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An Analytical Tool for Robot Mission Reliability Prediction
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| Space missions require robots that are highly reliable for the smallest possible cost. Current theory and practice do not provide a
methodical approach to choosing a set of robot modules with demonstrably high reliability at minimal cost. In particular, there is no
methodology clearly linking mission specifications, to include desired reliability, to an appropriate choice of robot modules for
composing a robot or multi-robot team. The objective of the proposed work is therefore to establish a principled analytical
methodology for the inclusion of reliability considerations in mobile robot and multiple mobile robot team mission design. We will
additionally implement this methodology in software and make it available to the NASA and mobile robot community. This work is a
component of the longer-term project of creating comprehensive, principled analysis tools for general mobile robot design, to include
mobility, weight, speed, kinematic, and other characteristics. The proposed methodology involves three basic tasks: 1) define and
characterize fundamental mobile robot modular components; 2) develop a taxonomy for single and multiple mobile robots; and 3)
develop analytical and stochastic sampling-based methods for determining mission reliability. The proposed work addresses the
following particular goals of the AISR program. By quantifying the cost-reliability relationship in planetary rovers which perform
science exploration missions, it has the potential to increase the ¿efficiency of research endeavors conducted by Science Mission
Directorate research programs¿ and ¿mission duration and reliability¿ while ¿reduc[ing] mission development time, risk, and
cost¿through advanced simulation and design capabilities¿. The resulting system will allow NASA mission designers to rapidly
determine cost-effective and reliable modular robot configurations for a given mission and will serve as an aid in the cost-effective and
reliable design of the SMD¿s robotic exploration missions envisioned in the 2006 NASA Strategic Plan. |
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