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NASA shows off Robonaut's gigantic new legs ahead of 2014 upgrade (video)
NASA's Robonaut assistant is about to get its biggest upgrade yet... and we do mean big. As part of a preview at ABC News, the space agency has revealed what its robot will look like when it gets legs in early 2014. Simply put, it's massive -- at eight feet tall and roughly 500 pounds, the mobilized machine will dwarf all of its human teammates. However, there's good reasons for the extra-large limbs. Astronaut Cady Coleman says that they'll let Robonaut climb swiftly through hatches on the International Space Station, giving it the stride of an "antelope" rather than making it take dainty steps. The improved automaton will have to learn how to move before it's ready to help its organic counterparts, but it could soon save ISS crew members from risky (or simply mundane) tasks.
NASA announces competition to improve Robonaut's sight
NASA's got some of the sharpest minds in the world (actual, you know, rocket scientists), sure, but they'll be the first to tell you that sometimes you've got to look outside for the best solution to a complicated problem. In recent years, that's meant the organization has partnered with the likes of SpaceX to help transfer materials to the International Space Station. The desire to look outside has also taken the form of competitions, which, in the past, have sought to improve the efficiency of solar arrays and help better understand the massive amounts of data collected from various missions over a 30-year period. This latest competition, a partnership with TopCoder, deals with the unspeakably appealing category of space robots, aiming to improve the vision of NASA's head of menial space station tasks, Robonaut. At present, the 'bot's got the sort of sight problems that would have no doubt barred its fleshier counterparts from making their way through the training program.
Robot Hall of Fame inducts Big Dog, PackBot, Nao and WALL-E (video)
It's the sort of ceremony that's so magical it can only occur on even-numbered years. Inventors, educators, entertainers, college students and media folk gathered at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, PA tonight for the 2012 inductions to the Robot Hall of Fame, a Carnegie Mellon-sponsored event created to celebrate the best of our mechanical betters. This year, the field included four categories, judged by both a jury of 107 writers, designs, entrepreneurs and academics and the public at large, each faction constituting half the voting total. The show kicked off, however, with the induction of 2010 winners, the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers, the da Vinci Surgical System, iRobot's Roomba, the Terminator and Huey, Dewey and Louie, a trio of robots from 1971's Silent Running. The first 'bot to secure its spot in the class of 2012, was the programmable humaoid Nao, from Aldebaran Robotics, which beat out the iRobot Create and Vex Robotics Design System in the Educational category. The PackBot military robot from iRobot took the Industrial and Service category, beating out the Kiva Mobile Robotic Fulfillment System and Woods Hole Oceanographic's Jason. Boston Dynamic's Big Dog ran over some stiff competition in the form of Willow Garage's PR2 and NASA's Robonaut to win the Research title. And WALL-E triumphed over doppelganger Johnny Five and the Jetsons' Rosie in the Entertainment category. Relive the festivities in four minutes after the break.
NASA and IHMC building X1 exoskeleton to give us a lift, keep us fit in space and on Earth
It's hard to deny the appeal of a space-bound robot like NASA's Robonaut 2, fears of subversion notwithstanding. The space agency and Florida's Institute for Human and Machine Cognition know it, and they want to put that technology into an exoskeleton with a nobler purpose than performing chores on space stations. The in-development X1 (not yet pictured) adapts the Robonaut's skills to a body-hugging frame with 10 points of movement that might give humans an assist when they need it the most. In space, the X1 could automate and add challenge to exercise for astronauts in low gravity, or provide the extra muscle for that fabled day we return to manned surface exploration. NASA envisions its exoskeleton having more grounded uses as well, such as rehabilitation for leg injuries or walking for those who never had the chance. Although we're not expecting a rapid turnaround knowing NASA's lengthy schedules, we might see the X1 in use sooner than most such products in the wake of a purposefully quick development cycle -- and, no doubt, a few interested customers here on Earth.
Robot Hall of Fame voting begins for class of 2012, Johnny 5 learns where BigDogs sit
It's that time again: time for Carnegie Mellon to roll out the red carpet and welcome the crème de la crème of the robotics world into its halls. Since 2003 the school has been selecting the best of the best and inducting them into the Robot Hall of Fame. Past honorees have included everything from LEGO Mindstorms to the Terminator. This year's list of nominees is no less impressive, with celebrity bots Johnny 5 and WALL-E pitted against each other in the entertainment category, while NASA's Robonaut takes on the PR2 and BigDog under the banner of research bots. There will also be two other inductees awarded a spot in the hall in the consumer and education category and the industrial and service field. Best of all, for the first time ever, Carnegie Mellon is letting the public vote on the inductees. And, while PETMAN was snubbed yet again, he's not letting that get him down -- the Boston Dymanic's biped just keeps on struttin'. Hit up the source link to cast your vote before the September 30th deadline and check back on October 23rd to see who's granted a podium speech.
NASA activates Robotnaut 2 on board the ISS, watch it live (video)
You've already seen it unboxed on board the International Space Station, and now you can watch as the crew of the ISS activates Robotnaut 2 and begins to put it through its paces. The robot was turned on just before eleven o'clock Eastern, but there's still plenty more to see -- head on past the break for the live stream. Naturally, you can also keep up with the robot's progress on its Twitter feed. Update: And that's a wrap for today. Robonaut 2 has been powered down and put to bed, with additional tests planned for tomorrow. If you missed it, you can catch a video of today's activities here.
Robonaut 2 gets unboxed in space, plans for galactic domination
Remember that nondescript space shuttle that launched about a month ago -- you know, the one responsible for carrying this here nondescript humanoid robot into the outer reaches of our galaxy? Well, things went according to plan and the robot has been successfully deployed in the International Space Station, making way for the first ever robot-human space crew. R2, weighing in at 300 pounds with just a torso, head and two arms, cost NASA and GM a cool $2.5 million to build, and there's no telling what kind of handling fees were applied when shoving him into his SLEEPR crate. Because of his dexterity, the bot is up above the clouds to help out with chores and assist crew members with science experiments and handling human tools -- easy for us to say, but even easier for you to grok if you slam the play button just after the break.
Space Shuttle Discovery launches at 4:50PM ET today with Robonaut 2 on board
We doubt many of you need a reminder but, just in case, we're here to let you know that Space Shuttle Discovery is set for lift off today, at 4:50PM ET. While all shuttle launches are certainly worth watching, this one's particularly notable for a number of reasons -- it's the last mission for Discovery and the third-to-last mission for the entire Space Shuttle program, and it's the first mission to carry a humanoid robot into space: our friend Robonaut 2. Head on past the break to watch Spaceflight Now's live coverage of the launch. [Image: NASA / Flickr] Update: Liftoff! Humanoid robots in spaaaaaace.
Robonaut 2: the trailer
In a world where the space shuttle program was in its last days... one robot answered the call to serve... persevered... and found that... just maybe... he had the right stuff too. Now... the mission is set... the countdown is on... and the ticket is one-way. Thursday, February, 24th. 2011. Robonaut 2: The Beginning. [Thanks, Joe B.]
Visualized: Robonaut 2 settles in for month-long shuttle delay
NASA's recent announcement of a month-long delay for the launch of the space shuttle Discovery is no doubt disappointing for everyone involved, but it's hitting our friend Robonaut 2 particularly hard. While the human astronauts are able to relax and go about their business, Robonaut is forced to stay in his custom-made SLEEPR crate for the duration of the delay, with nothing but a pair of hand koozies and some "trash foam" for comfort. In fact, the real state of affairs is even less dignified than what you see above -- head on past the break for a look at the hard life of a robot.
NASA successfully tests autonomous lunar lander navigation system, codename GENIE (video)
Robonaut2 may have fantastic biceps, but raw muscle won't put a man humanoid on the moon -- that takes rockets. Rockets like the one in this RR-1 prototype lander, recently outfitted with a Guidance Embedded Navigator Integration Environment (GENIE) system to let the craft safely descend to the lunar surface. On June 23rd, NASA and partner Armadillo Aerospace put the system to the test, hoping it could figure out the complex algorithms necessary to process volumes of data from the laser altimeter, GPS and inertial sensors, and quickly enough to steer the rocket engine accordingly... but the machine performed like a charm. See its first solo flight in an inspiring, flame-filled video after the break, and skip to 4:12 for the good stuff.
NASA and GM's humanoid Robonaut2 blasting into space this September (video)
Remember Robonaut2, the gold-headed robot that first flexed its biceps back in February? He's been called up -- way up. NASA has given him a one-way ticket to the International Space Station aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on a departure that's currently scheduled for September. It's not entirely clear what he'll be doing up there beyond making awe-inspiring poses like the one shown above, but he is slated to help during spacewalks and will be the first humanoid robot to leave the atmosphere. We just want to know whose shirts he'll wear. Update: Thanks to Joe at the Johnson Space Center we now have a video commemorating this achievement after the break.
International Space Station gets 'Man Cave,' Robonaut 2
In the narrow confines of the International Space Station, every cubic inch counts, but that won't necessarily keep NASA from building a rec room. When the Leonardo Pressurized Multipurpose Module (PMM) launches in September 2010, NASA is considering turning it into a internet-connected "man cave" isolated and quiet enough for astronauts to tweet in privacy. The connection's nothing special -- science officer T.J. Creamer compared it to that of a 14.4K modem capable of only tweets, text articles and basic browsing -- but Universe Today reports that they will also have a robotic servant, the Robonaut 2, to play with. Imagine a cramped world without fresh water or YouTube, but where you can program a state-of-the-art robot to perform monotonous tasks... We think that's a fair tradeoff, don't you? [Thanks, Robert P.]
NASA and GM's Robonaut2 allows human astronauts to feel the fear of obsolescence (video)
About a decade ago, two of our favorite government entities, NASA and DARPA, paired off to create the robotic astronaut of the future: Robonaut. He had a cool copper helmet and some faux-muscly arms, but ultimately never made it to space. Now, 10 years on, NASA's back with Robonaut2, created along with General Motors, who hopes to enslave poor R2 in its assembly plants. The details of exactly what has changed in this iteration are slim, but R2 is said to be more dexterous than its predecessor and stronger too, able to lift a 20lb dumbbell without getting all red in the face. It also seems to have lasers in its knuckles for some reason we can't quite figure out, but we're digging the look nevertheless. R2 is said to be helping NASA into a "bold new era of space exploration," and while we don't know exactly when that bold new era begins (now?), we do have a particularly menacing video of the original Robonaut included below, as well as one two of the fit and trim new model. %Gallery-84663% [Thanks, Adam]
