We describe the design and performance of a hand-held actively stabilized tool to increase accuracy in micro-surgery or other precision manipulation. It removes involuntary motion such as tremor by actuating the tip to counteract the effect of the undesired handle motion. The key components are a three-degree-of-freedom piezoelectric manipulator that has 400 μm range of motion, 1 N force capability, and bandwidth over 100 Hz, and an optical position measurement subsystem that acquires the tool pose with 4 μm resolution at 2000 samples/s. A control system using these components attenuates hand motion by at least 15 dB (a fivefold reduction). By considering the effect of the frequency response of Micron on the human visual feedback loop, we have developed a filter that reduces unintentional motion, yet preserves intuitive eye-hand coordination. We evaluated the effectiveness of Micron by measuring the accuracy of the human/machine system in three simple manipulation tasks. Handheld testing by three eye surgeons and three non-surgeons showed a reduction in position error of between 32% and 52%, depending on the error metric.

This paper describes a multi-robot science exploration software architecture and system called the telesupervised adaptive ocean sensor fleet (TAOSF). TAOSF supervises and coordinates a group of robotic boats, the OASIS platforms, to enable in situ study of phenomena in the ocean/atmosphere interface, as well as on the ocean surface and sub-surface. The OASIS platforms are extended-deployment autonomous ocean surface vessels, whose development is funded separately by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). TAOSF allows a human operator to effectively supervise and coordinate multiple robotic assets using a multi-level autonomy control architecture, where the operating mode of the vehicles ranges from autonomous control to teleoperated human control. TAOSF increases data-gathering effectiveness and science return while reducing demands on scientists for robotic asset tasking, control, and monitoring. The first field application chosen for TAOSF is the characterization of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). We discuss the overall TAOSF architecture, describe field tests conducted under controlled conditions using rhodamine dye as a HAB simulant, present initial results from these tests, and outline the next steps in the development of TAOSF.

In January 2004, NASA began a bold enterprise to return to the Moon, and with the technologies and expertise gained, press on to Mars. The underlying Vision for Space Exploration calls for a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system and beyond; to conduct human expeditions to Mars after successfully demonstrating sustained human exploration missions on the Moon. The approach is to "send human and robotic explorers as partners, leveraging the capabilities of each where most useful." Human-robot interfacing technologies for this approach are required at readiness levels above any available today. In this paper, we describe the HRI aspects of a robot supervision architecture we are developing under NASA's auspices, based on the authors' extensive experience with field deployment of ground, underwater, lighter-than-air, and inspection autonomous and semi-autonomous robotic vehicles and systems.