NASA Fashions Mountain-Climbing Robot

coondoggie writes "NASA researchers today said they had built and tested a robot that can rappel off cliffs, travel over steep and rocky terrain, and explore deep craters. The prototype rover, called Axel, might help future robotic spacecraft better explore and investigate foreign worlds such as Mars. On Earth, Axel might assist in search-and-rescue operations in locations where people might not be able to reach. Axel can operate upside down and right side up and uses only three motors: one to control each of its two wheels and a third to control a lever. The lever contains a scoop to gather lunar or planetary material for scientists to study, and it also adjusts the robot's two stereo cameras, which can tilt 360 degrees, NASA said."

Can it setup it's own anchor?

[Zakabog]

When I read

"NASA researchers today said they had built and tested a robot that can rappel off cliffs, travel over steep and rocky terrain, and explore deep craters."

I immediately thought "How does this robot know what a good anchor is?" and after watching the video I have the second question "How does the robot get it's tether detached from the anchor?" I had to read the article and watch the video, that's not a "mountain climbing robot", it's a winch with a motor.

Re:Power Source?

[Zakabog]

"So what kind of power source is this robot likely to use?"

Since it has to use an anchor point they could just make the tether carry electric with it, collect solar power at the anchor and send it to the "climber" through the tether.

rappel?

[internerdj]

It looks like it is lowered down the cliff by a larger robot with a winch. That isn't really all that exciting, even if it can unhook itself at the bottom of the cliff, do a mission, find the rope again, and reattach itself.

Re:Power Source?

[von_rick]

You can give the robot ample AI, but make it a vegetarian. That way it'll hold the girl hostage until you send in some fresh broccoli instead of going munch, munch, munch on the damsel.

Re:Couple Makes Ultra Mobile, Ultra Agile Explorer

[AMuse]

sexconker: Have you ever seen that movie "UHF" by Wierd Al Yankovic? Remember the scene where he walks in and says "Hi, I'm the new boss!" and the secretary screams at him? "OOOOOOOoh, It's kind of HARD to be PROMOTED when EVERY WEEK you have a new boss!".

It feels a bit like being that secretary, to be working at NASA. Everyone thinks you can just "get people on mars already you assholes". Your budget is less than half of what's provided even to the federal highway administration [foofus.com] who doesn't even have to leave our comfortable atmosphere to do their jobs. Hell, our budget this year is 0.009 percent of the cost of the two "stimulus packages" for banks and mortgage companies. That budget also must be split among your multiple "missions" - Science, Exploration, Aeronautics, etc. (By the way, robots play an important part in all of the missions, and researching them is critical).

Finally, you have not one boss but 500 or so, each of whom has different priorities for you and concerns that you spend your limited budget in THEIR district (not where it might be most appropriate) and EVERY 4 (or 8) years you have a new boss with a radically different direction for the 20-year program you're supposed to be completing. By the way, they can issue a memo and, poof, it's federal law now.

Sorry for going on a tangent but it really irritates me, comments like yours. There's plenty of valid criticisms for NASA that you could be throwing together in this topic and you chose a simplistic, uninformed and insulting tantrum.

Re:Default orientation

[Samschnooks]

I would assume the direction of gravitational pull as being down.

Re:Couple Makes Ultra Mobile, Ultra Agile Explorer

[CraftyJack]

I'd just like to add that money used to 'rescue' AIG ($85B) is enough to fund NASA for five years at its current budget ($17B). They found that $85B in one weekend.