Distributed Multi-agent Fault Diagnosis and Reconfiguration Control, Phase I

In order to meet the challenges of long-duration space exploration (e.g., missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond), onboard real-time health management of spacecraft that responds rapidly to system and subsystem events is essential. In response to this need, Qualtech Systems, Inc. (QSI), in cooperation with Vanderbilt University, proposes to develop a distributed multi-agent fault diagnosis and reconfiguration control (FDR) approach for addressing the health management problem. The proposed solution uses "intelligent" schemes to coordinate local health assessments of multiple interconnected subsystems ("local diagnosers") to a convergent and correct global system health assessment. In addition, the solution recommends relevant system recovery functions based on fault isolation information and fault severity estimates. Design of local diagnosers for subsystem health assessment utilizes a combination of both model-based and data-driven diagnostic methods in an integrated development environment for accurate root cause isolation.

Potential NASA Commercial Applications: The proposed technology will have wide applications beyond NASA. Such complex systems as commercial and military aircraft, ground transportation, communications systems, power generation systems, etc., could all benefit tremendously from the proposed technology. The proposed solution offers a distributed fault diagnosis and reconfiguration control and an integrated develop environment that can provide designing and evaluating diagnostic systems for these distributed networked systems. The integrated solution will also significantly shorten the proto-type design cycle for commercial diagnostic systems.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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