arms-20---astronaut-remote-management-systems

The Astronaut Remote Management System (ARMS 2.0) improves and extends the Astronaut Resource Management System (ARMS) developed for the 2014 Space Apps Challenge at Kennedy Space Center. Consisting entirely of commercial off the shelf products (Android smart phone and Epson Moverio glasses), ARMS 2.0 provides a cost-effective and user-friendly design that connects remotely located ground controllers with operators performing complex tasks, such as Extravehicular Activities (EVAs). The Android smart phone, which can be attached to users' wrists using any smart phone wrist housing, provides operators visual access to EVA task descriptions together with technical structural and behavioral diagrams realized according to Object-Process Methodology (OPM; Dori 2002). The mentioned diagrams are used to provide real-time instructions from Houston operators to the astronaut performing a specific EVA. Biological and environmental resource metrics are also processed by the system. Meanwhile, video streaming from the built-in Moverio camera allows remotely located controllers to experience the operator's point of view from a Windows desktop application and use this information to provide real-time instruction through the Moverio glasses' heads-up display. This comprehensive solution for interactive communication between ground controllers and task operators will increase the situational awareness of both parties during EVA operations and thus enable smoother, more efficient spacewalks. Furthermore, the ARMS 2.0 system, while demonstrated using an EVA task example, is adaptable to any controller-operator pairing where two parties must remotely exchange information, such as during SCAPE suit operations or in other hazardous industrial settings.

The software development and systems engineering for ARMS 2.0 was done using Unity 3D, 3DS Max, Adobe Photoshop and Opcat II. Human factors assessments were performed to minimize risk, ensure ergonomic design and optimize the user interface for operators wearing bulky gloves and/or space suits. End-to-end testing of the prototype was then conducted on multiple human subjects using a virtual reality simulation to provide proof of concept.

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