While the Mars Exploration Rovers and other robots have been successfully sent into space, they typically operate based on pre-programmed agendas that require human scientists and engineers to input detailed instructions regarding where to go and what to do prior to the robots’ arrival at the planet. As a result, when the robot encounters unexpected scenarios or discovers interesting measurements, it has limited capabilities to adapt its plan. This can hinder how robots and rovers navigate new environments or even cause them to miss scientific opportunities.
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“We will conduct this research in two key planetary analog sites that present well-defined gradients in soil types from crusty sand at White Sands Dune Field, New Mexico to icy rock mixtures at Mt. Hood, Oregon,” Ewing explained. “Our objective is to integrate high-mobility legged robots with embedded terrain-sensing technologies and cognitive human decision models to study the geotechnical properties of these soils.”
The project employs “bio-inspired” robots with legs, meaning their form is modeled after animals’ unique abilities to move well on challenging surfaces like soft sand. Utilizing the latest “direct-drive” actuator technology, these robots can “feel” the terrain (e.g., sand softness and rock shapes) through their legs. This ability allows the legged robots to interact with the environment in the same manner as animals, adjusting their movement as needed.
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“We’ll be working to determine how the friction and erodibility of different soils is affected by surface crusts, rock-covered soils and ice content,” Ewing explained. “We will deploy the direct-drive legged robots to map soil strength at two sites that are like landscapes on the Moon, Mars and other worlds. We will simultaneously measure environmental parameters that control soil strength, including particle size and shape, soil moisture, chemical composition and ice content.”
