{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":91168,"title":"Automated Task Monitoring, Feedback and Training for Critical Missions","primaryTaxonomyNodes":[{"taxonomyNodeId":10821,"taxonomyRootId":8816,"parentNodeId":10818,"level":3,"code":"TX11.2.3","title":"Human-System Performance Modeling","definition":"Human-system performance modeling ensures that new and relevant human-related technologies are infused into all vehicle and habitat designs and associated operational concepts. Digital human models have their greatest impact on mission design if the validated models can be seamlessly integrated within mission models.","exampleTechnologies":"Integrated human-systems models, human digital twin, toolset for automated task generation for human-system modeling, augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR)","hasChildren":false,"hasInteriorContent":true}],"startTrl":2,"currentTrl":3,"endTrl":3,"benefits":"The project addresses the problem of heavy reliance on visual displays and described in STR 4.4.1 (Multi-Modal Human-Systems Interaction) by using speech as a primary input and output modality. It also addresses issues described in STR 11.2.3 (Human-System Performance Modeling) by alleviating the need for ground control contact during maintenance tasks and by offering innovative modes of human-automation interaction.","description":"Engineers and astronauts on NASA missions must frequently follow lengthy and complex sets of directions to perform the tasks required of them. Missing or not properly executing even a single step of the directions for these tasks is often costly and can be life threatening. Consider the following scenarios. Scenario 1: An astronaut forgets a step of a safety-critical procedure, such as when donning a spacesuit for an extravehicular activity. Because of the lack of a reminder, this error goes unnoticed. The astronaut is forced to re-enter the station early and is consequently unable to perform the day\u0019s experiments. Scenario 2: When on space missions, astronauts frequently must perform maintenance, monitoring, or repair tasks which occur outside of their space vehicle. These tasks are often extremely complex; consequently, the astronauts usually must be guided in their work by a ground control personnel. Several issues arise from communication delays and the requirement of being in constant communication with ground control. Scenario 3: The amount of training each astronaut undergoes to prepare for a mission is extensive. The massive amount of information that astronauts must absorb coupled with the long duration of their training means that they simply cannot recall everything they have learned. Astronauts may need to schedule time to contact trainers on Earth, as there may not be a system for training and task review for all tasks while on a mission. The issues described previously can be alleviated with a system comprised of two components. The basis of the system is a method for tracking the current status of a task of an astronaut. Operating concurrently with this task-tracking system is a context-specific feedback component. In scenario 1, this feedback component would alert the astronaut to differences between the current task state and the expected task state to prevent dangerous safety errors while donning the suit. In scenario 2, this feedback component would similarly perform error detection during the maintenance task, but it would also be able to provide instructions for the next steps in the task in a manner that minimizes the error rate. Lastly, in scenario 3, this component would guide the astronaut through the task while providing error checking, but it would group and phrase its instructions in a manner which maximizes recall. The outcome of this research will be a set of principles to computationally represent tasks, heuristics for how to monitor task progress and visually detect errors, and specific feedback and instructional strategies designed to either minimize errors or maximize recall. These principles, heuristics, and strategies will be evaluated in lab studies in the context of NASA missions. This research will draw from a variety of fields including machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, cognitive psychology, and human-computer interaction, and it will directly contribute to reducing resource use and improving safety on NASA missions. The proposed research has potential benefits for two NASA groups: the human-systems integration division (crew training) and the intelligent systems division (planning and scheduling). The project addresses the problem of heavy reliance on visual displays and described in STR 4.4.1 (Multi-Modal Human-Systems Interaction) by using speech as a primary input and output modality. It also addresses issues described in STR 11.2.3 (Human-System Performance Modeling) by alleviating the need for ground control contact during maintenance tasks and by offering innovative modes of human-automation interaction.","startYear":2014,"startMonth":9,"endYear":2015,"endMonth":8,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":43592,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Bilge","lastName":"Mutlu","fullName":"Bilge Mutlu","fullNameInverted":"Mutlu, Bilge","primaryEmail":"bmutlu@wisc.edu","publicEmail":false,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":84634,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Claudia","lastName":"Meyer","fullName":"Claudia M Meyer","fullNameInverted":"Meyer, Claudia M","middleInitial":"M","primaryEmail":"claudia.m.meyer@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programExecutives":[{"contactId":84634,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Claudia","lastName":"Meyer","fullName":"Claudia M Meyer","fullNameInverted":"Meyer, Claudia M","middleInitial":"M","primaryEmail":"claudia.m.meyer@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programManagers":[{"contactId":183514,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Hung","lastName":"Nguyen","fullName":"Hung D Nguyen","fullNameInverted":"Nguyen, Hung D","middleInitial":"D","primaryEmail":"hung.d.nguyen@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"projectManagers":[{"contactId":506182,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jeremy","lastName":"Frank","fullName":"Jeremy D Frank","fullNameInverted":"Frank, Jeremy D","middleInitial":"D","primaryEmail":"jeremy.d.frank@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"coInvestigators":[{"contactId":448307,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Steven","lastName":"Johnson","fullName":"Steven D Johnson","fullNameInverted":"Johnson, Steven D","middleInitial":"D","primaryEmail":"steven.d.johnson@lmco.com","publicEmail":false,"nacontact":false}],"website":"https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/home/index.html","libraryItems":[],"transitions":[{"transitionId":75804,"projectId":91168,"partner":"Other","transitionDate":"2014-09-01","path":"Advanced From","relatedProjectId":93857,"relatedProject":{"acronym":"","projectId":93857,"title":"Resilient Thermal Panel: Microgravity Effects on Isothermality of Structurally Embedded Two Dimensional Heat Pipes","startTrl":4,"currentTrl":5,"endTrl":5,"benefits":"Resilient thermal panels provide a new thermal control solution for future spacecraft electronic components by making each panel on the bus isothermal, which will benefit future commercial and government satellites.","description":"Due to current industry trends in electronics component design and packaging, spacecraft are becoming smaller and more powerful. As a result, spacecraft power densities are projected to increase dramatically in the coming years, and thermal considerations are expected to become an even larger problem than on current spacecraft. This project presents a new thermal control solution in development at the Air Force Research Laboratory called the Resilient Thermal Panel, which provides a 30X increase in thermal performance by integrating a two-dimensional flat heat pipe into a thermal skin in a honeycomb structural panel. The Resilient Thermal Panel is critical to next generation spacecraft design by making each panel on the bus isothermal. A thorough characterization of the Resilient Thermal Panel in micro-gravity is necessary to verify heat transfer occurs through capillary action rather than gravity-assisted thermosiphon effects, to validate the thermal/fluid models for optimization of the current system and to design future generations of two-phase multi-functional structures.
AFRL brochure (Oct 2016)
Patents:
US8656989 \"Grid-stiffened panel with integrated fluid distribution channels\"
US8657984 \"Methods for fabricating composite grid-stiffened structures with integrated fluid channels”
SBIR P-I (2009)
P-II (2010)
P-II (2012)","startYear":2014,"startMonth":3,"endYear":2017,"endMonth":3,"statusDescription":"Completed","website":"","program":{"acronym":"FO","active":true,"description":"
The President’s 2010 National Space Policy:
“A robust and competitive commercial space sector is vital to continued progress in space. The United States is committed to encouraging and facilitating the growth of a U.S. commercial space sector that supports U.S. needs, is globally competitive, and advances U.S. leadership in the generation of new markets and innovation-driven entrepreneurship.”
Flight Opportunities directly answers the call of the President’s policy through the acquisition of suborbital launch services on commercial suborbital launch vehicles. By purchasing flight opportunities on U.S. commercial vehicles the Flight Opportunities program is encouraging and facilitating the growth of this market while simultaneously providing pathways to advance the technology readiness of a wide range of new launch vehicle and space technologies.
One of the greatest challenges NASA faces in incorporating advanced technologies into future missions is bridging the mid-technology readiness level (TRL) (4-7) gap (or “valley of death”), between component or prototype testing in a lab or ground facility setting, and the final infusion of a new technology into critical path exploration or science mission development. To cross this gap, the proposed new technology must pass system level testing in a relevant operational environment. Maturing a space technology to flight readiness status through relevant environment testing is a significant challenge from cost, schedule, and technical risk perspectives.
FO has its lineage from the former Innovative Partnership Program (IPP) of FY09, specifically the Facilitated Access to the Space Environment for Technology (FAST) project and the Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research (CRuSR) project. The FAST and CRuSR activities are continued within the FO Program, as the parabolic and suborbital, flight campaigns, respectively. The flights will provide opportunities to expose new technologies to low-g environments and/or high altitude environments. The intent is to demonstrate and mature various technologies for future applications. These emerging technologies will come from the nine other programs within the Space Technology Mission Directorate, from the other Mission Directorates and external sources (other Government Agencies, Academia, and Commercial Industries.
The NASA Flight Opportunities (FO) Program has been established as a part of the Space Technologies Mission Directorate (STMD) to rapidly develop, demonstrate and infuse revolutionary, high-payoff technologies through transparent, collaborative partnerships, expanding the boundaries of the aerospace enterprise by providing the nation’s investments in space technologies to make a difference in the world around us. FO focuses on maturation of technologies that are of benefit to multiple customers, to flight readiness status with an outcome of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or higher. These crosscutting capabilities are those that advance multiple future aerospace missions, including flight projects where near-space or in-space demonstration is needed before the capability can transition to direct mission application. Maturing technologies to a higher TRL status through relevant flight opportunities testing is a significant challenge from both a cost and risk perspective.
","programId":72,"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdId":4875,"stockImageFileId":36656,"title":"Flight Opportunities"},"lastUpdated":"2024-2-6","releaseStatusString":"Released","viewCount":110,"endDateString":"Mar 2017","startDateString":"Mar 2014"},"infoText":"Advanced from another project within the program","infoTextExtra":"Another project within the program (Resilient Thermal Panel: Microgravity Effects on Isothermality of Structurally Embedded Two Dimensional Heat Pipes)","dateText":"September 2014"},{"transitionId":75805,"projectId":91168,"transitionDate":"2015-08-01","path":"Closed Out","details":"The\t goal\t of\t this\t research\t is\t to\t leverage\t novel\t technologies\t and\t interaction\t techniques\t to\t monitor\t the\t progress\t and\t improve\t the\t performance\t of\t crewmembers\t who\t are\t executing\t manual\t procedures–those\t involving\t the\t manipulation\t of\t physical\t objects–during\t NASA\t missions.\tThe\toutcomes\tof\tNASA\tmissions\trely\ton\tcrewmembers\tcorrectly\texecuting\ta\tmultitude\t of\t complex\t procedures,\t making\t procedure\t execution\t tracking\t and\t support\t a\t critical\t factor\t determining\t mission\t success.\t While\t some\t technology\t is\t available\t to\t track\t execution\t of\t procedures\twith\telectronic\tcommand/telemetry\tinterfaces,\tthere\tis\tlittle\tassistance\tfor\tmanual\t procedures. In\t this\t research,\t we\t examine\t methods\t to\t abstract\t procedure\t instructions\t to\t connect\t them\t to\t real-world\t semantics\t that\t are\t machine-recognizable,\t develop\t interfaces\t to\t support\tcrew\tmental\tmodels\tduring\tcomplex\tprocedure\texecution\tby\tuse\tof\tnovel\ttechnologies\t and\t interaction\t techniques,\t and\t methods\t to\t both\t track\t and\t monitor\t the\t progress\t of\t the\t procedure\tsteps\tand\tto\tprovide\tfeedback\tto\tthe\tprocedure\texecutor\twhen\tnecessary.","infoText":"Closed out","infoTextExtra":"","dateText":"August 2015"}],"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"program":{"acronym":"STRG","active":true,"description":"\tThe Space Technology Research Grants Program will accelerate the development of "push" technologies to support the future space science and exploration needs of NASA, other government agencies and the commercial space sector. Innovative efforts with high risk and high payoff will be encouraged. The program is composed of two competitively awarded components.
","programId":69,"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdId":4875,"stockImageFileId":36658,"title":"Space Technology Research Grants"},"leadOrganization":{"canUserEdit":false,"city":"Madison","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"external":true,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4590,"organizationName":"University of Wisconsin-Madison","organizationType":"Academia","stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"WI","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Wisconsin","stateTerritoryId":32},"stateTerritoryId":32,"murepUnitId":240444,"naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"Academia"},"supportingOrganizations":[{"acronym":"ARC","canUserEdit":false,"city":"Moffett Field","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4941,"organizationName":"Ames Research Center","organizationType":"NASA_Center","stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"CA","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"California","stateTerritoryId":59},"stateTerritoryId":59,"naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"}],"statesWithWork":[{"abbreviation":"WI","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Wisconsin","stateTerritoryId":32}],"lastUpdated":"2024-2-6","releaseStatusString":"Released","viewCount":563,"endDateString":"Aug 2015","startDateString":"Sep 2014"}}