Robonauts Hard at Work on the International Space Station

Courtesy: NASARobonaut

Ames Research Center, MIT and Johnson Space Center have two new robotics projects aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Robonaut 2, a two-armed humanoid robot with astronaut-like dexterity, is currently undergoing onboard testing. The second is the SPHERES satellite, which recently got a smartphone upgrade that gives it eyes, ears and a sensor array. These robots could assume mundane, sometimes dangerous tasks: monitoring radiation, filter change-outs, some extravehicular activities.

There are currently four Robonauts, with others currently in development. This allows us to study various types of mobility, control methods, and task applications. The value of a humanoid over other designs is the ability to use the same workspace and tools - not only does this improve efficiency in the types of tools, but also removes the need for specialized robotic connectors. According to NASA, Robonauts are essential to NASA's future as we go beyond low earth orbit and continue to explore the vast wonder that is space.


According to Terry Fong, director of the Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA's Ames Research Center, robots like the smartphone-enhanced SPHERES and NASA's Robonaut 2, will provide some of the help of another crewmember; SPHERES' cameras can act as another set of eyes, while the Robotnaut 2 literally adds another set of hands to act as an assistant with small and bulky items alike. An added bonus is that robots do not require any additional life support.

"We'll start by simulating a mobile inspection of the station to test how well SPHERES can move around and collect data using the smartphone's camera and sensors," said Fong. "This will tell us basic information about the light and sound levels inside various areas of the station. Then we'll use SPHERES to conduct an interview with a crewmember – a task that usually requires two crewmembers to complete. We'll have mission control and the smartphone-enhanced SPHERES take the place of the astronaut holding the video camera."

As with the Robonaut 2, all tests thus far have occurred in the safety of the space station’s interior. However, in the future, upgraded SPHERES may venture outside the space station as well.






NASAMarshallTV