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Human-Agent Knowledge Cartography for e-Science: NASA Field Trials at the Mars Desert Research Station

Maarten Sierhuis and Simon Buckingham Shum

Human-Centered Computing, NASA/Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California,
The Open University, Knowledge Media Institute

Abstract: This chapter describes the sociotechnical embedding of a knowledge cartography approach (Conversational Modelling) within a prototype e-science work system. This was evaluated over two 2-week field trials, simulating collaborative Mars-Earth geological exploration. We believe this work is the first demonstration of a knowledge mapping tool embedded within a human/software multiagent work system, with humans and agents reading and writing structures amenable to agent understanding and autonomous agent execution, and human understanding, annotation and argumentation. Secondly, in terms of the applied problem, we have demonstrated how human and agent plans, data, multimedia documents, metadata, discussions, interpretations and arguments can be mapped in an integrated manner, and successfully deployed in field trials which simulated aspects of mission workload pressure.

Biography: Maarten Sierhuis is Computer Scientist and Senior Researcher at RIACS/NASA Ames Research Center. His research focuses on multi-agent systems and artificial intelligence. His early work discusses about knowledge modelling and expert sys-tems. His work area comprehends developing tools for modelling situated human behavior in organizations.

Biography: Simon Buckingham Shum is Senior Lecturer at the Knowledge Media Institute, Open University. B.Sc. Pyschology University of York. M.Sc. in Ergonomics from University College London and Ph.D. from the University of York. He is inter-ested in technologies for sensemaking, specifically, which structure discourse to assist reflection and analysis.