NASA engineers are developing climbing legs for the International Space
Station's robotic crewmember Robonaut 2 (R2), marking another milestone in space
humanoid robotics.
The legless R2, currently attached to a support post, is undergoing
experimental trials with astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory. Since its
arrival at the station in February 2011, R2 has performed a series of tasks to
demonstrate its functionality in microgravity.
NASA’s Robonaut 2 is shown with the newly developed
climbing legs, designed to give the robot mobility in zero gravity. R2's new set
of legs are ready to head to space early next year.
Image Credit: NASA
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These new legs, funded by NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations and Space
Technology mission directorates, will provide R2 the mobility it needs to help
with regular and repetitive tasks inside and outside the space station. The goal
is to free up the crew for more critical work, including scientific
research.
"NASA has explored with robots for more than a decade, from the stalwart
rovers on Mars to R2 on the station," said Michael Gazarik, NASA's associate
administrator for space technology in Washington. "Our investment in robotic
technology development is helping us to bolster productivity by applying
robotics technology and devices to fortify and enhance individual human
capabilities, performance and safety in space."
Once the legs are attached to the R2 torso, the robot will have a fully
extended leg span of 9 feet, giving it great flexibility for movement around the
space station. Each leg has seven joints and a device on what would be the feet
called an end effector, which allow the robot to take advantage of handrails and
sockets inside and outside the station. A vision system for the end effectors
also will be used to verify and eventually automate each limb's approach and
grasp.
NASA engineers have built the legs and R2 will be receiving them early next
year. The new legs are designed for work both inside and outside the station,
but upgrades to R2's upper body will be necessary before it can begin work
outside the space station.
Technologies developed for Robonaut have led to new robotic devices for
future spaceflight that also have direct applications here on Earth. For
example, NASA is developing a robotic exoskeleton that could help astronauts
stay healthier in space and also aid people with physical disabilities.
R5, next in NASA's Robonaut series of robots, will debut later this month
when it competes in the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's (DARPA)
Robotics Challenge. During the challenge, robots will demonstrate capabilities
to execute complex tasks in dangerous, degraded, human-engineered environments.
Competing teams are expected to focus on robots that can use standard tools and
equipment commonly available in human environments, ranging from hand tools to
vehicles, with an emphasis on adaptability to tools with diverse
specifications.
The International Space Station serves as a test bed for future technologies
that will be vital to human exploration as NASA explores asteroids and Mars.
NASA's Space Technology Program is innovating, developing, testing and flying
hardware for use in NASA's future missions.
For more information on the DARPA Robotics Challenge, visit:
For information about Robonaut, visit:
For more information about NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate,
visit:
NASA
Guillermo Gonzalo Sánchez Achutegui
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