Results of the University Robotics Software Study Eddie Tunstel, Task Manager and Gene Chalfant Jet Propulsion Laboratory [email protected]

Results of the University Robotics Software Study

Eddie Tunstel, Task Managerand

Gene Chalfant

Jet Propulsion [email protected]

(818) 393-2666 (voice)(818) 354-8172 (fax)

WITS

CLARAty

ROAMS

UniversityRobotics

?

Mars Technology ProgramRegional Mobility and Subsurface Access

Presented to CLARAty Development Team, November 6, 2003

University S/W Study Results, Nov. 2003

EWT-2

• Study approach and external interfaces• “Market” surveys and highlighted results• Influence of survey outcomes• Software dissemination and roadmap• Recommendations and conclusions

Mobility Systems Concept Development Section

Outline


EWT-3

Task Manager: Edward Tunstel, JPL, (818)393-2666, [email protected]

Participating Organizations:• Jet Propulsion Laboratory• NASA Ames Research Center • CLARAty Development Team

University Robotics Software Distribution Study

Task Schedule and FY03 Funding

Objective:Conduct a study to investigate the feasibility and process for providing NASA MTP robotics research software as a single package to a wide distribution of universities in the future.

FY03 Milestone:Develop and present a roadmap for distribution of a bundled software package, including CLARAty, ROAMS and WITS, to the university robotics

research community.

WITS

CLARAty

ROAMS

UniversityRobotics

?

NASA procedures

University surveys

Develop roadmap

S/W & H/Wrequirements

FY03 Funding: $ 70 K

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Task Completed August 2003


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Study Approach

CLARAty forUniversities Survey

University RoboticsSurvey

Current regulations and prior successes

SoftwareDissemination

ROADMAP

Related task interactions(CLARAty, WITS, ROAMS, etc)


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Contacts & interfaces

UniversityRobotics Labs

MTPRMSA-funded

Universities

JPL Strategic Intellectual

Assets Office

WITS ROAMS

UniversitySoftware

StudyTask

IntelRETF

Advanced Avionics

Mobility TaskJPL

MarsRoboticsEducation

NASARoboticsEducation

Project

JSC TechTransfer Ofc.

& IGOALARC

CLARAtyDevelopment Team


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• Solicited CLARAty developers and users to take a survey aimed at sampling collective opinions and suggestions regarding university distribution of CLARAty.

• Launched survey at CLARAty Workshop, January 13-14, 2003

• Survey results provided focal points for our interactions with universities and influenced the direction of the study.


CLARAty for Universities Survey


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• Received 23 survey responses out of 46 solicited (52% of respondents are both developers and users of CLARAty)

• Major highlights (areas of most consensus)– For a bundled robotics development kit, a simulation environment, user

interface, and robot hardware are all important components — simulator most important, h/w least important

– A COTS mobile robot is most recommended hardware complement for a kit (as opposed to component-based motion control kits)

– The most essential items needed to sufficiently support university users are documentation and training materials.

– Open Source distribution is commonly suggested.

• Survey results to be included in full in Final Report (also available at http://robotics.jpl.nasa.gov/people/tunstel/CLARAty_survey.html)


CLARAty Survey Results Summary


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• Formulated a second survey (conducted April 10-30, 2003) for U.S. university robotics researchers.

• 20 questions targeted at a sampling of faculty and student researchers to identify their robotics software and hardware tool use/preferences as well as research focus

• Formulation of survey aided by constructive feedback from MTP management and CLARAty Task Manager


University Robotics Survey


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2

1

13

9

2

2

1

31

4

2

6

1 5

2

3

1 6

1

5

111

11

1

1

3

3

3

• 86 labs at 61 US universities in 30 states nationwide with diverse research thrusts including mobile robotics, manipulation, computer vision, AI, multi-agents, learning, man-machine interfaces, manufacturing, biorobotics, etc


University Robotics Survey: solicitation


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• The following colleges and universities responded to the survey:Arkansas Arkansas Tech Brown Bryn Mawr

Cal Poly Pomona Clark Atlanta CMU Drexel

Florida State Florida A&M Harvey Mudd Hawaii

Idaho Johns Hopkins UMass Michigan

Minnesota Missouri Nebraska New Hampshire

New Mexico Notre Dame Oklahoma Rice

San Diego State Stanford South Florida Swarthmore

Tennessee USC Utah Utah State

Vanderbilt Villanova Washington Wisconsin


University Robotics Survey: response

63 total responses during April 10-30

University Robotics Survey Response

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Faculty Researcher Lab Director Grad Student Undergrad Student

Primary Laboratory Roles

Number of Respondents


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• Survey provided a variety of useful feedback on current software and hardware use, preferences, and demand for software features offered by CLARAty, WITS, and ROAMS

– software tools and preferences for university robotics research

– preferred types of user/technical support from NASA

– preferred robot hardware complements and most commonly used robotic systems

– level of interest in NASA robotics software


University Robotics Survey: outcomes


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Languages, OS, and user support

• Most commonly used languages: C++ (84%), C (73%), and Java (40%)

• Most common operating systems: MS Windows (66%) and Linux (63%)

• Desired user support in order of importance is documentation, forums/ newsgroups, phone/e-mail, bug tracking

Preferred software features and libraries• Survey reveals a high demand for simulation software and the ability to

model own COTS/custom robots• Users require flexible, customizable code - they want to use “only what

they need” from a suite of generic software such as CLARAty• Open Source is very important to university robotics software developers• Among the planned set of CLARAty software libraries, vision and

navigation libraries are in highest demand.


University robotics software use & preferences


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• Established collective system requirements for hosting a bundled package• Envisioned usage configurations

1) workstation to host the full s/w bundle2) onboard computer to host CLARAty

• High-end workstation with (preferably) 2 monitors and graphics hardware support recommended for configuration #1

• Robot with interface for onboard-laptop, or embedded robot computer with resources sufficient to host CLARAty recommended for configuration #2


MTP Software Bundle Usage Configuration

WITS

CLARAty

ROAMS

( ( ) )

CLARAty

( ( ) )

WITS

CLARAty

ROAMS

University Robot Hardware

University Robot

Hardware

#1 #2


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• The distribution of custom and COTS robotic hardware in use by survey respondents reveals ActivMedia robots as most common at university labs

• The most desirable hardware complement for inclusion in a robotics development kit is a complete COTS robot system (preferred by 65% of respondents); echo of CLARAty survey result

• Hardware preferences and suggestions from both surveys imply that CLARAty adaptations and ROAMS models should be developed for ActivMedia and iRobot platforms


University robotics hardware use & preferences


EWT-15

• 90% of respondents expressed interest in using NASA-developed robotics software (CLARAty, WITS, ROAMS)

• 73% would favor using NASA-developed software products to complement or replace their existing tools

• 98% willing to share software modules they develop with NASA and a larger user community

• 77% indicated interest in receiving the survey results

• Overall, the survey results indicate that there is sufficient general interest in NASA robotics software products; this is motivated primarily by the prospect of NASA funding and/or collaborations, as well as low cost to universities.

Complete university robotics survey results provided to Dr. Issa Nesnas.


Interest in MTP robotics software


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MTP Robotics Software Dissemination


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• Investigated process used by NASA JSC (10+ years ago) for successful external distribution of its Enigma Software Tools

• Software was developed jointly by civil servants at the IGOAL lab and contractors at Muniz Engineering, Inc. (MEI) in Houston, TX

• Findings:

• Some aspects of the JSC process could be emulated for the MTP software; others do not apply.


IGOAL Enigma Software Tools

• Limited distribution

• Initially, executable and libraries only

• Usage limited to:– govt. agencies and their contractors

– universities/companies with grant/ contract

– others via purchase from COSMIC.

• ITAR assessment resulted in provision of a software utilization agreement requiring clauses to be added to code headers.

• Rights later granted by JSC to MEI• MEI now markets it commercially.


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• In a nutshell, the following facts pertain to the process currently applicable to MTP software dissemination

• Wide dissemination of JPL developed software is done through the Open Channel Foundation– an independent organization; not NASA-funded, unlike COSMIC, the

former software clearing house used by NASA.

– http://www.openchannelfoundation.org

• A request to disseminate software is indicated on NTR form

• Strategic Intellectual Assets Management Office handles the interface with the Caltech Office of Technology Transfer and the Office of the General Counsel.


Release of JPL-Developed Software


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• Applicable documents can be found on the JPL Rules! web site.

• Relevant aspects of the official requirements include specific software dissemination requirements as well as requirements for interacting and communicating with the academic/educational community

• Official procedures provide the necessary steps towards obtaining required release and export approvals


Official Requirements & Procedures

Official JPL Requirement DocID Rev. Effective Date Document OwnerNew Technology, LaboratoryNotebooks, ICB Awards, SoftwareDissemination and New Ventures

56592 1 May 7, 2002 JenniferSchlickbernd

Education and Public Outreach 57352 0 Apr. 27, 2002 Parvin KassaieOfficial JPL ProcedureReport New Technology 46513 1 Apr. 27, 2002 Jennifer

SchlickberndDisseminating JPL-DevelopedSoftware

46512 1 Apr. 27, 2002 JenniferSchlickbernd

ITAR and EAR Activities for Projects,Tasks, and Technology Developments

44313 3 Nov. 13, 2002 Edmond Momjian


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Initiation Authorization Release Support


ROADMAP Phases and Steps

1. Complete NTR form(s) for release versions of CLARAty, WITS, and ROAMS. Indicate a request to disseminate.

2. In parallel with Step 1, work out permissions needed, if any, to distribute required third-party or Open Source software.

3. Make decision on dissemination of executable software codes or Open Source

4. Obtain export (ITAR/EAR) approval(s) and associated export conditions from LIAO

5. Once export approval is obtained, seek dissemination approval from Software Dissemination Process Owner

6. Upon approval, make software available to Open Channel Foundation for dissemination

7. In parallel with Step 6, develop user documentation for release with software bundle (user guides with use examples, troubleshooting, etc).

8. Initiate a phased release to beta-testers (optional)

9. Appoint chief moderator(s) at NASA/JPL for the software bundle.

10. Establish user support infrastructure to augment Open Channel Foundation user support and community building services

11. Coordinate user/contributor community efforts


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CLARAty / WITS / ROAMS


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ROADMAP

• NTR with dissemination request • Executable / Source?

Disseminationvia Open Channel

Foundation

User/Contributor Community

Coordination

Export approval (ITAR/EAR)

Release Approval(S/W Dissem.

Process Owner)

• Export conditions• License(s)

Build community moderation

infrastructure

Phased Software Release

(beta test)

3rd-party s/w distribution permissions

Documentationto accompany

release

Appoint Chief User Community

Moderator

Initiation Authorization Release Support


EWT-23

• Consider disseminating MTP robotics software as Open Source

• Develop CLARAty adaptations and ROAMS models for ActivMedia and iRobot platforms

• If a hardware complement is included with software dissemination, opt for a COTS robot or an otherwise complete robot system

• Consider reopening the University Robotics Survey for a longer period to improve sampling


Recommendations


EWT-24

• The University Robotics Survey results have established that an unmet demand exists at universities for robotics software with features offered by CLARAty, WITS, and ROAMS .

• Typical Host computing platforms used by university robotics researchers can host a CLARAty, WITS, and ROAMS software bundle.

• It is feasible to undertake the task of disseminating MTP software to universities as desired by the Program

• The desired software dissemination can be achieved in compliance with the applicable institutional regulations by following the roadmap presented.


Conclusions

Documents

Results of the University Robotics Software Study Eddie Tunstel, Task Manager and Gene Chalfant Jet Propulsion Laboratory [email protected]