{"id":6691,"date":"2013-02-23T00:58:11","date_gmt":"2013-02-23T08:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lifeboat.com\/blog\/?p=6691"},"modified":"2017-04-29T15:46:19","modified_gmt":"2017-04-29T22:46:19","slug":"keeping-humans-safe-in-space-meet-robot-torsos-justin-robonaut-sar-400-aila","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeboat.com\/blog\/2013\/02\/keeping-humans-safe-in-space-meet-robot-torsos-justin-robonaut-sar-400-aila","title":{"rendered":"Keeping Humans Safe in Space: Meet Robot Torsos Justin, Robonaut, SAR-400, & AILA"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nA Point too Far to Astronaut<\/span><\/strong>
It\u2019s cold out there beyond the blue. Full of radiation. Low on breathable air. Vacuous.
Machines and organic creatures, keeping them functioning and\/or alive \u2014 it\u2019s hard.
Space to-do lists are full of dangerous, fantastically boring, and super-precise stuff.<\/p>\n

We technological mammals assess thusly:
\n\u201cRobots. Robots should be doing this.<\/span>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Enter Team Space Torso<\/strong><\/span>
As covered by IEEE<\/a> a few days ago, the DLR (das German Aerospace Center<\/a>) released a new video detailing the ins & outs of their tele-operational haptic feedback-capable Justin<\/em> space robot. It\u2019s a smooth system, and eventually ground-based or orbiting operators will just strap on what look like two extra arms, maybe some VR goggles, and go to work. Justin\u2019s target missions are the risky, tedious, and very precise tasks best undertaken by something human-shaped, but preferably remote-controlled. He\u2019s not a new robot, but Justin\u2019s skillset is growing (video is down at the bottom there).<\/p>\n

Now, Meet the Rest of the Gang:<\/strong><\/span>\"SPACE.TORSO.LINEUPS\"
NASA\u2019s Robonaut2 (full coverage<\/a>), the first and only humanoid robot in space, has of late been focusing on the ferociously mundane tasks of button pushing and knob turning, but hey, WHO\u2019S IN SPACE, HUH? Then you\u2019ve got Russia\u2019s elusive SAR-400, which probably exists, but seems to hide behind\u2026 an iron curtain? Rounding out the team is another German, AILA. The nobody-knows-why-it\u2019s-feminized AILA is another DLR-funded project from a university robotics and A.I. lab with a 53-syllable name that takes too long to type but there\u2019s a link down below.<\/p>\n

Why Humanoid Torso-Bots?\"\"<\/span>
\n<\/strong>Robotic tools have been up in space for decades, but they\u2019ve basically been iterative improvements on the same multi-joint single-arm grabber\/manipulator. NASA\u2019s recent successful Robotic Refueling Mission<\/a> is an expansion of mission-capable space robots, but as more and more vital satellites age, collect damage, and\/or run out of juice, and more and more humans and their stuff blast into orbit, simple arms and auto-refuelers aren\u2019t going to cut it.<\/p>\n

Eventually, tele-operable & semi-autonomous humanoids will become indispensable crew members, and the why of it breaks down like this: 1.<\/strong> space stations, spacecraft, internal and extravehicular maintenance terminals, these are all designed for human use and manipulation; 2.<\/strong> what\u2019s the alternative, a creepy human-to-spider telepresence interface? and 3.<\/strong> humanoid space robots are cool and make fantastic marketing platforms.<\/p>\n

A space humanoid, whether torso-only or legged (see: Robotnaut\u2019s new legs<\/a>), will keep astronauts safe, focused on tasks machines can\u2019t do, and prevent space craziness from trying to hold a tiny pinwheel perfectly still next to an air vent for 2 hours \u2014 which, in fact, is slated to become one of Robonaut\u2019s ISS jobs.<\/p>\n

Make Sciencey Space Torsos not MurderDeathKillBots<\/strong><\/span>
As one is often want to point out, rather than finding ways to creatively dismember and vaporize each other, it would be nice if we humans could focus on the lovely technologies of space travel, habitation, and exploration. Nations competing over who can make the most useful and sexy space humanoid is an admirable step, so let the Global Robot Space Torso Arms Race begin!<\/p>\n

\u201cTorso Arms Race!\u201c<\/em>
Keepin\u2019 it real, yo.<\/p>\n

\u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n

DLR\u2019s Justin Tele-Operation Interface:
\n