a. Title, author and principal investigator

	Title: Precision Payload Pointing from Mobile Robots
	Authors: Deepak Bapna, Dr. William Red Whittaker, 
                 Dr. Eric Krotkov (?)
	PI: Dr. William Red Whittaker

b. Objectives (describing the technical challenges)

Design and prototype a pointing system for precisely maintaining the
line-of-sight between a payload on a mobile robot and a distant
target. This technology will enable planetary rover missions requiring
high data rate transmission at relatively low power levels by precisely
pointing a high gain antenna on moving rover towards a receiver on the
Earth.

Pointing a payload from a stationary rover is relatively
simple. However, tracking from a moving rover requires an innovative
pointing. Systems currently used in tanks and movie cameras require
excessive resources and fail to achieve the performance needed by
small vehicles. The need is to automate the orientation of devices
using small, light, low-power components.  


c. Justification (include NASA User Code where possible)

The ability to achieve precision payload tracking while roving is
important for mobile robots as it could enable a wide variety of tasks
including teleoperation, wireless communication, mobile surveying and
reconnaissance, cooperative manipulation and active vision. Mobile
robot payload tracking, in general, requires high slew rates and large
articulation ranges in order to stabilize and aim a payload while
moving over uneven terrain. Traditional approaches from other domains
typically append a pan/tilt (or gimbal) to the moving vehicle or
platform. These pointing mechanisms are massive and require high power. 
Mobile robots, however, are usually limited in mass, power and
available space, necessitating precision tracking approaches that can
meet these additional requirements.   

One of the primary customer for the precision pointing technology is the
LunaCorp mission: a 1000 km rover traverse on the Moon, visiting
historic landing sites, and involving audience participation through
teleoperation and high-quality images and video return. 

d. Approach (how the work will be conducted)

During the past year, we analyzed the precision pointing problem in
detail. We identified various methods based on 2-stage mechanical
pointing, electronic pointing and hybrid techniques. 

We will perform a system-level analysis  and simulations to compare
various methods. The system level analysis is important as the
pointing requirements can be reduced through proper design of
locomotion system , suspension and isolation system.  Next we will
build a scaled-down prototype and demonstrate it. 


e. Deliverables (level 1 milestone format)

FY97    System-level analysis and software simulation of pointing
        mechanism. 

FY98    Build a prototype of the pointing system and demonstrate
        pointing from a rover traveling on rough terrain.  

f. Resource Requirements

FY97    $250K 
FY98    $300K
Total   $550K 

g. Schedule

FY97    Derive pointing system requirements from payload
	constraints, locomotion-specific constraints, and
	mission-derived constraints (on mass, power, volume, and
	cost). 

FY97    Configure the pointing System as two principal
	subsystems: the pointing mechanism and the sensors/controller
	module. 

FY97    Develop dynamic models and software simulation to compare
        various configurations.

FY98    Build a prototype for the chosen method and demonstrate
        precision pointing. 

FY98    Investigate commercialization of the precision pointing
	technology, targeting a specific application, such as mobile
	surveying with heavy equipment. 

h. Dual Use Potential
The capability for precision pointing from a moving platform using
lightweight components is essential for direct video communication
from a planetary rover. Such a capability also enables a wide variety of
applications, including the following: 

	- Optical communication where precision pointing is one of the
	primary issues.

        - Active vision where control of sensors and cameras is
        important for autonomous navigation.

	- Stabilization of sensors and payloads like camera, laser
	scanner or certain scientific instruments which is important
	for many applications. 
 
        - Mobile surveying, for streaming video and quantitative data
        back to stationary analysts for building geographic
        information systems.  

        - Designating targets and pointing weapons, for example in
        gun-turret systems for helicopters and tanks.   


i. Partnerships and participants

	Orbit Advanced Technology, Horsham, PA
	RMI, Inc., Santa Ana, CA