Toward scalable intuitive telecommand of robots for space deployment with METERON SUPVIS Justin

Abstract

This paper presents the complete preparation and preliminary findings through user studies and astronaut training, for METERON SUPVIS Justin, a supervised autonomy space telerobotics experiment. Astronauts on board the International Space Station shall command a complex humanoid robot as a coworker to perform navigation, service, and repair tasks in a simulated Martian solar farm experimental environment on Earth through a tablet PC graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI is designed to be powerful, yet intuitive to use, with features such as dynamically update relevant information and robot commands, as well as intuitive user guidance functionality. The robot coworker, in turn, can utilize its local intelligence to reason and execute the commanded tasks. Preliminary findings from the user studies and astronaut training are presented and discussed. Finally, a series of multiple SUPVIS Justin experiment sessions between the ISS and the ground are planned to beginning during ISS expedition 52/53 in 2017, extending through to 2018.