NASA Robotics for Research and Exploration

NASA Robotics for Research and Exploration
Webcast Session Agenda

September 24th, 2002 - October 17th, 2002

Tuesdays and Thursdays

2:00 to 3:00 p.m. - Pacific Time
3:00 to 4:00 p.m. - Mountain Time
4:00 to 5:00 p.m. - Central Time
5:00 to 6:00 p.m. - Eastern Time

SEPT. 24, WEBCAST 1: Elements of Robotics
Speaker & Title: Daryl Rasmussen, robotics project manager (retired)
Organization: Computation Sciences Division, Ames Research Center
Content: This session will provide an introduction to robotics that will form a basis for understanding the rest of the course topics. Students will understand that a robot is made up of systems, subsystems, and components. Levels of man-machine interaction will be described.

SEPT. 26, WEBCAST 2: Mini AERCam
Speaker & Title: Steven Fredrickson and David Jochim, research engineers
Organization: Code ER, Johnson Space Center
Content: Astronauts as well as space station subsystem managers have identified requirements for additional views of external operations beyond those provided by baseline camera systems. The free-flying AERCam (Autonomous Extravehicular Activity Robotic Camera) is intended to reduce demands on fixed base cameras, reduce crew EVA and robot teleoperator fatigue as well as expand the use of robotics on the space station to perform tasks or inspections in otherwise blind locations.

OCT. 1, WEBCAST 3: Robonaut
Speaker & Title: Scott Askew, robonaut avionics lead; Jen Rochlis, human factors engineer
Organization: Automation, Simulation, and Robotics Division, Johnson Space Center
Content: This session will cover NASA's ongoing research with a humanoid robot called Robonaut. Askew will give a technical description of a unique robot that is intended to work alongside humans in future space and planetary missions.

OCT. 3, WEBCAST 4: Personal Satellite Assistant (PSA)
Speaker & Title: Sal Desiano, robotics research scientist
Organization: Computation Sciences Division, Ames Research Center
Content: An astronaut support device designed to move and operate independently in the microgravity environment of spacecraft is described during this session. The design integrates commercial personal productivity tools with industrial sensors for gas, atmospheric pressure, and temperature sensors. The PSA interfaces with communication infrastructures to provide astronauts the necessary access to system, crew, and payload data. The results are improved crew and payload support, mission planning, and problem isolation and correction.

OCT. 8, WEBCAST 5: Ambient Electricity on Mars
Speaker & Title: Joe Kolecki, Mars scientist
Organization: Space Propulsion and Power Division, Glenn Research Center
Content: The featured presenter will describe the results of a Sojourner Rover experiment on the Pathfinder Mission, "Ambient Electricity on Mars." This experiment demonstrated that the Martian environment is electrically active and will charge objects and people moving about on the Martian surface.

OCT. 10, WEBCAST 6: Mars Science & Operations Requirements
Speaker & Title: Mike Sims, research scientist
Organization: Computation Sciences Division, Ames Research Center
Content: Dr. Sims will describe what robot capabilities were needed to perform experiments on the 1997 Mars Pathfinder Mission and what they are planning on using on the Mars '03 mission. Robots must perform daily work on a very constrained schedule that gets the highest priority work done within the budgets for power, travel distance, communications capacity, and interaction with the study site.

OCT. 15, WEBCAST 7: Telepresence on the Mars Pathfinder Mission
Speaker & Title: Theodore Blackmon, Ph.D., research scientist
Organization: CEO, Reality Capture Technologies Inc.
Content: Dr. Blackmon was formerly the Ames Research Center expert on simulating and operating remote missions using virtual reality. He will describe how virtual reality was used to turn scientists into telepresent astronauts that could interact with the Mars landing site as if they were really there.

OCT. 17, WEBCAST 8: Past and Future NASA Robotic Missions
Speaker & Title: Dave Lavery, Mars '03 mission manager
Organization: NASA Headquarters
Content: Dave Lavery has been instrumental in creating programs and technology to explore Mars. He will describe the successes and failures of past missions and the goals and challenges of the '03 mission. Through his deep involvement in various student programs, he will describe what it takes to be involved in NASA robot activities. Students will realize that they can aspire to such activities and that their country needs them to do so.

ONLINE Activity: Understanding Robotic Subsystems (a self-paced, web activity)
Organization: Robotics Education Project, Ames Research Center
Content: The Robonaut web site (http://vesuvius.jsc.nasa.gov/er_er/html/robonaut/robonaut.html) provides students with information on the following subsystems in an anthropomorphic robot: locomotion, vision, control, sensing, platform, arms, end-effectors, and communications. Students taking the course for credit will summarize one subsystem described on the web site, including its parts, purpose, and control mechanisms.