Hal aboard the International Space Station?

The space shuttle Discovery has launched into space on its final mission, carrying a crew of six people and one humanoid robot.  It’ll be interesting to see what sort of tasks Robonaut 2 can accomplish besides popping dinner in the microwave.

With 38 computer processors and working arms and hands, the humanoid robot onboard NASA’s space shuttle Discovery is expected to be the centerpiece of a dramatic step forward in the evolution of humans and robots working together in space.

[ul][li]http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9211302/NASA_Humanoid_robot_launching_into_future[/li][/ul]

The space shuttle Discovery has launched into space on its final mission, carrying a crew of six people and one humanoid robot.  It’ll be interesting to see what sort of tasks Robonaut 2 can accomplish besides popping dinner in the microwave.

yep yep, the very beginning.

I find it odd, and not a little disconcerting, to learn that the unit has a designation of “R2” - Need we worry about Emperor Palpatine, or Darth Maul, making the scene now?

I cannot imagine that being particularly useful to the astronauts on board. I’d like to see the hands in action—they would have to be pretty advanced to do any sort of delicate work. Seems the astronauts want to use it as a house keeper/cook, lol.

“R2”

Probably a NASA joke.

C R Hunt - Feb 25, 2011:

I cannot imagine that being particularly useful to the astronauts on board. I’d like to see the hands in action—they would have to be pretty advanced to do any sort of delicate work. Seems the astronauts want to use it as a house keeper/cook, lol.

I thought that the thing was mostly for external usage, so that the astronauts don’t need to take unnecessary risks. And since we pack those guys in some pretty hard suits while walking in space, it doesn’t really matter that it can’t move as well as we do, it probably moves better then the astronaut.

C R Hunt - Feb 25, 2011:

I cannot imagine that being particularly useful to the astronauts on board. I’d like to see the hands in action—they would have to be pretty advanced to do any sort of delicate work. Seems the astronauts want to use it as a house keeper/cook, lol.

It’s difficult finding out exactly what R2 is expected to do, or even what it’s capable of.  Usually, an article will say something like, “it can take over simple, repetitive, or especially dangerous tasks,” but there aren’t many specific examples of what that could be.  There’s been the suggestion of it working outside (presumably so humans can avoid prolonged exposure to rediation) but, no mention if it has the ability to make repairs on its own, or if someone would manipulate the arms from a different location the way some have experimented with doctors performing battfield surgery from a remote location.

Will it be working in the supply room sorting items for storage as they come in, or will crew members be asking it to hand them a wrinch?  I’ve read that the eventual plan is to add a set of legs, where upon it will be able to do things such as wiping handrails, vacuuming air filters.  Is that it?  Eleven years of research and $2.5 milion in production costs and all we get is Rosie from the Jetson’s?

There’s been the suggestion of it working outside (presumably so humans can avoid prolonged exposure to rediation) but, no mention if it has the ability to make repairs on its own, or if someone would manipulate the arms from a different location the way some have experimented with doctors performing battfield surgery from a remote location.

If you consider the dangerous environment that they are in, I don’t think that NASA will leave much to change, so I think that even if it probably can do things on it’s own, they’re not going to let it for a long long time.
One thing I don’t understand: what was the rush for getting it up there?

Jan Bogaerts - Feb 25, 2011:

what was the rush for getting it up there?

I suppose because the shuttle program is nearing its end, and the thing weighs 330 pounds.

I do not wish to be cynical, however what better way is there to advertise a ‘product’.
The cost of adding R2 to the payload will be insignificant to the value of showing the world US advances in robot technology. I would say that regardless of the complexity of the assistance R2 gives the astronauts, he/she/it,  by simply delivering a cup of coffee will be proof of success.

I agree with Michael. (Welcome to the forum by the way!)

But mostly I think this is a PR gimmick. “NASA took a robot to space? Like Hal? Or the Jetsons? Or…” Not that NASA couldn’t stand to improve how they sell themselves. For an organization with one of the coolest MO’s ever, they don’t really register in the public consciousness like they should. (Seriously, NASA straps people to giant explosions and shoots them into space. How much cooler can that get? How do you mess up selling that to people?)

Anything to help funding, especially in these lean times.

I’d believe they would test mechaniscs in space, or test an autonomous robot in vacuum, but it’s hard to believe they would bring a humanoid.

I’m a bit confused. I also know some Canadian company was working for NASA on various robots. Has this thing been built completely by NASA (so are there multiple robots ready to go into space), or is this the same thing?

And yes, what else can you do after you’ve put some nut job on top of a bomb who road it all the way out to space?

I found out where my confusion is from. Apparently, the Canadians had their robot first up in the ISS. It’s called Dextre and that’s the one who’s used on the outside with special arms. So I’ve got no idea what they’re gonna use this new bot for.

The primary goal for R2, from what I’ve read, is to investigate how it moves within the unique environment of low/micro gravity, and (probably) how humans interact with it.