In the article “Astrobee Will Find Astronauts’ Lost Socks” Ackerman (2021) calls attention to the robot, Astrobee, who will be in charge of the maintenance of the empty Gateway which is a permanent space station that serves as a rest stop for astronauts. Test results have shown that Astrobee is capable of locating the designated position, detecting foreign objects' blockage, requesting for assistance for blockage clearance, and building a detailed multi-sensor 3D map. Astrobee managed to disentangle itself from stray wires and cables, cope with communication interference, and complete all tasks with minimal help. However, NASA requires robots that can manage situations that call for a physical intervention. As Astrobee was not created to manipulate, it will require the assistance of Robonaut 2 who is designed to carry out many chores like an astronaut. Additionally, there are other robots such as GITAI’s arm that will be involved in testing on the ISS as well. In hopes for ISS and Gateway to entirely depend on the maintenance of robots, the Integrated System for Autonomous and Adaptive Caretaking project will be more reliant on robotic autonomy so that humans will have a base prepared in space.
Ackerman, E. (n.d.). Astrobee Will Find Astronauts’ Lost Socks.
https://spectrum.ieee.org/astrobee-nasa-gateway
25 August 2021
No comments:
Post a Comment