| If NASA's Robonaut 2 starts to feel lonely, he might only have to wait a few more years for some companionship. DFKI Bremen's AILA humanoid robot is being prepared to work aboard the ISS and other space-related functions. Equipped with a new pair of hands, the AILA project has just been supplied with a new round of funding for the BesMan project. |
Project BesMan (Behaviors for Mobile Manipulation) will run for four years developing the control software necessary to teleoperate robots in space. Specifically, the robot will mimic human movements of the torso, arms, and hands. Already AILA has been given a new pair of five-fingered hands which are much more capable than the fingerless pads it had before (they only picked up boxes, which doesn’t really require fingers).
Like NASA’s Robonaut 2 and Russia’s SAR-400, AILA ISS will be required to grasp and use tools as well as operate control panels. Although it will be teleoperated by a human on Earth most of the time, it will also need to perceive changes in the environment and act independently should the need arise.
Looking toward the future, the researchers are already thinking beyond the space station - the software will be designed to work with robots of varying shapes; from humanoids like DLR’s Justin, to multi-legged climbing robots. The control system could then be used to teleoperate robots designed to assemble solar panel energy stations on the Moon and Mars ahead of manned missions.
In order to recreate human-like movements for AILA, the researchers are experimenting with a motion-capture system. A researcher in the lab performs an action which is then simulated on the computer. The software will break up the movements into smaller segments that can be sent into space and used when necessary. “We must build systems that approach the capabilities of people,” says Prof. Dr. Frank Kirchner, Director of DFKI Robotics Innovation Center and the Robotics Group at the University of Bremen.
Although the initial investment for humanoid robot development is high, it makes a lot of sense for space exploration. Teleoperational surrogate
robots, and semi-autonomous robots will make the exploration of space more open and flexible to us. Even aboard the ISS, the use of Robonaut 2 has been found to free up the astronaut's time to focus on science projects. Moreover, the development of teleprescence robots seems to be a new space-age technology that will potentially spin-off a lot of technology and processes that can be used down here on earth.SOURCE Plastic Pals
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That is one sexy robot!
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