Simulation-Based Lunar Telerobotics Design, Acquisition and Training Platform for Virtual Exploration

This Phase I proposal will develop a virtual test fixture performing a high caliber 3D dynamic reproduction of an prototype lunar bucket wheel excavator prototype developed at the Colorado School of Mines. This virtual test fixture will support an experimental telerobotics interface through a visual virtual environment built by DigitalSpace and a haptic force feedback interface integrated by DigitalSpace from Stanford University's Spring system. From NASA's Ames Research Center we will employ the Brahms agent technology and SimStation Procedures Module CAD representation and interaction also developed at ARC in collaboration with NASA JSC and Raytheon. Testing of this telerobotics interface will refine its accuracy vis a vis the physical excavator and its behavior and provide a platform able to evolve to higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) to support NASA's new exploration vision of a human return to the moon within twenty years.