← Back to NASA Technology Projects
Completed
Approach/Innovation Long duration, deep space missions will require a mechanism to provide the crew with just-in-time (JIT) and on-demand training, as well as an onboard means to maintain perishable, critical crew skills. Lack of access to instructors and instructional facilities drives the need for small footprint, next-generation autonomous crew training solutions. To meet this need, this project will explore the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) based, and, VR + artificial intelligence (AI) based training systems in the context of crew robotics operations. This project will develop and deliver a breadboard VR/AI virtual classroom and perform a comparative demonstration to the traditional ISS Generic Robotics Training course with operations test subjects. Preliminary studies have indicated VR/AI-based training may reduce crew training time by 50% and increase knowledge retention compared to classroom-based instruction. This project will enable faster/better/cheaper crew training options that will contribute to the acceleration of human lunar exploration and solve a critical roadblock to deep space sojourns to Mars.
Technology Gap Being Addressed The use of VR for training has exploded over the past two years, with applications ranging from the oil industry to the fast food and medical fields. To date, NASA’s use of VR for crew training has been extremely limited and focused exclusively on support of extra-vehicular activity (EVA) for the International Space Station (ISS). In addition to expanding NASA’s use and acceptance of VR-based immersive training environments, this project will advance the state-of-the-art by a) leveraging cognitive tools such as gamification and sensory memory engagement, and b) exploring the addition of AI to VR-based instructional curriculums in order to enable an autonomous student training experience.
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
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.
None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.