Illah Nourbakhsh | DHS visit | March 2004 Robotic Technology for USAR Illah Nourbakhsh Robotics Lead NASA/Ames Research Center.

Illah Nourbakhsh | DHS visit | March 2004

Robotic Technology for USAR

Illah NourbakhshRobotics Lead

NASA/Ames Research Center


Background – Key Secondary Affiliations

University Carnegie Mellon Associate Professor (on leave) University of California Santa Cruz Adjunct Professor University of Pittsburgh, Stanford, USF collaborations

Government NSF Co-PI on Agent Architectures for Urban Search & Rescue NIST PI on Instrumented Facilities for USAR standardization Chair, 2003 National Robocup Rescue exhibition

Industry Intel Corporation embedded robotics processor development Intel Pittsburgh robotics university lead Robotics Engineering Task Force Evolution Robotics advisor


Role of Robotics in USAR

Lower latency of first entry HAZMAT scheduling, preparation Structural analysis and approval

Lower very high human risk Increase accessible domain Broaden operating conditions (heat, lack of oxygen)

Human sensing augmentation Sensing: Infrared imaging, Environmental modeling Force multiplier


Role of Robotics in USAR

Lower latency of first entry Lower human risk Human sensing augmentation

Increase survival chance and outcome for victims, decrease risk exposure and hazards to first responders.


Role of Robotics in Space Exploration

Lower latency of first entry Lower human risk Human sensing augmentation

Space Exploration and USAR share common goals and therefore common technological trajectories. - synergy


Barriers to Success

Effective human-robot interaction USAR robot operating system standardization Mechatronic robot innovation Robot – sensor interfaces Systems-level field testing and validation


Barriers to Success

Effective human-robot interactionCurrent interfaces: fragile, inefficient and need extensive training Human factors analysis must be applied to USAR case Iterative interaction design of interfaces This investment has high payoff, imagine 1:6 human:robot

USAR robot operating system standardization Mechatronic robot innovation Robot – sensor interfaces Systems-level field testing and validation


ROBOTS AT GROUND ZERO

Photos courtesy of University of South Florida


Barriers to Success

Effective human-robot interaction USAR robot operating system standardization

To maximize effectiveness across research efforts, we need standardized integrations of heterogeneous robot platforms.

Decouple physical robot structure, embedded processing and high-level interaction design

USAR O.S. will lower barrier to entry for industry and research partners

Mechatronic robot innovation Robot – sensor interfaces Systems-level field testing and validation


Barriers to Success

Effective human-robot interaction USAR robot operating system standardization Mechatronic robot innovation

No single robot design serves all search & rescue needs. Consider USAR robotics as a set of tools dynamically

assembled based on real-time demands Robustness and price point: essential to commercial viability

Robot – sensor interfaces Systems-level field testing and validation


Barriers to Success

Effective human-robot interaction USAR robot operating system standardization Mechatronic robot innovation Robot – sensor interfaces

Retooling existing USAR sensors for robot use. Human-readable sensors must be dual-use Overcome mechanical, electronic and AI obstacles

Systems-level field testing and validation


Barriers to Success

Effective human-robot interaction USAR robot operating system standardization Mechatronic robot innovation Robot – sensor interfaces Systems-level field testing and validation

We must build foundational knowledge rather than individual engineered solutions.

Design > Implementation > Testing > Evaluation > Refinement > Dissemination

Instrumented test facilities, standards and evaluation methodologies are required


ARC and Partner Roles

ARC has the on-base physical and intellectual resources and collaborators to be a prime center for rapidly maturing research and development for USAR robotics.


ARC Instrumented Test Facility

Instrumentation for robotics per NIST direction Additional instruments for human factors From NIST 3-level to ARC: spectrum of

realism and continuity No test facility for robotics would be complete

without real first responder training


Cooperative Test Facilities


YEAR-ROUND ARENAS

NISTMARYLAND, USA (2000)

Museum of Emerging ScienceTOKYO, JAPAN (2002)

Carnegie Mellon UniversityPENNSYLVANIA, USA (2003)

Istituto Superiore AntincendiROME, ITALY (2003)

University of New OrleansLOUSIANA USA (2004)

Bremen UniversityBREMEMN GERMANY (2004)

Portugal TBDLISBON, PORTUGAL (2004)

PREVIOUS COMPETITIONS

AAAI Conference 2000AUSTIN, TEXAS, USA

IJCAI/AAAI Conference 2001SEATTLE, WASHINTON, USA

RoboCupRescue 2002FUKUOKA, JAPAN

AAAI Conference 2002EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA

American Open 2003PENNSYLVANIA, USA

Japan Open 2003NIIGATA, JAPAN

RoboCupRescue 2003PADUA, ITALY

IJCAI/AAAI Conference 2003ACAPULCO, MEXICO

2004 COMPETITIONS

American Open

German Open

Japan Open

RoboCupRescueLISBON, PORTUGAL

AAAI ConferenceCALIFORNIA, USA

USAR Test Arena ProliferationFOSTERING COLLABORATION THROUGH STANDARDS


USAR Interaction Design & Testing

ARC Human Factors division ARC Human-centered Computing Area JPL MER operation lessons U. Pitt. Psychology test instruments


Modeling and Visualization

Migration of ARC tools used by scientists at MER mission ops in JPL Model visualization Image refinement


USAR Robotics Operating System

ARC, Intel and CMU cooperation Modular robot architecture developed by JPL and ARC Embedded robot control board produced by Intel Robot control API for Intel XScale released by CMU


USAR Robotics Operating System

ARC, Intel and CMU cooperation Modular robot architecture developed by JPL and ARC Embedded robot control board produced by Intel Robot control API for Intel XScale released by CMU


Sensor Integration

USF expertise in first responder sensor needs CMU expertise in embedded sensor interfacing

electronics and software ARC expertise in local reasoning and interpretation


Sensor Integration




Sensor Integration




Sensor Integration




Mechatronic Robot Innovation

ARC robot control development CMU rapid prototyping facilities














Simulation and Training U. Pitt. / CMU Unreal simulation, chosen for broad dissemination

as the NIST standard Sensor model characterization: only possible in most realistic

possible environments: ARC Scorpion EarBot dynamic modeling and neural net – controlled

V.O.R. research





V.O.R. research





V.O.R. research





V.O.R. research


Systems-level Field Testing

ARC Robotics acts as a whole-system hub Continuity extending beyond a student or academic year Test facility combined with evaluation methodology Industry, government and academic partnerships


Conclusion

ARC has the on-base physical and intellectual resources and collaborators to be a prime center for rapidly maturing research and development for USAR robotics.

First milestones for success: Training center for USAR robotics Quantitative measurement of team effectiveness Robot prototypes that have viable commercial potential


Questions

Thank you

Illah Nourbakhsh | DHS visit | March 2004 Robotic Technology for USAR Illah Nourbakhsh Robotics Lead NASA/Ames Research Center.

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