Comments on: NASA and GM’s Humanoid Robot http://techhaze.com/2010/02/nasa-and-gm-collaborate-on-a-humanoid-robot/ From our screens to yours - Tech news and reviews Tue, 26 Apr 2011 06:32:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Florian Wardell http://techhaze.com/2010/02/nasa-and-gm-collaborate-on-a-humanoid-robot/comment-page-1/#comment-7847 Florian Wardell Mon, 02 Aug 2010 20:01:34 +0000 http://techhaze.com/?p=1865#comment-7847 Actually, I think the form factor is pretty good here. They left out the legs, the only thing that we really don't need up there. Arms are wonderfully flexible mechanical machines, our upper body holds the vital machinery and our head has the sensors. Humans need to breathe, and they need moderate temperatures, unlike the robot, which makes it perfect for space. The chromed head and white "I, Robot"-like shell are purely aesthetic, but the form factor is good. Actually, I think the form factor is pretty good here. They left out the legs, the only thing that we really don't need up there. Arms are wonderfully flexible mechanical machines, our upper body holds the vital machinery and our head has the sensors. Humans need to breathe, and they need moderate temperatures, unlike the robot, which makes it perfect for space. The chromed head and white "I, Robot"-like shell are purely aesthetic, but the form factor is good.

]]> By: johnhunt http://techhaze.com/2010/02/nasa-and-gm-collaborate-on-a-humanoid-robot/comment-page-1/#comment-7839 johnhunt Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:32:17 +0000 http://techhaze.com/?p=1865#comment-7839 Yes, it's a publicity stunt. But for them that's the point. By landing a human-like robot on the moon it should be more inspiring to children and the general public than if it was like the Soviet Lunokhod from 40 years ago. But I wish that they were using a humanoid for a different, much more sustainable reason. A humanoid is optimized for telerobotic operations because a person on Earth could be suited up with sensors and could look through the robonaut's eyes. Then, everything that the person on Earth does, the robonaut would do because the robonaut is physically must like a person. It would be as though you put a robot on the Moon which had artificial intelligence at the level of a human. What could a robonaut not do that a human could? Nothing! And that's my point. Robonauts were developed to safely work next to humans. But Project M will place a robonaut on the moon where there are no humans. If a robonaut could do everything an astronaut could do then why do we need to develop a heavy lift vehicle to transport humans to the moon in the near term? We don't. The robonauts could set up solar panels, mirrors, ISRUs, construct habitats, and repair other equipment including other robonauts, grow food, stockpile supplies and even ascension fuel. Robonauts could do all of this in the near-term without needing a very expensive to build and operate heavy lift vehicle. Now, Project M will only land a robonaut. So, normally it could only look around, pick up rocks and make inspiring gestures. But the robonaut could assemble low-mass mock-ups which would look very much like real equipment and require approximately the same amount of dexterity as would be necessary to construct the real equipment. Then it could be demonstrated that a robonaut had the ability to assemble an entire robotic base (much like the Japanese want to construct). The implications would go well beyond just inspiring children but would show to everyone that the next step in sustainable space development (SSD) should be to establish a full base whose purpose is to extract lunar water ice, transport it to LEO, and thereby completely open up the solar system. Yes, it's a publicity stunt. But for them that's the point. By landing a human-like robot on the moon it should be more inspiring to children and the general public than if it was like the Soviet Lunokhod from 40 years ago.

But I wish that they were using a humanoid for a different, much more sustainable reason. A humanoid is optimized for telerobotic operations because a person on Earth could be suited up with sensors and could look through the robonaut's eyes. Then, everything that the person on Earth does, the robonaut would do because the robonaut is physically must like a person. It would be as though you put a robot on the Moon which had artificial intelligence at the level of a human.

What could a robonaut not do that a human could? Nothing! And that's my point. Robonauts were developed to safely work next to humans. But Project M will place a robonaut on the moon where there are no humans. If a robonaut could do everything an astronaut could do then why do we need to develop a heavy lift vehicle to transport humans to the moon in the near term? We don't. The robonauts could set up solar panels, mirrors, ISRUs, construct habitats, and repair other equipment including other robonauts, grow food, stockpile supplies and even ascension fuel. Robonauts could do all of this in the near-term without needing a very expensive to build and operate heavy lift vehicle.

Now, Project M will only land a robonaut. So, normally it could only look around, pick up rocks and make inspiring gestures. But the robonaut could assemble low-mass mock-ups which would look very much like real equipment and require approximately the same amount of dexterity as would be necessary to construct the real equipment. Then it could be demonstrated that a robonaut had the ability to assemble an entire robotic base (much like the Japanese want to construct). The implications would go well beyond just inspiring children but would show to everyone that the next step in sustainable space development (SSD) should be to establish a full base whose purpose is to extract lunar water ice, transport it to LEO, and thereby completely open up the solar system.

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