OBJECTIVES:
Provide
real-time analysis and identification of geological specimens during
planetary surface exploration missions:
The
Smart Systems Research Lab at NASA Ames Research Center is developing
smart Geological Probes that will enable a semi-autonomous / autonomous
robotic rover to function as a remote geologist in exploring the
terrain of distant sites.
The
Geological Probe's smart software provides instantaneous synthesis
of high-dimensional data gathered by microsensors at the probe's
tip and relevant information available from other sources external
to the probe, and analyzes/interprets the results in real-time based
on what it has learned from prior discoveries and on what it has
been taught using known substances.
A
3D graphical interface enables a user to interactively control the
actions of the robotic Geological Probe while viewing the specimen
under study. The smart software performs high dimensional characterization
of the specimen and combines it with a rich a priori information
base to provide a powerful diagnostic capability for geological
exploration.
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