2016-03-14: 2016 Spring Intern A. Branham Dyer

My name is A. Branham Dyer and I am a Mass Communication and Journalism Major from CFCC in Wilmington with a very heavy emphasis on videography and photography. I am passionate about aerospace and astronomy and am the spring 2016 social media intern for the NASA LaRC Autonomy Incubator (AI) . I am not the typical NASA intern in that I am not someone with a background in a Science, Technology, Engineering or a Math  (STEM) field. Through my work as a filmmaker and journalist, I hope to turn STEM into STEAM with the inclusion of the Art of communicating scientific, educational, and historical documentation of my experiences into the AI message. Things have been happening at fast pace here at the AI this semester and we have been developing some new strategies to incorporate into our social media department. In an effort to tell our story more completely, we have been devoting some time establishing a social media department that can incorporate true high definition video and photography to share our experiences and milestones. Part of that process involved obtaining new hardware and software for handling, editing, and cataloging our video and photo portfolio into a searchable format for easy retrieval. We will be sharing these stories in a series of articles that will look back at what's happened since my arrival in January. I hope you will join us as we take steps towards building trusted autonomy for robotic systems that will one day be used in planetary exploration, cooperative human-machine work environments, and for the overall benefit of humankind. 

Social Media Intern A. Branham Dyer

2016-02-09: NASA Administrator Charles Bolden tours the Autonomy Incubator

After delivering his State Of NASA address at LaRC, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden visited the Autonomy Incubator for a tour and conversation about the state of autonomous systems and NASA missions.While with us in Building 1222, the Administrator heard about sensing, perception, localization, human-machine teaming, motion planning, and collaborative autonomy.

Anna Trujillo spoke with Administrator Bolden about Human Systems Interaction (HSI) protocols used to communicate with drones via semantics and visual cues. During the tour, she demonstrated how a scientist could define a complex flight path using simple gestures and natural language.

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden (L) speaks with Anna Trujillo (R)

Dr. Loc Tran and Administrator Bolden discussed object detection, classification, and tracking. Dr. Tran's work currently focuses on distinguishing different kinds of objects for, among many reasons, to determine if an object is a hazard to be avoided.

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden (L) meets with Dr. Loc Tran (R)
while Jim Neilan demonstrates visual odometry on the Mars Flyer

Standing with Dr. Danette Allen, Administrator Bolden observed multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in flight as they performed a cooperative mission under development in support of NASA's earth science objectives.

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden (L) talks with Dr. Danette Allen (R)
while LaRC Center Director Dave Bowles looks on

2016-01-20: NASA HQ Associate Administrators Visit the Autonomy Incubator.

NASA Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot and Deputy Associate Administrator Lesa Roe toured the Autonomy Incubator (AI) on January 20, 2016.

Dr. Danette Allen (Left) with Deputy Associate Administrator Lesa Roe (Center)
and Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot (Right) in LaRC's Autonomy Incubator

Their visit to the AI included demonstrations of cooperative autonomy and a showcase of capabilities such as Localization, Object Detection and Classification, and Object Avoidance on the Mars Reusable Electric Flyer.

Jim Neilan points out sensors on our Mars Reusable Electric Flyer
while Dr. Loc Tran and Zak Johns look on.

A notional Mars Sample Return mission scenario was presented in which three Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) survey and identify and Area of Interest (AOI) for possible sample collection. A rover is summoned to the AOI and delivers a fourth UAV as well as its own paylaod. The UAVs fly collaboratively (in formation) while the rover completes its own related mission.

Rover "Herbie" exhibits "Follow Me" behavior behind a UAV
to deliver the fourth intelligent agent to complete the mission

Rover "Herbie" has delivered the fourth UAV and exits the scene