Issa A.D. Nesnas

1
CLARAty Coupled Layer Architecture for Robotic
Autonomy

• Issa A.D. Nesnas
• Mobility and Robotics Section (347)
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory

2
CLARAty

• Objectives
• Facilitate infusion of performance-enhancing
  navigation and manipulation technologies into MSL
  flight system
• Provide a flexible framework for integrating and
  comparing competing technologies on all research
  rovers Rocky8, FIDO, Rocky7, K9, and FIDO5

Funding Profile (K)
Task Manager Issa A. D. Nesnas (818)
354-9709 nesnas_at_jpl.nasa.gov Participating
Organizations JPL, Ames Research Center,
Carnegie Mellon, U. of Minnesota, RMSA
Universities Facilities Rocky 8, FIDO, K9,
ATRVs, CLARAty test bed, ROAMS, Maestro, JPL Mars
Yard
FY05 - FY07 Milestones FY05 Four deliveries to
MSL validation of robotic capabilities on real
and simulated rovers FY06 Six deliveries to MSL
validation on FIDO and Rocky 8 rovers . Open
source and new mechanism and camera
capabilities FY07 Integrate NRA algorithms,
develop rover diagnostics
3
Problem Statement
4
Problem Statement

• Problem
• Lack of integrated and validated robotic
  technologies prior to flight infusion
• Redundant infrastructure for robotic projects /
  platforms
• No framework to capture technologies from
  universities and other centers
• No interoperable software among robotic platforms
  (e.g. Rocky 8, FIDO, Rocky 7, K9, K10, ATRV)
• Key Challenges
• Robots have different physical characteristics
• Robots have different hardware architectures
• Contributions made by multiple institutions
• Advanced research requires a flexible framework
• Software must support various platforms
• Lack of a common low-cost robotic platforms
• Software must be unrestricted and accessible
  (ITAR and IP)
• Software must integrate legacy code bases

5
Mission Relevance and State-of-the-Art

• Mission Relevance
• Integrate and validate technologies
• Transfer to flight from a single integrated
  source
• Capture university technologies for future
  missions
• Make research rovers viable test bed for flight
• Easily adapt to future rovers with different
  hardware architectures
• Relevant to MSL, AFL / mid rovers missions and
  lunar robotic missions
• State-of-the-art
• Inside NASA recognition for robotic software
  interoperability JTARS (ESMD)
• Outside NASA DARPA (JAUS), ESA (OROCOS), LAAS,
  USC (Player/Stage), Robocup (Miro), U. Penn
  (ROCI), U. Texas (OSCAR), U. Sherbrooke (MARIE),
  MobileRobots (ARIA), etc.
• Similar in goal but different scope
• Different technical approaches similar to
  previous NASA efforts
• Limited functionality, scalability, and support
  for custom robots.
• Interoperability limited to high-level
  encapsulation

6
Process and Collaborations
JPL Internal Programs
Other NASA Programs
RTD, MDS, DRDF
Legacy AlgorithmsFlight Algorithms
Technology Tasks
Technology Tasks
Technology Tasks
Competed Mars Technology Program
CLARAty
Flight FocusedTechnology Programs
NASA Centers andUniversities Technology Tasks
NASA Centers andUniversities Technology Tasks
TechnologyValidation Tasks
NASA Centers andUniversities Technology Tasks
Jet Propulsion Lab
NASA Centers andUniversities Technology Tasks
TechnologyValidation Tasks
NASA ARC
CMU
U. Minnesota
Rover Hardware
Operator InterfaceMaestro
Rover Simulation ROAMS
Science InstrumentsSimulation
7
FY06 CLARAty Developers (Core Team)

• Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Issa A.D. Nesnas (Task Manager)
• Tara Estlin (Deputy Manager)
• Hari Das Nayar
• Richard Madison (Delivery Lead)
• Michael McHenry (Delivery Lead)
• I-Hsiang Shu
• Daniel Clouse
• Mihail Pivtoraiko
• Richard Petras (Delivery Lead)
• Robert Steele
• Babak Sapir
• Kelly Breed (web development)
• Stanley Lippman (consultant)

• NASA Ames Research Center
• Clay Kunz (Lead)
• Lorenzo Flueckiger (Lead FY07)
• Hans Utz
• Carnegie Mellon
• Reid Simmons (Lead)
• Nick Melchior
• David Apfelbaum
• University of Minnesota
• Stergios Roumeliotis (Lead)
• Anastasios Mourikis
• Nikolas Trawny

For the complete list of developers and
contributors seehttp//claraty.jpl.nasa.gov -gt
Project -gt Team
8
Technical Approach
9
Technical Approach

• Capture requirements from domain experts
• Use global perspective across domains (motion,
  vision, estimation, navigation)
• Identify recurring patterns and common
  infrastructure therein
• Use domain expert to guide design
• Define proper interfaces for each subsystem
• Develop generic framework to support various
  implementations
• Adapt legacy implementations to validate
  framework
• Encapsulate when re-factoring is not feasible or
  affordable
• Develop regression tests where feasible
• Test on multiple robotic platforms and study
  limitations
• Feed learned experience back into the design
• Review and update to address limitations
• After several iterations one hopes to have
  achieved a truly reusable infrastructure

10
Interoperability Software Hardware
SRI Stereo
CAPABILITY Navigation
ARC Stereo
Sojouner PoseFIDO 3DEKF 6D EKF
Stereovision JPL_STEREO
Stereovision JPL_STEREO
Stereovision JPL_STEREO
Pose Estimation MER_SAPP
Obstacle Avoidance MORPHIN
Drivemaps
Pose Estimation MER_SAPP
Obstacle Avoidance MORPHIN
Pose Estimation MER_SAPP
Pose Estimation MER_SAPP
Obstacle Avoidance MORPHIN
GESTALT
CLARAty Reusable Software
Robot Adaptation
QNX
VxWorks
Linux
11
Statement of Work, Milestones and Deliverables
12
Statement of Work (all years)

• Develop a cross-discipline reusable design for
  robotic software I/O control, motion control and
  coordination, locomotion, manipulation,
  localization, navigation, science analysis, rover
  control, and planning.
• Peer review design
• Establish collaborations with other NASA centers
  and universities
• Iterate on the design and develop prototype
  software
• Adapt to a number of platforms (Rocky 7, Rocky 8,
  FIDO, K9, K10, ATRV)
• Adapt to high-fidelity simulators (ROAMS) and
  interface with science operator (Maestro)
• Establish a multi-center remotely accessible test
  facility
• Clear both ITAR and IP to effectively share
  software across the development community
• Establish a process for deploying software to NRA
  recipients
• Work with technology providers to capture
  technologies into framework
• Investigate low-cost rover alternatives for
  testing of new technologies (ATRV Jr.)
• Integrate component technologies into framework,
  mature technologies, test, and deliver for formal
  validation
• Open source to the robotics community

13
Overall Task Schedule and Milestone Highlights
(all years)

• FY00
• Design the two-layer architecture
• Peer review of the architecture
• FY01
• Prototype CLARAty software
• Demonstrate Decision Layer / Functional Layer
  operations by visiting multiple science targets.
• Demonstrate interoperability by running on both
  Rocky 8 and Rocky 7 in the JPL Mars Yard
• FY02
• Establish a multi-center software development
  environment (CMU, ARC)
• Demonstrate integrated autonomous capabilities in
  a 60 m traverse in rough terrain (path planning,
  pose estimation, and navigation)
• Extend adapted platforms to FIDO and K9
• Demonstrate locomotion with high-fidelity
  simulator (ROAMS)
• FY03
• Deliver technologies for formal validation (MSL
  focused technology)
• Demonstrate interoperability of competing
  algorithms on multiple platforms
• Pose estimation using EKF vs. visual odometry vs.
  wheel odometry on Rocky 8, FIDO, and ROAMS
• Navigation (Morphin local D one of the above
  pose estimators) on Rocky 8 and FIDO
• End-to-end integration of WITS, CLARAty, and
  ROAMS
• FY04

14
Product CLARAty Modules

• 425 modules in repository
• 6 increase in FY06
• 20 increase in FY05
• 6 increase in FY04
• goal is to limit infrastructure modules
• 54 modules are technology contributions (13)
• 1.25 million lines of C (FY04 0.5 million).
• Major increase due to incorporation of MER FSW
  and navigation
• Six rover adaptations
• K10, Rocky 8, FIDO, K9, Rocky 7, ATRV, and Pluto
• 25 module moved to the public repository
• 4 are ITAR restricted
• 25 may be IP restricted
• remaining modules are ITAR clear and planned for
  public release

• CLARAty Integration Levels
• Level I Deposited
• Level II Encapsulated
• Level III Refactored
• Level IV Formally reviewed
• Level V Open source and fully
  documented

15
Product and Distribution
PUBLIC ACCESS
RESTRICTED ACCESS

• For external users
• Read only access to open source modules
• No AFS client needed
• Modular repository
• Repository hosted on AFS with public permissions
• Release update policy to be defined
• Investigating the use of JIRA bug/feature tracker
  for external users

• For developers
• Read / write permissions
• External developers access to non-ITAR or non-IP
  protected modules
• AFS client needed
• Modular repository
• Repository hosted on AFS with proper permissions
• Feature requests and bugs submitted via JIRA bug
  tracking system

Number of employees and not FTEs
16
Detailed FY 06 Schedule
17
FY 06 Deliverables/Key Milestones

• Key Milestones/Deliverables Planned Actual
• VO on FIDO 1/31/2006 1/30/2006
• Integrated SCIP (Falcon tracker) on Rocky 8
  (weather delays) 2/20/2006 3/17/2006
• Updated VO from navcam on FIDO 3/15/2006 3/18/2
  006
• VO from navcam GESTALT on FIDO (added
  MSL) - 4/10/2006
• MER VTT VO from navcam on Rocky 8 (added
  MSL) 6/23/2006 7/14/2006
• MER VTT, VO,GESTALT on Rocky 8 (added MSL) (hw
  delays) 8/21/2006 9/15/2006
• Release of new build system for
  CLARAty 3/15/2006 3/20/2006
• Release of CLARAty with new Python version of
  ROAMS 3/31/2006 3/28/2006
• Revised CLARAty website with new JPL format
  (staffing delays) 5/31/2006 9/28/2006
• Improved CLARAty accessibility for external
  institutions 7/31/2006 (denied)
• New design of camera classes 8/1/2006 7/15/2006
  
• Adaptation tested for VxWorks 1394
  cameras 9/24/2006 9/20/2006
• Adaptation tested for Linux 1394
  cameras 9/24/2006 9/20/2006
• Nightly regression test operational (addition of
  items 4-6) 8/30/2006 -
• Open source release of CLARAty (few
  modules) 9/24/2006 9/12/2006

18
Significant Event (Award)

• CLARAty team wins Center Best One NASA Peer
  Award.
• Award conferred on at the NASA Honors Award
  Ceremony - June 7, 2006

19
Significant Event (Robotics Community)

• Major contributions to the robotics community
• CLARAty public repository released with 20
  modules
• New CLARAty website
• I. Nesnas co-edited with Prof. Brugali the
  special Journal issue on Robotic Software
• Published two CLARAty papers in the Journal of
  Advanced Robotics Systems, special issue on
  Robotic Software
• I. Nesnas invited to present CLARAty at the
  workshop on Robot Dependable and Fault Tolerant
  Computing, Tuscon, Az
• H. Utz of Ames Research Center invited to present
  CLARAty at Fraunhofer "Autonomous Intelligent
  Systems Division" in Bonn, Germany
• Cleared the 2006 version of CLARAty from ITAR and
  IP (now ready for open source)
• Paves the way for sharing our infrastructure with
  the community

20
Significant Event (Targeted Driving)

• Delivered integrated targeted driving to MSL
  Focused Technology task (R. Madison, R. Petras,
  M. McHenry)
• MER VTT (or Falcon Visual Tracker) from navcams
• Exposure control for sub-images
• MER GESTALT (or Morphin) navigator
• MSL Visual odometry with wheel odometry as a
  fallback pose estimator
• Fault detection and recovery from failures in
  visual odometry and/or visual tracking
• Importance
• Increases science return by providing robust and
  precise navigation to targets in very rough and
  high slip terrain. Targets are visually tracked
  and navigation goal continuously updated. Key
  component for single and multiple cycle
  instrument placement.
• We have a framework to plug-in different
  technologies for validation of end-to-end
  capability

Rocky 8
21
Accomplishments (Targeted Driving - MER)

• Autonomous targeted driving with MER VTT, MER
  GESTALT and MSL VO (Video)

22
Accomplishments (Targeted Driving - MER)

• Autonomous targeted driving with MER VTT, MER
  GESTALT and MSL VO

23
Accomplishments (Targeted Driving - MTP)

• Autonomous targeted driving with MER VTT
  tracking, Morphin, and MSL VO

24
Accomplishments (Targeted Driving - MTP)
VO Image - navcam
VTT Image - navcam
Morphin Navigator
Front Hazcam
25
Significant Events (MSL FT 16 Deliverables)

• Completed major deliverables to MSL Focused
  Technology Program
• In four years, CLARAty completed 16 major
  software deliverables of advanced robotic
  capabilities on Rocky 8, FIDO, and in ROAMS (6
  deliverables in FY06)
• Delivered to validation tasks for formal testing
  and analysis
• Provides flight missions with performance results
  for new technologies
• Enables validation and maturation of technologies
  for infusion into flight. E.g.
• Visual tracking developed, validated, and infused
  into the MER R9.2 flight software
• On Sept 20, 2006, both Spirit and Opportunity
  booted successfully with MER R9.2 version of the
  software

Rocky 8
FIDO
Rocky 8
ROAMS
MSL
26
FY06 AccomplishmentsMilestones
27
Collaborations and Interactions

• Hosted ARC team (Clay Kunz, Lorenzo Fluckeiger,
  Hans Utz, Liam Pedersen and Terry Fong) for
  several visits
• Defined future plans and discussed architectural
  and design changes to CLARAty
• Completed the design of the next generation
  camera classes
• Discussed new mechanism model infrastructure for
  use at ARC
• Implementing a plan for a common DL/FL interface
• Hosted a number of students from MTP NRA and
  other activities
• Nik Melchoir from CMU working with Reid Simmons
  (June August)
• Tom Howard from CMU working with Al Kelly
  (August)
• Nikolas Trawny from U. of Minnesota working with
  Stergios Roumeliotis (August)
• Anastasios Mourikis from U. of Minnesota working
  with Stergios Roumeliotis (August)
• Jeff Edlund from Caltech working with Chris Adami
  (non-NRA)
• Hosted Prof. Davide Brugali IEEE Robotics and
  Automation Society Technical Chair on Programming
  Environments in Robotics
• Explored several ideas for common programming
  environments
• Discussed in details requirements and design of
  mechanism models
• Prepared for the ICRA 2007 workshop on robotic
  programming environments
• Participated in CLARAty design reviews

Not funded by MTP
28
Capture / Support for NRA Tasks

• Motion Planning (Al Kelly)
• Antonio Diaz-Calderon (JPL lead), Tom Howard
  (CMU)), and Mihail Pivtoraiko (JPL/CMU)
• Had several telecons with Al and his team to plan
  integration and testing of new technology
• Integrated new version of continuous trajectory
  generation that includes crab motions (used old
  locomotor)
• Tested on Rocky 8 during visit by T. Howard
  (videos shown by Al Kelly)
• Universal Decision Layer Executive (A. Johnson)
• Supported integration of PLEXIL into CLARAty
• Rover Navigation for Rough Terrain (R. Simmons)
• Supported Nik Melchoir for integration of new
  RRT-based navigation with CLARAty and ROAMS
• SCAIP (P. Backes)
• Received and integrated deliveries of EPEC visual
  manipulation, HIPS visual manipulation and an
  update of rover base placement
• Provided latest release of CLARAty with Python
  version of ROAMS (Shu)
• Reliable and Efficient Long-Range Navigation (T.
  Stentz)
• Completed integration of TEMPEST (CMU) into
  CLARAty (M. Pivtoraiko)

29
6D EKF Pose Estimator Robot Trajectory
Begin Backup maneuver
Traversal of Large Rock
Blocked by large rock, moving forward again

• Total Trajectory length 6m
• 20 steps of 30 50 cm segments
• First 4 were forward segments
• Next 8 were forward arcs with -6 deg heading
  change
• Next 5 were backward with 0 deg
• Next 1 forward, 1 backward, 1 forward, all at 0
  degrees.

Hand-Measured final coordinates (x,y,z) (2.00,
0.20, 0.00) m Error ( -0.07, -0.02, -0.01) m
30
6D EKF Estimator Accuracy
Attitude
Velocity
Position
Velocity Update Residual
31
Accomplishments (A Round Trip for Visual Target
Tracking)
From research to flight
Competed Mars Technology Program
CLARAty
Instrument PlacementValidation
Flight MER (06)
Falcon Visual Target Tracking (ARC, JPL)
ITAR Free
From flight to research
Flight MER
CLARAty
Flight MER (06)
MER VTT
ITAR Restricted
32
Accomplishments (SCIP)

• Delivered integrated single-cycle instrument
  placement to MSL Focused Technology task (R.
  Madison)
• Falcon Visual Tracker from pancams, navcams, and
  hazcams
• Exposure control for sub-images
• Adaptable image-based camera handoff with 4
  synchronized cameras
• Morphin navigator
• Wheel odometry pose estimation
• Rover base placement (from SCAIP task)
• 5DOF arm placement
• Doubled the speed of the integrated single-cycle
  instrument placement from 45 minutes to 25
  minutes for a 10 m traverse (funded by SOOPS RTD
  to prepare for field experiments - relevant to
  MTP) (Madison)
• Importance
• SCIP increases science return by saving the
  mission 2 sols out of 3 per placement. Key
  component for multiple instrument placements.
• We have a framework to plug-in different
  technologies for validation of end-to-end
  capability

33
Accomplishments Navigation in ROAMS (Courtesy
of SOOPS)
34
Accomplishments

• Resolved and closed 66 bugs and features requests
  for CLARAty
• Benefits of ROAMS Simulation
• A high slippage condition beyond Mars Yard
  slippage revealed a subtle bug
• Resolved estimation bug that resulted in rover
  motions in high slippage terrain during wheel
  steering (Shu)
• Major Improvements to Build Infrastructure
• Overhauled the checkout and build system (Nesnas)
• Held multi-center review with dozen participants
  and collected 108 feedback items.
• Closed 90 of these items
• Released a version of CLARAtys public repository
• Device and Camera Infrastructure
• Completed design and implementation of improved
  device and device group (Clouse)
• Completed design and implementation of improved
  camera and camera group (Clouse)
• Significantly reduced complexity while enhancing
  flexibility and efficiency
• Held a multi-center design review and collect
  dozen of stakeholder inputs
• Tested 1394 Linux adaptation on ATRV Jr (Kunz)
• Tested 1394 VxWorks adaptation on Rocky 8 bench
  top (Clouse)
• Test both single and synchronized acquisitions.

35
Accomplishments

• Education and Outreach
• Hosted a two-day C class by CLARAty consultant
  Stanley Lippman
• Completing new CLARAty website with improved
  organization, search capability and documentation
  (Breed)
• Locomotion and Manipulation Infrastructure
• Completed implementation of mechanism model
  infrastructure and coordinate transformations
  (Nayar)
• Developed new XML-based model files for the
  rocker bogie mechanisms (Nayar)
• Implemented models for Rocky 8 and FIDO mobility
  mechanisms, arms, and masts (Nayar)
• Developed infrastructure to support integration
  of smooth rover trajectories (Pivtoraiko)
• Improved odometry based pose estimation
  (Pivtoraiko)

36
Accomplishments

• Worked with Rover Maintenance task
• Developed a plan for upgrading JPL rover fleet
  for FY07
• Assisted Al Sirota in developing a proposal to
  JPL EIC for supporting the JPL rover fleet
• Supported diagnosis of FIDO and Rocky 8 hardware
  problems
• Hosted Barrett Technology (SBIR) to evaluate the
  PUCk controller for future Rocky 8 upgrades.
• Coordinated rover usage
• Twelve tasks (MTP, ASTEP, RTD) used CLARAty and
  the JPL rover fleet in FY06
• High contention for Rocky 8 from July September
• Plan in FY07 to augment the fleet with an
  additional rover Athena

37
TRL Evaluation

• TRL Level 6
• Functional Requirement provides a robotic
  software test bed for integration of new
  technologies from research tasks and flight
  projects
• Architecture modular and scalable with
  sufficient flexibility to support new
  technologies
• Programming Language C
• Test Environment JPL research rover fleet and
  JPL Mars Yard
• Unit Testing has modest infrastructure for unit
  testing
• Defects uses the JIRA bug tracking system
• Software Development Process formal process
  defined in JPL Rules
• Documentation both inline and web-based
• Delivery software is checked into a central
  repository with proper access for each
  individual. Administration of the repository can
  be handle by more than one person.

38
Summary of Overall Task Status
Technical
Schedule
Resources

• Technical
• On track
• Schedule
• On track some delays due to changes in
  requirements and hardware failures. Schedule
  delays are recoverable
• Resources
• On track

G
Y
R
No current problem All commitments can be met
Major problem Identified solution Commitment is
in jeopardy
Major problem No identified solution Commitment
cannot be met
39
Publications/Presentations (FY06)

• Journal Publications and Book Chapter
• I.A. Nesnas, "Coping with Hardware and Software
  Heterogeneity," book chapter to appear in the
  Software Engineering for Experimental Robotics,
  Springer Tracts on Advanced Robotics, edited by
  Davide Brugali, 2006.
• I.A. Nesnas, R. Simmons, D. Gaines, C. Kunz, A.
  Diaz-Calderon, T. Estlin, R. Madison, J. Guineau,
  M. McHenry, I. Shu, and D. Apfelbaum, "CLARAty
  Challenges and Steps Toward Reusable Robotic
  Software," International Journal of Advanced
  Robotic Systems, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 023-030,
  2006.
• A. Diaz-Calderon, I.A. Nesnas, W.S. Kim, and H.
  Nayar, "Towards a Unified Representation of
  Mechanisms for Robotic Control Software,"
  International Journal of Advanced Robotic
  Systems, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 061-066, 2006.
• Conference Publications
• R. Madison, "Improved Target Handoff for Single
  Cycle Instrument Placement," IEEE Aerospace
  Conference, Big Sky, Montana, March 2006
• Liam Pedersen, Richard Madison, Matthew Deans,
  Clay Kunz, Randy Sargent, Paul Backes, Max
  Bajracharya, Daniel Clouse, Issa Nesnas,
  "Performance Evaluation of Handoff for Instrument
  Placement," AIAA Space 2006, 19-21 Sep 2006, San
  Jose, CA.
• Invited Presentations
• I. A. Nesnas, CLARAty Improving Software
  Reliability for Robotic Space Applications, 49th
  Meeting of the IFIP 10.4 Working Group on
  Dependable and Fault Tolerant Computing, February
  15-19, 2006
• H. Utz, T. Fong, I. Nesnas, Software
  Architecture for Planetary and Lunar Robotics,
  Fraunhofer Autonomous Intelligent Systems
  Division, Bonn, Germany, June 30 2006

40
Publications/Presentations

• Previous Years
• M. Bajracharya, A. Diaz-Calderon, M. Robinson, M.
  Powell, "Target Tracking, Approach, and Camera
  Handoff for Automated Instrument Placement," IEEE
  Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, Montana, March
  2005 (paper 339KB, slides 1.2 MB)
• T. Estlin, D. Gaines, C. Chouinard, F. Fisher, R.
  Castano, M. Judd, R. Anderson, and , I. Nesnas,
  "Enabling Autonomous Rover Science Through
  Dynamic Planning and Scheduling," Proceedings of
  the 2005 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky,
  Montanna, March 2005. pdf (12 pages, 0.4MB)
• M.G. Bualat, C.G. Kunz , A.R. Wright, I.A.
  Nesnas, "Developing An Autonomy Infusion
  Infrastructure for Robotic Exploration,"
  Proceedings of the 2004 IEEE Aerospace
  Conference, Big Sky, Montana, March 6-14, 2004.
  pdf (14 pages, 0.7MB)
• R. Volpe, "Rover Functional Autonomy Development
  for the Mars Mobile Science Laboratory,"
  Proceedings of the 2003 IEEE Aerospace
  Conference, Big Sky, Montana, March 8-15, 2003.
  pdf (10 pages, 1.2MB)
• I.A. Nesnas, A. Wright, M. Bajracharya, R.
  Simmons, T. Estlin, Won Soo Kim, "CLARAty An
  Architecture for Reusable Robotic Software," SPIE
  Aerosense Conference, Orlando, Florida, April
  2003. (730 KB)
• I.A. Nesnas, A. Wright, M. Bajracharya, R.
  Simmons, T. Estlin, "CLARAty and Challenges of
  Developing Interoperable Robotic Software,"
  invited to International Conference on
  Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Nevada,
  October 2003. (410 KB)
• C. Urmson, R. Simmons, I. Nesnas, "A Generic
  Framework for Robotic Navigation," Proceedings of
  the IEEE Aerospace Conference, Montana, March
  2003. (8 pages, 730KB)
• C. M. Chouinard, F. Fisher, D. M. Gaines, T.A.
  Estlin, S.R. Schaffer, "An Approach to Autonomous
  Operations for Remote Mobile Robotic
  Exploration," Proceedings of the 2003 IEEE
  Aerospace Conference, Montana, March 2003 (277
  KB)
• T. Estlin, F. Fisher, D. Gaines, C. Chouinard, S.
  Schaffer, I. Nesnas, "Continuous Planning and
  Execution for an Autonomous Rover," Proceedings
  of the Third International NASA Workshop on
  Planning and Scheduling for Space, Houston, TX,
  Oct 2002. (168 KB)
• I.A.D. Nesnas, R. Volpe, T. Estlin, H. Das, R.
  Petras D. Mutz, "Toward Developing Reusable
  Software Components for Robotic Applications"
  Proceedings of the International Conference on
  Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Maui
  Hawaii, Oct. 29 - Nov. 3 2001. (8 pages, 1.9MB)
• T. Estlin, R. Volpe, I.A.D. Nesnas, D. Mutz, F.
  Fisher, B. Engelhardt, S. Chien, "Decision-Making
  in a Robotic Architecture for Autonomy."
  Proceedings of 6th Internation Symposium on
  Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Automation
  in Space (i-SAIRAS), Montreal Canada, June 18-21
  2001. (8 pages, 72KB)
• R. Volpe, I.A.D. Nesnas, T. Estlin, D. Mutz, R.
  Petras, H. Das, "The CLARAty Architecture for
  Robotic Autonomy." Proceedings of the 2001 IEEE
  Aerospace Conference, Big Sky Montana, March
  10-17 2001. (12 pages, 470 KB)
• R. Volpe, I.A.D. Nesnas, T. Estlin, D. Mutz, R.
  Petras, H. Das, "CLARAty Coupled Layer
  Architecture for Robotic Autonomy." JPL Technical
  Report D-19975, Dec 2000. (116 pages, 904 KB)

41
Plan for FY07 and FY08

• Update modules to use new camera classes
  (February 07)
• Update locomotor to use mechanism model
  infrastructure. Adapt to FIDO (March 07)
• Modify locomotor to support interface for
  continuous trajectories (supports Rough Terrain
  Motion Planning A. Kelly) (April 07)
• Modify navigator to support NRA rough terrain
  navigation (R. Simmons) (May 07)
• Support test bed, users, and computing
  infrastructure (all year)
• Develop software for hardware diagnosis for
  FIDO/Athena (July 07)
• Develop software for hardware diagnosis for
  refurbished R8 (Sept 07)
• Capture code and documentation, build and offline
  test algorithms delivered by competed tasks (all
  year)
• Increase open source modules from 30 to 60
• Standardize handling of parameter files among
  algorithms
• Upgrade and test with latest JPL stereo algorithm
• Provide as a tool to support testing of flight
  software research rovers
• Develop professional level documentation and
  advance infrastructure and capabilities

42
Response for FY05 Year-End Review RFAs

• No feedback was received from the review board

43
Issues and Resolutions
Issue Description
Solution Options/Schedule

• Significant portion of CLARAty funding to
  maintain capabilities comes from MSL which ended
  in September 2006 while NRA program goes through
  FY08
• High current cost / user

• Secure funds from base Mars Technology Program
• Migrate more components to open source

44
Summary

• Developed a unified and reusable software
  framework
• Deployed at multiple institutions
• Deployed on multiple heterogeneous robots
• Integrated multiple technologies from different
  institutions
• Delivered algorithms for formal validation
• Enabled new technology developments on multiple
  platforms
• Integrated flight algorithms for detailed
  performance characterization and operation on
  research rovers.
• Taking a technology from inception, to
  development in CLARAty, to validation, and now to
  integration into flight

45
Thank you