New Mars Forums

Tom Kalbfus

Banned

Registered: 2006-08-16

Posts: 4,401

Giant robots on Mars!

The top one is the real robot built in South Korea, the bottom picture is the robot depicted in Avatar. Now I was thinking, if these robots were used in the Movie Avatar, what about using robots like these on Mars, or maybe someday Venus or Titan? The larger the robot on Venus the easier it is to keep cool, or warm as in the case of Titan. On Mars, one of these walking robots could replace a rover.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,431

Re: Giant robots on Mars!

Can we say also from sigourney weaver alien robot

Power assist suits might be the way to go rather than sending heavy equipment

Mars rated robotics would be to leverage from existing rovers that exist on mars today taking the best features to make a base line product for cheaper construction costs. Make minimal add on adaptations possible and send lots of them to many more places to nail down the questions that man needs answered.

Life on mars, is the slow yes and then no, followed by maybe and then no, followed by ya we were wrong by maybe not only to finally say yes to earth not being the only life birth cradle.

Telerobotic not needed until man can go as the delay time will not work out very well as cost risk is to great.

Tom Kalbfus

Banned

Registered: 2006-08-16

Posts: 4,401

Re: Giant robots on Mars!

The advantage of the robot is you can scratch your nose, and if you sneeze on your face plate, you aren't stuck looking at your snot for the rest of the EVA, within the robot you can wipe it off the windshield. Also you can handle tools more easily with a robot actuated hand than with your own hand within a pressurized space suited glove. You can definitely have longer EVAs and bring back more samples with larger rocks.

kbd512

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Registered: 2015-01-02

Posts: 7,856

Re: Giant robots on Mars!

I can see how anthropomorphic tele-robotically-operated vehicles (ATRV's) would be useful for colonization.  If the robot had dextrous human-like motion, it could be useful for drilling operations where handling of heavy piping for water and mineral mining would typically require cranes and other heavy earth moving equipment.  An operator could roll or use mechanical leverage to move construction materials into position.  Purpose-built equipment would be better, but ATRV's could perform a wide range of tasks that would typically involve multiple pieces of heavy equipment.  Techniques for movement of materials and equipment would clearly differ from standard construction practices, but most operations not involving extraordinarily heavy equipment and materials could be accomplished with a 2.5t ATRV, even if it wasn't the most efficient solution possible for a specific operation.  It's a general purpose solution that requires quite a bit of design and development work.

In order for your concept to work well, you really need fuel cells for power and an established base of operations.  Still, it's an interesting concept for construction.  Imagine how much quicker pipe could be fed into wells if an ATRV could simply pick up a section of heavy pipe and place it in the ground like a human picking up a piece of PVC piping.  You'd need oversized shovels, picks, hammers, and cutting tools.  A plasma torch, shop air (for compressed CO2 powered tools), and a bit driver kit are probably implements, too.

This is not a light piece of equipment and requires some maintenance support infrastructure.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,431

Re: Giant robots on Mars!

Paralyzed man able to walk with mind-controlled exoskeleton suit

A paralyzed man was able to walk using a mind-controlled robotic suit, French researchers report. The 30-year-old man, identified only as Thibault, moved all four of his paralyzed limbs using an exoskeleton controlled by his brain. The suit is controlled by two implants that were surgically placed on the surface of Thibault's brain. The implants cover parts of the brain that control movement and 64 electrodes from each implant read the brain activity.

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,431

Re: Giant robots on Mars!

bump robot, robotics and hand

For SpaceNut re #213

First ... thanks for taking up this question!

Under your guidance, the forum seems (to me at least) to be moving slowly but persistently toward a more practical culture.

While the "blue sky" imagination that has been the culture here for many years must (and surely will) continue, I think there is room for a set of members who are young enough to imagine themselves participating in the Mars adventure, and therefore keenly interested in practical knowledge and insight that they (and their collaborators) will need to bring to bear.

Please continue thinking about how you might like to introduce robotics as a practice into the deliberations of the forum

The mechanism I am looking for already exists in the form of multi-thousand dollar robots used in industry, and in medical practice.

What is needed (from my perspective and perhaps others who are readers of this forum) is a way to collect (and then find) information specific to the design and construction of inexpensive (ie, 3D printed) robotic systems for home or small business use.

The specific item I am currently looking for is a mechanism that can mimic the movement of the operator's hand (ie, up/down, side/side, rotate) so that a remote (a meter away or so) actuator is able to perform the pointing operations that the hand would perform.

An example of the application of such a system is sealed environments where toxic gases are needed for working with materials.

The classic solution is the use of a set of rubber gloves that open to the outside and reach into the sealed work area.

The solution I am looking for is adaptable for teleoperation.  If a solution can be found that is affordable for an individual or small business, then that individual or small business can provide services to customers via high speed Internet.

Medical Doctors have been able to perform precision surgery remotely for some years.  The equipment to support those operations is affordable by nation states and a few very large organizations.

I am looking for comparable capabilities that are affordable for individuals or small businesses constrained by budgets.

(th)

Iss topic Canadian arm and dexter

http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 10#p105910
http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 68#p106268
http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 85#p124085
http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 45#p124145

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,405

Re: Giant robots on Mars!

For SpaceNut re restoration of topic from 2017

This topic looks fine for discussion of robot systems for teleoperation.  kbd512 wrote above in support of teleoperation.

I'm looking for opportunities to greatly extend human use of similar capabilities on Earth, as a logical follow on to the Covid pandemic, and the exposed weakness of manufacturing processes requiring humans working in close proximity.

All of those operations will ultimately be carried out by robots, but there is an opportunity for job creators to give humans employment as remote operators of teleoperation machinery.

An example that comes to mind is home cleaning.  I live in a neighborhood with a wide variety of incomes, so I am able to see neighbors provide employment for folks who come in to clean the home.  These folks (I observe) wear backpack vacuums and carry all sorts of needed equipment to perform their duties.

That activity could most certainly be carried out by teleoperation, and it would meet the ongoing needs of wealthy folks while providing employment for folks who need employment and are willing to serve others.

(th)

edit added image:

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-08-16 10:14:56)

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,431

Re: Giant robots on Mars!

We need to be careful in what we are calling robotic, telerobotic and automated complex machines.

I would class the mars roves in the automated complex machines as its programming that is sent to make it perform functions not in real time.

Also automated devices that can only perform a single function without interaction of programming is a machine.

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,405

Re: Giant robots on Mars!

For SpaceNut .... Giant robots on Mars is the topic title ....

The link below shows a kit offered by Vex Robotics that is (apparently) available at Target stores.

https://www.target.com/p/hexbug-vex-mot … A-79807685

The control system is rudimentary, but conceivably it might be adaptable for precision use.

The clamping jaws might be strong enough to hold a tool, and in any case, the grips can be supplemented by rubber bands.

If you want to learn how to build giant robots, it would make sense to start with tiny ones.

I am thinking of mounting a webcam on one of these, to permit teleoperation.

The tool to be mounted would be a cutting tool, and the application is shaping material in a restricted location.

It would be quite remarkable if this inexpensive plastic system could perform the same tasks as a $3000 commercial unit.

Edit#1: This little device does not have wrist rotation, which is a requirement for the tool holder application I have in mind.

A kit costing $109 (USD) appears to be equipped with wrist rotation, as well as jaw clamp, elevation of the head, and rotation at the base.

I'm thinking of trying a simple stepper motor with a push button control.  It appears there are several pulse generators on the market.

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-08-17 07:38:43)

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,431

Re: Giant robots on Mars!

other example of a computerized machine

Nice robotic automated crop unit

https://www.openrobotics.org/interns

https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/c … n-medicine

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,431

Re: Giant robots on Mars!

How about a rover that walks
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/features/ … heir-dust/

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,431

Re: Giant robots on Mars!

The article at the link below reports on advances in development of exoskeleton systems for humans to use on Earth.

Science Fiction has been painting pictures of this technology for years.  This system appears to be close to ready for market.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/utah-company … 00445.html

(th)

Lots have from development for the less able in cutting edge sensors and processing for movement...