Robonaut(Human-like robot with design to help astronauts with their tasks)
I know that to many of you it may seem like a distand science-fiction but he's real and working!
The robonaut (Called "R2" for short), was developed jointly by NASA and General Motors under a
cooperative agreement, will launch on space shuttle Discovery as part of the STS-133 mission set for
September.
Discovery will leave R2 behind to work on the station, giving engineers a chance to see how the robot fares in weightlessness.
Operating R2 in microgravity, as well as the stations radiation and electromagnetic interference environment
will provide performance data on how a robot may work side-by-side with astronauts.
NASA has greate plans for R2. He will be send to Moon for 1000 hours of terrain sourvey operated from the earth.
The reason is clear: you dont have to bring LSS to the moon so the mission is cheaper.
Becouse there is no human onbord it's also safer. The studies conducted localy by R2 on the moon will be vital for
creating first permanent moon-base in 2018. Specialist say that the technology will be up-dated year by year.
By the year 2030 man should walk for the first time on the surface of other planet - Mars.
R2 (actually - new version - "R3") will acompany humans in this historical struggle.
He can't be teleoperated from Earth, but he surely can be operated from Mars itself.
If the colonists needs to do some dangerous job (like clean the PVP while Radiation Storm is on) he will do it for them.
Morover - he CAN do repeted programmed functions.
What functions that may be?
Cleaning PVP, Watering/Fertilizing plants, gathering resources from Augar to ore procesor, gathering ground samples, are the one's I mainly think about.
If the server is 24 h/day player can't be always on-line. He will need someone that will help him do that things.
Riley and friends on "The Game" topic suggested A.I.Players.
I think that's not realistic - human's are inteligent and reacts very easily with their surroundings.
No computer program (especially inside the game) could imitate him good enough.
But what if instead we inserted Robonaut#2 to the Mars base in MCO? That would change it drastically!
No one expects from a robot to speak or behave self-aware of his surrounding.
If he slaps at the wall like an idiot no one cares...becouse his a robot and thats what robot's do
See the
links for some more info and tell me what you think:
Robonaut 2: Your Future Coworker?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g3qzOZLs6sRobonaut:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbYj10RYD8c&feature=relatedNASA JSC Project M Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFPNcWN7QnM&feature=relatedR2: Robonaut 2 / Space Robot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXdvVdKyzPM&feature=relatedGM and NASA Take Giant Leap in Robotic Technology:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yadj3asTyc0&feature=relatedRobonaut 2 headed to ISS - SpacePod 2010.08.16
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yadj3asTyc0&feature=relatedIt has begone....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdJFCdQGGI0