A.L.E.X.E.I
Augmented Lunar Extravehicular and Exploration Interface
NASA SUITS
NASA SUITS (Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students) challenges students to design and create spacesuit information displays within augmented reality (AR) environments. NASA's interests are to design a HUD to improve navigation, the ability to take geological samples and field notes, monitor suit and crew vitals, and display mission task procedures.
System Overview
NASA SUITS 2020
ALEXEI 1.0 was designed to be minimalistic, nonintrusive, and ergonomically similar to the eXploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) ALEXEI 1.0 has three screens: ​
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Task Screen (left) - displays information that was prepared in a CSV file.
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Main Screen (center) - displays the EVA times and warning messages.
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Vitals Screen (right)- imports live data from NASA's telemetry stream.
Control Overview
NASA SUITS 2020
The controls of ALEXEI 1.0 were designed to mimic the DCM on current NASA EVA suits. Therefore, the primary input to control the device is the chest mounted controller allowing the user to toggle between the two displays using the bumper and trigger combinations. The secondary control input is the built in speech recognition to take field notes. An additional feature is that the screens rotate to the orientation of the user's head to improve readability as well adjusts to the user's height.
My Responsibilities
NASA SUITS 2020
I was the lead software developer for the ALEXEI project. As the software lead I was responsible for delegating, assigning, and coordinating with the team their responsibilities. I managed the GitHub repository and designed the software architecture of the system for implementation in Unity.
ALEXEI was developed during Covid-19 pandemic, hence I was the only one who had access to the Magic Leap One Headset. My main development responsibilities were to ensure integration was successful, implement the control inputs, develop the task screen, and provide feedback to the team.
Test Week
NASA SUITS 2020
Due to Covid-19 the test week was cancelled, and a panel of NASA employees evaluated our product's exit pitch via Microsoft Teams.
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Due to the complications surrounding the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to conduct our user testing plan as was originally intended. Instead, our plan was modified however, I was able to poll my quarantine roommates.
System Overview
NASA SUITS 2021
ALEXEI 2.0 is an accessor from ALEXEI 1.0 which contains a new UI layout, while still applying the same principles and objectives as the first version. The newest version breaks down the functionality into more sub-displays (now called apps).
The original task screen now contains 4 apps (task, science, navigation, and media). The original science screen now contains 2 apps (science and settings). The original main screen has been improved to now attach (snap) to the other screens to improve readability and clarity.
Control Overview
NASA SUITS 2021
The controls have been greatly improved from ALEXEI 1.0. The screens now follow the user's movements when walking more smoothly by reducing the number of unnecessary vectors being tracked. The screens now respond to head tracking to distinguish the bumper and trigger combinations per-app.
Improvements were made for trigger and bumper hold, as well as creating a chest mounted holster to hold the remote. Voice input is still a feature but has been improved to include the camera to record note taking within the UI.
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My Responsibilities
NASA SUITS 2021
For ALEXEI 2.0 I was the team lead. My responsibilities included setting up scrum meetings, delegating and assigning roles, preparing integration deliverables to NASA, and working closely with our NASA mentor.
My software responsibilities included maintaining the GitHub Repo, developing the science app and settings app, creating an app navigation feature, incorporating a directory system into the apps, modifying the tracking of the screens, and improving the input control system. I also contributed to the task app, the media app, and the navigational app.
Test Week
NASA SUITS 2021
Due to Covid-19 the team shipped the Magic Leap One and ALEXEI to NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). The team communicated with the test subject via Microsoft Teams. The tester was instructed to traverse to two geological sampling sites utilizing the application features on the ALEXEI system.
Even though during the analog positional awareness of the system was lost due to the tester blocking the Magic Leap sensors and camera, the overall system yielded positive results. To name a few, the tester appreciated the use of common iconography and features that are used in everyday software, spoke positively about the scout mode feature, positive feedback regarding the overhead compass, and the test organizers immediately commended the team and the system as being one of the easiest to setup.
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System Overview
NASA SUITS 2022
ALEXEI 3.0 is the final version and predecessor of the ALEXEI system. ALEXEI 3.0 had two new additional applications added such as a Telemetry Stream Application and a Communication Application that replaced the Media Application.
The Telemetry Stream allows the user to custom connect to the local WIFI to receive suit vitals, suit warnings, GPS coordinates, and emergency distress messages for Search and Rescue Operations. The communication application allows the user to display and send alert messages to the NASA Telemetry Stream.
Control Overview
NASA SUITS 2022
The controls of ALEXEI 3.0 are the same as ALEXEI 2.0 with headtracking combined with the Magic Leap One Remote.
Search & Rescue
NASA SUITS 2022
The newest feature of the challenge was to implement search and rescue. NASA would verbally tell us what navigation site to travel to while using the GPS coordinates to show the live location of the user at the testing site. Additionally, a random alert would appear in front of the user with a random GPS coordinate as a distressed astronaut in need of help. The team was required to navigate to the site and send confirmation messages.
My Responsibilities
NASA SUITS 2022
I was the lead software developer for the ALEXEI project. As the software lead, I was responsible for delegating, assigning, and coordinating with the team their responsibilities. I managed the GitHub repository and designed the software architecture of the system for implementation in Unity.
My main development responsibilities were to ensure integration was successful, implement the navigation system, and work alongside the Telemetry Stream.
Test Week
NASA SUITS 2022
ALEXEI system was tested at NASA JSC. The tester was instructed to traverse to three geological sampling sites and an emergency site utilizing the application features on the ALEXEI system.
During the analog testing, the overall system yielded positive results. To name a few, the tester provided positive feedback regarding the overhead compass, redundancy with the navigation system in case of loss of GPS, and the organizers commented that our system was the most precise when navigating to the marker destinations. Overall, the ALEXEI is designed to be easily adaptable for unexpected and expected scenarios in order to provide astronauts with useful tools and information to safely work on the moon.