Download This PaperCHARM: Cooperation of Humans and Robots for Mars - Final Report
98 Pages Posted: 23 Apr 2012 Last revised: 18 Dec 2012
Date Written: September 3, 2011
Abstract
The recent past has seen robots develop into autonomous artificial agents capable of executing complex tasks. In the near future, robots will likely develop the ability to adapt and learn from their surroundings. Robots have reliance, accuracy, and can operate in hostile environments - all attributes well suited for space exploration. Robots also reduce mission costs, increase design flexibility, and maximize data production. On the other hand, when faced with new scenarios and unexpected events, robots pale in comparison with intuitive and creative human counterparts. The future of space exploration will require that mission designers balance intelligently the flexibility and ingenuity of humans with robust and sophisticated robotic systems.
The Cooperation of Humans And Robots for Mars (CHARM) team at the 2011 Space Studies Program of the International Space University integrates international, intercultural, and interdisciplinary perspectives to investigate Mars exploration objectives, robotic capabilities, and the interaction between humans and robots. Based on the goals of various space agencies, this report selects an exploration objective for the time frame between 2015 and 2035, and drafts different scenarios to accomplish this objective. Each scenario uses different degrees of human-robot interaction. A theoretical model is then developed based on discrete requirements to help create an effective combination of human and robots. The CHARM model uses an interdisciplinary approach, including technical, societal, political, legal, financial, scientific and mission risk perspectives. The results of the CHARM model are then further analyzed using these interdisciplinary aspects, with considerations to the future studies of human-robot cooperation.
The CHARM team believes that this decision-making model can be used to select missions more efficiently and rationally, thus bringing down both mission costs and risks, and making space exploration more feasible.
Keywords: Human Robotic Cooperation, International Space University, Space Studies, Vroom-Jago, Mars Exploration
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?
