Robotics and the Future of Space Exploration
Speaker: Jeff Norris , NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: October 22 2007
Time: 3:00PM to 4:00PM
Location: 32-D463 Stata Center - Star Conference Room
Host: Nicholas Roy, MIT CSAIL
Contact: Marcia Davidson, 617-253-5817, marcia@csail.mit.edu
Relevant URL: Even as Spirit and Opportunity continue their investigations on Mars, NASA is preparing a new wave of ambitious robotic explorers to extend humanity's reach into the Solar System. The next generation of NASA robots include enormous six-legged robots with lunar habitats on their backs, mobile science laboratories bristling with advanced instruments, and nimble robotic chariots for astronauts. This talk will describe these amazing new creations, with a focus on the challenges inherent in their operation and open questions that NASA is currently investigating, such as:
-- What tools can provide robot operators with an intimate understanding of the condition of these sophisticated machines and the environment that surrounds them?
-- How can robot operators communicate detailed plans to these robots and monitor their activities?
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is eagerly seeking computer scientists and engineers of nearly every variety to help answer these questions and many others. Representatives from JPL will be available for informal discussions with candidates for full-time and internship positions immediately after the presentation. Formal interviews will take place throughout the rest of the week -- all interested candidates should apply immediately for an interview at www.monstertrak.com (Click on MIT InterviewTrak).
Jeff Norris is the supervisor of the Planning Software Systems Group at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His group develops and supports operations systems for a variety of missions including the Phoenix Mars Scout, Cassini Saturnian Orbiter, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the Spirit and Opportunity Mars Exploration Rovers-- for which they were co-winner of the 2004 NASA Software of the Year Award. He is currently leading the development of the uplink system for the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory Rover and a variety of lunar and martian operations technology projects. Jeff is a strong advocate for the application of agile development methodologies and open source software in mission critical applications. He received Bachelor's and Masters degrees in Computer Science from MIT and lives with his wife and two children near Pasadena, CA.
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