Speech Recognition, Speech Synthesis and Touch-Panel Technology Applied to the Control of Remotely Piloted Spacecraft

Abstract

A permanent Space Station (SS) is under development which will be serviced by remotely piloted spacecraft such as the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV). When arriving or departing the SS, the OMV will be controlled from a pilot station in the SS. This study describes continuing research in progress at the Martin Marietta Space Operations Simulator Laboratory which is contributing to the design of a prototype pilot station. Speech recognition, speech synthesis and touch-panel technology are being examined as means for data display and control operation. Where appropriate, speech recognition is experimentally compared with touch-screen as a means of entering commands, using a measure of subjective workload. Selected technologies will be incorporated in an evolving prototype pilot station and used to drive simulations of operations near the SS. Simulation will provide an empirical test of the selected technologies, in concert with tests of operating scenarios and engineering design. This research will contribute to the literature on human aspects of control system design and eventually to the design of the SS - OMV operating interface.