Machine Intelligence and Robotics Report of the NASA Study Group

The NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST) has established the goal of providing a technology base so that NASA can accomplish future missions with a several-orders-of-magnitude increase in mission effectiveness at reduced cost. To realize this goal, a highly focused program must be established advancing technologies that promise substantial increases in capability and/or substantial cost savings. The Study Group on Machine Intelligence and Robotics was established to assist NASA technology program planners to determine the potential in these areas. Thus, the Study Group had the f o l l o w i n g objectives: (1) To identify opportunities for the application of machine intelligence and robotics in N A S A missions and systems. (2) To estimate the benefits of successful adoption of machine intelligence and robotics techniques and to prepare forecasts of their g r o w t h potential. (3) To recommend program options for research, advanced development and implementation of machine intelligence and robot technology for use in program planning, ( 4 ) To broaden communication among NASA Centers and universities and other research organizations currently engaged in machine intelligence and robotics research.