The R2 will be covering the Destiny laboratory, one of
the five U.S.-named modules attached to the International Space
Station. The robot will be tested for how well it fares with
vibrations, zero gravity, radiation exposure, and electromagnetic
interference. The 300-pound robot, which consists of a torso with a head, two arms,
and two humanlike hands, will even been tested on how well it gets
along with others. Like the R2 unit of Star Wars fame, NASA has said it
sees its R2 robot as a potential partner to work alongside a human, and
will be testing to see how well that type of relationship works.
Engineers on the ground in Houston will man the robot remotely via a
space station laptop. If the robot passes all its initially scheduled
tests, it will then be given updated hardware and software to learns
new tasks, according to GM.
Here is an animation of what R2 might do aboard the ISS:
But the R2 serves a twofold purpose. While it's in and of itself a
robot for use with the NASA space program, GM is using its
collaboration with NASA as a springboard for improving its own robotics
program. The vision, motion, and sensor features on the R2 are being
evaluated for use on GM manufacturing & industrial robots in development, according
to GM.
The dexterous robot not only looks like a human but also is designed to
work like one. With human-like hands and arms, R2 is able to use the
same tools station crew members use. In the future, the greatest
benefits of humanoid robots in space may be as assistants or stand-in
for astronauts during spacewalks or for tasks too difficult or
dangerous for humans. For now, R2 is still a prototype and does not
have adequate protection needed to exist outside the space station in
the extreme temperatures of space. The project isn't to replace humans in space, but instead to work with humans as companions that can carry out important supportive roles. Robots and humans working together will allow the space projects to achieve more! Click here for more on the R2 project
