Assessing and understanding operationally-relevant performance is key to helping ensure safety in complex, dynamic environments. Two current operationally-relevant capture/docking tasks include the Robotic On-Board Trainer for research (ROBoT-r) and 6df, but such tests require custom hardware which greatly limits the range of settings and number of participants in which studies can be conducted. SpaceDock, a dual-joystick, operationally-relevant docking task for assessing operationally relevant performance inside MRI scanners was developed by Strangman et al. 2005. We now introduce a new version, SpaceDock_v2, with upgrades from a highly simplistic model of the original SpaceDock to high-definition 3D renderings and adapted for remote Mac/PC/tablet or even phone deployment.
The SpaceDock_v2 can render ANY celestial body (Earth, Moon, Mars, etc.) as well as ANY vehicle (e.g., H-II Transfer Vehicle, SpaceX Dragon). A training session guides the subjects through the docking task, which includes 12 difficulty levels, a constant rate of approach towards a docking target, and requires users to correct translation in two dimensions (X, Z) and attitude in 1-2 dimensions (pitch, roll) using vehicle thruster dynamics (i.e., the user must use active inputs to speed up and slow down). We use an Xbox controller, being inexpensive, readily available, and easily scaled for broad deployment. Our cross-platform solution is built on the Rust programming language and connects a WebGPU-based rendering engine with platform-specific APIs for gamepad connectivity to support for MacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android.
We use AttentivU glasses – a wearable and wireless pair of glasses with the electroencephalography (EEG) and electrooculography (EOG) sensors to measure subjects' engagement. Participants are also offered to wear a bracelet with haptic motors – Linear Resonant Actuators (LRA) controlled by microcontroller units on top of ARM cores with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity. The bracelet mimicks the slow stroking on skin that can elicit innate pleasantness (affective touch). Bracelet feedback is delivered based on engagement and mental load of each subject.
Our ultimate goal is to provide a broadly-available and empirically validated test to help assess operationally relevant performance. The design of the new SpaceDock_v2 tool means it can be deployed in essentially any setting, including pre-testing/training at home before exposure to analogs or extreme/remote settings, or even simultaneously with dozens of volunteers performing the task around the world. This can greatly accelerate the pace of investigating potential challenges to behavioral performance.
On the image below: Left to right, Top to bottom: full SpaceDock_v2 system with glasses+bracelet+controller+ laptop; early UI iteration of the solution mimicking original Spacedock; connection screen with the countdown before the session starts; an example of HTV with dashboard metrics; HTV with the Earth /with the Moon /with Mars; SpaceX Dragon with Earth /with the Moon /with Mars; Inter-trial feedback screen; Thank you screen; A user going through a session on a Mac and wearing 64 EEG headset which required a separate laptop to be used; A pilot performing ROBoT-R with EEG headset and our setup; Canadarm2 docked to a space vehicle with cargo at ISS.