Physically-proximal human-robot collaboration for air and space applications

摘要

In Aerospace applications, human safety is of paramount importance given harsh environmental conditions that require persistent electromechanical life support. The resulting inherent proximity between humans and robotic support requires effective communication and collaboration in emerging systems where the robot is not strictly a tool for a human operator/pilot to command. This paper investigates the challenges of human-robot collaboration in the context of two critical Aerospace applications, airspace management and planetary surface exploration. We first present a spectrum of alternative air traffic management designs ranging from centralized to fully-decentralized. Discussion focuses on roles of human versus synthetic decision-makers, associated efficiency bounds, and metrics for quantifying performance and safety. Next, a space exploration scenario is investigated in which robots and human astronauts are both modeled as agents with specific skills and resources available for tasking by a (computerized) planner. Emphasis is placed on real-time reconfiguration when astronauts purposely deviate from their default plan or are in need of assistance, accounting for astronaut-initiated activities while proactively enhancing astronaut safety.