NASA SBIR 02-1 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Sapien Systems
3510 Ingraham St. Suite 200
San Diego , CA   92109 - 6797
(858 ) 775 - 9755

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Jessica Baldis
jessica@sapiensystems.com
3510 Ingraham St. Suite 200
San Diego , CA   92109 - 6797
(858 ) 272 - 5586

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Electronic Procedure Management System (EPMS) is an innovative computer-based system for electronically presenting ?intelligent? procedures. Currently, NASA crews use paper-based procedures, Flight Data Files (FDFs) that contain brief, text-based instructions for completing a task. FDFs provide static information that can be cumbersome to navigate. In addition, carrying large quantities of paper procedures on long duration and long distance missions is not practical. By providing procedural data electronically EPMS offers several benefits and innovations relevant to the need identified in this SBIR proposal. Specifically, EPMS will provide an ?intelligent? method for navigating procedures with multimedia information tailored specifically to the expertise of the user. Presenting and storing the procedures electronically reduces the need to take bulky paper FDFs on missions. In addition, EPMS will integrate training, just-in-time training, and execution into one system. By providing several levels of data, users can access the specific amount and type of data necessary. User and procedure tracking functionality will facilitate identification of strengths and weaknesses throughout every step of a procedure, allowing for continued evaluation and improvement of training and materials and procedures.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Advances in wearable computing are facilitating the growth of computing solutions in non-traditional computing environments. Many workers (Ex. aircraft, submarine, automotive, and shipboard maintenance personnel) in these non-traditional computing environments rely heavily on paper-based procedures similar to the FDF procedures NASA crews currently use. Sapien System?s proposed EPMS could revolutionize the work process for these workers offering access to electronic procedures on wearable computers ? saving organizations both time and money. Leveraging the initial work Sapien completed for NASA, Sapien has been funded to explore the use of electronic procedure management systems in both the aircraft maintenance and law enforcement communities. Sapien is working with the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) on information display systems for repair and maintenance, ground troops, and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) communities.

POTENTIAL NASA APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Astronauts carry out most space flight operations via paper based procedures. An Electronic Procedure Management System (EPMS) will allow efficient operations with procedures. A procedure navigation system will ultimately allow users to hold all procedures on a wearable computer and quickly and efficiently navigate to the appropriate actions. Advanced interaction methods such as custom designed interfaces will allow input and rapid interaction with data, telemetry and other information. Tracking methods will allow monitoring of procedure execution in real-time and in training. Advanced content features in the system will allow repetitive and just-in-time training. The procedure management will be run on multiple computing platforms: EVA and IVA wearables, desk-top monitors and system servers. It will thus be useful not only inflight, but during ground training. Further, the procedure management system will be useful in non-spaceflight operations, such as vehicle processing, inspection and maintenance and scientific experiments.