Project Title:

Simulation Testbed for Planetary Vehicle Imaging

08.21-0094
912091
Simulation Testbed for Planetary Vehicle Imaging
Vexcel Corporation
2477 55th Street
Boulder
CO
80301
W.
Kober
303-444-0095
JPL
NAS7-1165
174

08.21-0094
912091

Abstract:

Simulation Testbed for Planetary Vehicle Imaging
A prototype vision simulation testbed will be developed for use in the investigation
of future planetary vehicle scenarios, such as Mars-Rover. This prototype testbed,
to be delivered at the end of Phase II, will involve software for simulating the
processes of navigation, local terrain reconstruction, and image compression. It
will also interface to hardware elements such as digital cameras and to a "sand model"
for planetary terrain such as Mars. The innovation will be to integrate the separate
functions of navigation, terrain reconstruction, and image compression by using compact,
analytical descriptions of the terrain and to support the concept of "imaging in
a teacup." The objectives of Phase I concern proof-of-concept issues related to using
such analytical terrain descriptions for these tasks. The results of Phase I will
show the feasibility of this approach, as well as a requirements specification for
the testbed to be developed in Phase II. The benefits to NASA will include a testbed
to explore a unified approach for more efficient and accurate navigation, terrain
map updating, and image prediction and compression, resulting in more efficient use
of available communication bandwidth.
A potential commercial application of this type of technology is in the domain of
hazardous environments. One example involves sending robots into areas denied to
humans because of prohibitively high radiation levels in nuclear power plants.
navigation, terrain, reconstruction, image, compression, analytic, surface, planetary