Robot Guided Emergency Evacuation from a Simulated Space Station

Our research investigates the potential use of free-flying robots as guides during emergency evacuation in future space stations. Building from prior research investigating if and how people follow evacuation directions given by an autonomous robot, we now apply these ideas to managing evacuations from a space station. Our research uses an immersive virtual reality (VR) simulation of the International Space Station (ISS) to evaluate 1) if nonexpert human subjects will follow an evacuation guidance robot in the form of an Astrobee to an escape module and 2) how an Astrobee robot should communicate its guidance instructions to an evacuee onboard a space station. Objective and subjective data were collected during human subject testing in the virtual reality simulation. In spite of a small sample size (9 subjects), the results indicated that 100% of subjects followed the robot’s guidance. Selfreports also show that the virtual reality environment was effective in creating a strong sense of presence and affecting the subject’s emotional and psychological state. The Astrobee was reported as a competent guide. This research provides important and novel data related to how non-experts evacuate from a space station and how a free-flying robot such as an Astrobee can be of assistance during a space station evacuation.