This has been a class of haptics : From the widespread enjoyment of it in consumer electronics through theApple Watch , to the boom in developing oftouchable interfaces . Soon , an cosmonaut aboard the ISS will attempt a major haptic experiment — by contain a super - exact robot here on Earth using force feedback from aboard the ISS .
The astronaut is named Andreas Mogensen , and he ’ll be arriving at the ISS in a few days . One of the ( many ) experiments he ’ll be part of on the ISS is being unravel by the European Space Agency ’s Telerobotics and Haptics Laboratory , which has acquire a new eccentric of rover called theInteract Centaurwith two robotic arms that give force feedback to the operator in genuine - time . The finish is to place Interact on missions to Mars , with an astronaut in orbit or nearby the Red Planet controlling operations on the airfoil without have to shore .
“ Mars is much too far for direct outback control from Earth , but flying astronauts around the major planet would overtake the problem of time delay , extending human intelligence and hunch to wandering exploration without the danger and disbursal of landing , ” the ESA explain last yr . But current robotic arm technology is passably unrefined for accurate and nuanced work — so the ESA built Interact ’s two arm with advanced force feedback , which the operating astronaut will sense thanks to a modest “ strength reflective Joystick . ”
In early September , Mogensen will give Interact its first in - orbital cavity mental test of the concept . He ’ll carry out a tops - exact mathematical operation here on Earth with force feedback on the ISS , which will let him literally find what the robot is feeling . The ESA explicate :
Andreas , due to launch to the ISS on 2 September , will first attempt to guide the robot to place an ‘ operation task board ’ and then to remove and secure a metallic element rowlock into it , which has a very tight mechanical burst and tolerance of only about 150 micrometres , less than a sixth of a millimetre .
Here ’s the peg , for reference :
From the very earliest days of robotics , force feedback has been a huge challenge . The problem is simple : Without being able to “ feel ” what the automatic mechanics is touching , holding , or move , the operator has to use sight to control the ‘ bot . That create major problem , since it means not knowing how much force is being applied to potentially fragile objects .
In the 1950s , theearliest machinelike armswere develop to solve on the button this problem . scientist at the Atomic Energy Commission set about to handle toxic kernel from far away for safety reason , and were force to break robotlike coat of arms with force feedback so the coach could pick up and manipulate nuclear material from a secure distance .
Department of Energy on Flickr / CC .
That same technology was later borrow by applied scientist developing robotic surgery tools , not to observe VR , and it ’s the same basic principle that will power the ESA ’s rover .
For next missionary station to research upstage planet , or even just Mars , a scouter that can be deploy and controlled by humankind who continue in orbit would be a huge progression . Not only would it be safer than set down and re - launching human astronaut , but it would grant us to search planets whose atmosphere or surface are inhospitable for man .
The ESA ’s rover is just the first generation of these force - controlled scouter , which are design to feel more like extensions of our own body than sovereign robots , no matter how far away they might be — in this case , roughly 250 mi above Earth .
connect with the author at[email protect ] .
HapticsRoboticsRobotsrovers
Daily Newsletter
Get the best tech , skill , and cultivation news in your inbox daily .
word from the future , fork out to your present .
Please choose your desired newssheet and give in your electronic mail to upgrade your inbox .
You May Also Like
