI/MIT team will aim to transition the technology developed under this project beyond NASA, to dual-use applications in these various sectors.","description":"ProtoInnovations, LLC (PI) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have formed a partnership to research, develop, and experimentally test a suite of methods for significantly improving the safety, mean travel speed, and rough-terrain access of wheeled planetary exploration rovers. We will accomplish this by developing algorithms for all-terrain adaptive locomotion. This will include algorithms for: 1. Traction control, which will intelligently govern individual wheel commands as a function of terrain conditions in order to measurably decrease wheel slip; and, 2. Embedding detection, which monitors the rover's inertial signature to rapidly and robustly detect instances of incipient embedding in soft, low bearing-strength regolith. Our aim is to provide a novel approach for enhancing rover traction and reducing slip that will not only allow rovers to autonomously detect and avoid hazardous terrain regions, but also to travel with assured safety on terrain that is steeper and rougher than is currently possible. The result of this work will be systems that can rove with a reduced risk of catastrophic failure, while simultaneously increasing both the quantity and potential quality of science data products. This latter capability is enabled by the fact that rovers will be able to travel for long durations without requiring lengthy human interventions, and will be able to travel to sites of greater scientific interest (and proportionally greater mobility difficulty) than what is possible today.","startYear":2014,"startMonth":6,"endYear":2014,"endMonth":12,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":260631,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Karl","lastName":"Iagnemma","fullName":"Karl Iagnemma","fullNameInverted":"Iagnemma, Karl","primaryEmail":"Kdi@Mit.Edu","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":206378,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Kessler","fullName":"Jason L Kessler","fullNameInverted":"Kessler, Jason 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In Phase 2 we will demonstrate our advanced traction control methods to various individuals at NASA centers, with the aim of identifying potential future missions for transition of this technology. The 2020 Mars rover mission is an example of such mission that could directly benefit from the algorithms and control methods developed under this STTR project. The PI/MIT team will actively seek post-Phase 2 support to further develop, mature, and integrate our control technology into future NASA missions.
Beyond NASA, there is a large and growing application space for mobile robotic systems in applications such as defense and security, mining and forestry, and infrastructure monitoring and inspection. Many of these systems are tasked with traveling at low speeds through very difficult terrain. The PI/MIT team will aim to transition the technology developed under this project beyond NASA, to dual-use applications in these various sectors.","description":"ProtoInnovations, LLC (PI) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have formed a partnership to research, develop, and experimentally characterize a suite of robotic controls to significantly improve the safety, mean travel speed, and rough-terrain access of wheeled planetary rovers. In meeting this goal we have been developing algorithms for all-terrain adaptive locomotion which include: 1. Advanced traction controls, which intelligently govern individual wheel commands as a function of terrain conditions in order to measurably decrease wheel slip; and, 2. Real-time incipient embedding detection controls, which monitors the rover's inertial signature to rapidly and robustly detect instances of incipient embedding in soft, low bearing-strength soils. The implementation of these controls will not only allow rovers to autonomously detect and avoid hazardous terrain regions, but also to travel with assured safety on terrain that is steeper and rougher than is currently possible. Moreover, these controls will allow rovers to drive with a reduced risk of catastrophic failure, while simultaneously increasing both the quantity and potential quality of science data products. This latter capability is enabled by the fact that rovers will be able to travel for long durations without requiring lengthy human interventions, and will be able to travel to sites of greater scientific interest (and proportionally greater mobility difficulty) than what is possible today.","startYear":2015,"startMonth":5,"endYear":2018,"endMonth":2,"statusDescription":"Completed","website":"","program":{"acronym":"SBIR/STTR","active":true,"description":"
The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.
The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
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The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
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