Constraint Editor
The HCI group worked with lead mission scientists and engineers to design Constraint Editor, a tool to support the transfer of scientific intent through the critical command uplink process for the Mars Exploration Rovers '03 mission.
Collaborative Information Portal
To keep the teams up to speed and coordinated, the Mars Exploration Rover Collaborative Information Portal (MERCIP) is a hub and distribution center for vital information. At any time, on any computer, through an interface custom built for the mission, a team member can quickly find reports, images, daily schedules or plans stored in numerous databases.
The HCI Group provided user testing, feedback, and design guidance for several aspects of the CIP interface.
VIZ
A tool developed at Ames Research Center called Viz uses two-dimensional images a rover returns to Earth to draw a three-dimensional picture, putting the teams virtually in the Martian environment.
The HCI Group provided expert analysis and feedback to developers regarding the interface to the tool.
Investigation Organizer
InvestigationOrganizer is a Web-based collaborative information management and modeling tool designed to support mishap investigation teams. InvestigationOrganizer provides a centralized information repository that can be used by a distributed team of investigators to store digitalproducts relevant to an ongoing mishap investigation.
Prior to the deployment of Investigation Organizer on the Columbia accident investigation, the HCI Group provided expert analysis and design recommendations to the IO team. We are continuing to work with developers and researchers on next generation Investigation support tools, and we are expanding our area of interest to include Anomaly Resolution research for input to future tools.
CORE/X-PRT
A suite of usable cognitive modeling tools designed to interact with the HCI Group's own CORE modeling engine, the goals of this toolkit are to allow extremely fast and easy model building and innovative visualization of PERT-chart-like timecourse output.
SPIF-e
The SPIF-e (Science Planning InterFace to engineering) project is approaching the challenge of mixed-initiative planning from a human perspective. By synthesizing cutting-edge developments in planning technology, proven HCI methodology, and hundreds of hours of experience designing and building mission systems, the HCI Group is developing a tool aimed squarely at solving key challenges for mixed-initiative mission planning.
Anomaly Resolution
The HCI Group is conducting primary research in several mission contexts aimed at establishing a baseline of anomaly resolution practices. This work will feed into the development of improved anomaly support tools and processes based on a rich understanding of the goals, capabilities, and limitations of participants, stakeholders and their context.
