NASA & Boston Dynamics Are Training Robots To Explore Mars’ Caves On Their Own
Image via NASA / JPL-Caltech
As scientists continue their search for signs of life on other planets, caves could be a key place to look. However, it’s not yet feasible to send a team of astronauts to explore such caves in our solar system.
As a solution, NASA and Boston Dynamics are planning to use fully autonomous robots to do the work instead.
NASA’s new project, named ‘BRAILLE’, will involve training robots to explore Mars-like caves that exist on Earth, so as to develop the technology to eventually explore caves on other planets. It’s recently been revealed that the initiative has come up with the first-ever fully autonomous robotic exploration of the caves, which are said to be up to a mile long.
As the robots explore the intricate caves, with no prior information about the environment, a team of researchers situated outside the cave will simultaneously perform actions that would be executed during a real mission to Mars. The AI robot brain, ‘NeBula’, enables the robots to process information and make decisions even when they’re not in contact with scientists.
Project Lead Ali Agha told CBS News that the project could “fundamentally change how we think about future missions.”
“Particularly, robots can be sent in precursor missions to provide more information about the destination before humans land on those destinations. In addition, robots can accompany astronauts during the missions to help with scouting certain terrains or with logistics and many tasks that can make astronauts’ missions safer and more efficient,” Agha added.
Currently, Boston Dynamics’ Spot, which has made the news countless of times, has proven to be a viable “body” for the NeBula AI.
Agha explained that “Spot is one of the most capable robots that we have and it is amazing to see how it successfully reacts to high-level decisions and commands coming from the robot brain and how it can maintain stability over rough and extreme terrains.”
Take a look at how Spot is trained to explore Earth’s caves, and who knows, it may eventually make it to caves on Mars, too.
[via CBS News, cover image via NASA / JPL-Caltech]
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