In addition to future NASA support, Barron Associates will aggressively pursue private-sector application of technology derived from the tactile data entry system. The enhanced data processing, communications, navigation, and situational awareness capabilities enabled by the GECO system also have the potential to be critical enablers for non-NASA missions. Of particular interest are applications involving individuals or small units operating in hazardous, information-rich environments. Examples include deep sea construction/repair, firefighting, explosive ordinance disposal, hazardous material handling, and military aviation. Minutes during EVA operations, whether in an orbital or planetary setting, are among the most challenging, and expensive, spent by humans. In these task-saturated, dynamic environments, it is essential that data entry interfaces to computing and networking resources are flexible, easy to use, and efficient. To this end, the GECO system strives to replicate the familiar capabilities of standard desktop interfaces using the gloves on the crewmember's hands as controls. The technology promises to open the door to an expansive set of information system-enabled applications, including surface navigation, document editing, communications, and telerobotic control. Our vision for the tactile data entry system extends, well beyond Phase II, to integration into next-generation NASA EVA suit designs. We intend to make a compelling case for this new technology by demonstrating the benefits of the proposed system for increasing performance and user satisfaction.
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