Space Mission Output Optimization

1
Space Mission Output Optimization

• Considering the Human Side of Human-Machine
  Interaction In Space

2
Malfunctioning Machines

• Several disasters accompanied rapid and exciting
  development of space technology
• Apollo 1 electrical spark, 1967
• Space Shuttle Challenger (Video) upon launch,
  1986
• Columbia disintegrated in atmosphere (material
  failure), 2003

3
Approach

• Balance complementarity between man machine
• Account for psychology of human operator
• Tailor design to human operator
• Malleable interfaces
• Tactile interface
• Augmented Reality

4
Financial Concerns

• Expensive space exploration Hubble Telescope
  approx 3 billion
• Cost minimization is a large part of NASAs
  agenda
• Need better use of resources not just strict
  screening and peak proficiency training

5
Role of man vs. role of machines

• In past, man was just a mere passive observer
• Progressed so that man machine shared
  complimentary relationship
• Yet, man not offered many degrees of freedom

6
Psychiatric Morbidity

• Spaceflight is hazardous to mans psyche
• Antarctic space-analog simulation program had
  startling results
• Participants experienced mood, adjustment, sleep,
  personality disorders
• Anxiety/state of discomfort highly correlates
  with performance!

7
Antarctic Space-Analog Results

• 12.1 of participants had symptoms that met
  DSM-IV criteria
• 31.6 - mood adjustment disorders
• 21 - sleep related disorders
• 10.5 - substance related disorders
• 7.9 - personality disorders
• Results suggest psychological factors should not
  be neglected

8
Training

• Training should provide technical mastery of the
  machine and a remedy to space anxiety
• Simulation is main form of training
• However, the only advances made on simulators
  have been electrical mechanical

9
Two Approaches to Space Flight

• NASA
• High-tech shuttles
• Scaled Composites
• Private company
• Simple approach
• Interface consists of stick and rudder controls,
  similar to a small plane
• Shows the range of interfaces possible

Daniel Barry, 77
Brian Binnie, 78
10
Malleable Interface

• Advanced Technology Branch NASA
• Manual navigation according to personal judgment
  not pre-programmed machine commands
• Open loop system with feedback and feed- forward
• Ideology full control of machine is better for
  psyche
• User performance increased

11
Haptic Interface

• Multiple sensory inputs through tactors to
  communicate with surrounding machines
• Ideology decrease workload of visual sensory
  system less anxiety

12
Augmented Reality Interface

• Combine real synthetic features to control
  human operator attention
• Improves synchronization between computer
  generated info reality
• Not substitute for reality but maintains
  situational awareness
• Ideology attention is not captured by past
  information lagging due to real-time lapse

13
Conclusion

• Human performance needs to be optimized in tandem
  with machine performance
• Therefore, training and interface should be
  tailored to the human
• Cost will be worth the lowered ratio of shuttle
  cost to expected number of flights