Robotic Geological
Probe Testbed

Geological Microsensors

Future Remote Geologist

OBJECTIVES:
Provide real-time analysis and identification of geological specimens during planetary surface exploration missions:

The Smart Systems Research Lab at NASA Ames Research Center is developing smart Geological Probes that will enable a semi-autonomous / autonomous robotic rover to function as a remote geologist in exploring the terrain of distant sites.

The Geological Probe's smart software provides instantaneous synthesis of high-dimensional data gathered by microsensors at the probe's tip and relevant information available from other sources external to the probe, and analyzes/interprets the results in real-time based on what it has learned from prior discoveries and on what it has been taught using known substances.

A 3D graphical interface enables a user to interactively control the actions of the robotic Geological Probe while viewing the specimen under study. The smart software performs high dimensional characterization of the specimen and combines it with a rich a priori information base to provide a powerful diagnostic capability for geological exploration.