This software is a viewer program for maritime robotics software that provides a 3D visualization of the boat pose, its position history, ENC (Electrical Nautical Chart) information, camera images, map overlay, and detected tracks.
It is usually very difficult to understand the internal states of onboard robotics software. One common approach is text-based printouts on a terminal, but it is very difficult to interpret large amounts of data printed out on the screen. Another challenge is that the network connection to the robot might not be reliable, where constantly monitoring the data at high bandwidth is impossible.
This software provides a Qt-based viewer that is intended to be used with onboard robotics software to visualize its internal states and the situational awareness of the robot. OpenGL is used to render vehicle/objects/ENC data, etc. in 3D. It uses UDP (User Datagram Protocol) communication to talk to the onboard software, so each side of the robot and the viewer program can be stopped and started at any time, and the performance degrades graciously over lossy wireless communications links. It can also save a log of the viewer messages and replay at various speeds, so that it can reconstruct and analyze what happens in the field trials. Other features include QuickTime-based movie creation, overlay of maps, and display of ENC objects.
This software is easily adopted by other robotics projects. It serves as an engineering display for software debugging/monitoring, and also a tool to explain to sponsors/customers what the onboard navigation/perception/control algorithms are doing.
This work was done by Yoshiaki Kuwata, Michael Wolf, Terrance L. Huntsberger, and Andrew B. Howard of Caltech for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NPO-48126
This Brief includes a Technical Support Package (TSP).
Remote Viewer for Maritime Robotics Software
(reference NPO-48126) is currently available for download from the TSP library.
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Overview
The document is a Technical Support Package for the Remote Viewer for Maritime Robotics Software, developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) under the sponsorship of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It is identified by the NASA Tech Briefs number NPO-48126 and aims to disseminate information about advancements in maritime robotics that have broader technological, scientific, or commercial applications.
The Remote Viewer software is designed to enhance the capabilities of autonomous maritime vehicles, providing real-time situational awareness and decision-making support. The software utilizes stereo camera imagery to detect and classify various objects in the marine environment, such as water surfaces, obstacles, and navigational aids like buoys and channel markers. The document includes figures illustrating the software's functionality, including snapshots from 360-degree camera arrays and visual representations of the vehicle's decision space, which categorizes areas as safe, unsafe, or requiring caution.
Key features of the Remote Viewer include the ability to track moving obstacles, assess their speed and distance, and classify regions based on safety criteria. The software employs algorithms to process visual data, enabling the autonomous boat to navigate effectively while adhering to maritime regulations (COLREGs). The document highlights the importance of this technology in improving maritime safety and operational efficiency.
The research and development of this software were conducted at JPL, emphasizing the collaboration between NASA and Caltech. The document also provides contact information for further inquiries related to the technology, indicating that additional assistance is available through NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program.
Overall, the Technical Support Package serves as a comprehensive overview of the Remote Viewer for Maritime Robotics Software, showcasing its potential to revolutionize maritime operations through enhanced automation and real-time data processing. It underscores the commitment of NASA and JPL to advancing technology that can have significant impacts across various sectors, including commercial shipping, environmental monitoring, and search and rescue operations.
