Disaster Robotics as an Example of Field-Driven Lab
Culture Robin R. Murphy
Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue Texas A&M University
About Me
• Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue
• 17 disasters • Roboticists
Without Borders
PHYSICS HURT ROBOTICS LAB CULTURE
Natural World(Corpus of cases)
Newton and the apple
james-a-watkins.hubpages.com
Natural World(Corpus of cases)
Galileo
Staged World Observation(Field experiments)
lannyland.blogspot.com
Natural World(Corpus of cases)
CERN
Staged World Observation(Field experiments)
Controlled Laboratory setting (Laboratory experiments)
www.theguardian.com
Natural World(Corpus of cases)
CERN
Staged World Observation(Field experiments)
Controlled Laboratory setting (Laboratory experiments)
www.theguardian.com
After Woods and Hollnagel Joint Cognitive Systems: Patterns in Cognitive Systems, 2006
Natural World(Corpus of cases)
Staged World Observation(Field experiments)
Controlled Laboratory setting (Laboratory experiments)
Varieties of observation
Physics Envy
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2
3
Natural World(Corpus of cases)
Staged World Observation(Field experiments)
Controlled Laboratory setting (Laboratory experiments)
Varieties of observation
But Robots Don’t Exist in the Natural World
Robots have been at less than 40 disasters
Natural World(Corpus of cases)
Staged World Observation(Field experiments)
Controlled Laboratory setting (Laboratory experiments)
Varieties of observation
Robots Have to Be Built
Robots don’t start out ready to work
Natural World(Corpus of cases)
Staged World Observation(Field experiments)
Controlled Laboratory setting (Laboratory experiments)
Varieties of observation
Technology First, User Second
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2
3
Field Driven Lab Culture
CASE STUDY: SURVIVOR BUDDY
9/13/01: WHAT IF WE FOUND A SURVIVOR?
With Professional Help…
Florida Task Force 3 Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (Tampa)
Cindy Bethel’s PhD Work 2008
Further Professional Help…
Dr. Cliff Nass, Stanford Doug Dooley, PIXAR Amy Guerin, TAMU Performing Arts
CASE STUDY: KATRINA AND FUKUSHIMA
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Fixed-wings: higher, longer
Rotorcraft: lower, closer
ASSUMPTION: 1 PERSON TO FLY
2 People You Saw
• The Pilot • The Mission Specialist (camera
operator)
2 People You Saw
• The Pilot • The Mission Specialist (camera
operator) • The Safety Officer
3
2 People You Saw
• The Pilot • The Mission Specialist (camera
operator) • The Safety Officer • Other users
4
Unpowered respirator
1 pair of cotton gloves + 2 pairs of latex gloves
Shout through respirator (no microphones)
Restricted vision due to
mask
External dosimeter under
top layer in pocket
Natural World(Corpus of cases)
Staged World Observation(Field experiments)
Controlled Laboratory setting (Laboratory experiments)
Varieties of observation
Field-Driven Lab Culture
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2
1
Conclusions
• There is nothing unique or special about robotics that obviates the need for good design
• Current lab culture reinforces a technology-first lab culture that undermines design (and lean start-up) principles
• We roboticists need you!