Russian scientists are finishing work on the creation of the first domestic robot assistant for work on the International Space Station.
The anthropomorphic robotic system "Andronaut" was presented in the framework of the XI International Scientific and Practical Conference "Manned Space Flights", which opened on November 10 at the Cosmonaut Training Center. Yu. A. Gagarin in Star City.
The robot was named "Andronaut". His height is 1 m 90 cm, he is broad-shouldered - a handsome man ("Man"! Feminists are already moaning). Its peculiarity is that it is anthropomorphic, that is, in its structure, structure resembles a person. And this is its great advantage.
Developers: specialists from the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and the branch institute of FSUE TsNIIMash, as well as cosmonauts from Roskosmos.
“The appearance of an assistant robot on the ISS, on the one hand, will relieve the cosmonaut's activities, and on the other, may complicate the system, since a new participant will appear between the“professional environment”and the cosmonaut - an assistant robot. Therefore, in this area, additional ergonomic research is very important and necessary, which will allow obtaining additional knowledge in the field of studying the system of interaction between a robot and a person,”said Igor Sokhin, project manager at the CPC, deputy head of the scientific department of the CPC.
"Andronaut" belongs to the last category of robotic systems, it can be remotely controlled by an operator. For example, a crew member from a sealed compartment on a lunar base, dressed in a special suit (exoskeleton), will be able to control a robot located at a great distance on the lunar surface.
The robot will perform mechanical repetitive work during experiments, for example, provide the astronaut with tools.
The robot can also be controlled from the ground by a Mission Control Center operator. In automatic mode, the assistant robot must provide assistance to the crew in performing various flight operations, for example, provide the astronaut with the necessary instrument. "Andronaut", equipped with a multimodal interface, is also capable of providing information support: an operator can ask a question and get an answer to it using a voice message or read a multimedia text on a tablet. In addition to the information "hint", the issue of providing the "Andronaut" with psychological support for the crew members is being worked out.
Now the ISS is used as an experimental platform, the latest technologies are being tested, in particular, robotic ones.
For example, the Canadian robotic complex "Kanadarm" installed on the ISS "works" on the transfer of large structures.
Cargo Arrow (GST) is a cargo crane for moving cargo and astronauts along the outer surface of the station. Used at the Soviet / Russian Mir station and used in the Russian segment of the ISS.
Two taps. Both were installed on the Pirs module. The first was delivered during the flight STS-96, the second - STS-101. Then, in view of the imminent end of the Pirs service life, the cranes were moved to the surface of the Poisk and Zarya modules (in 2012).
The European manipulator ERA has acquired a new place - the multifunctional laboratory module "Science", created by the Khrunichev State Research and Production Center on the basis of the backup module FGB-2. The base attachment points and the manipulator control device will be placed on it.
It is a pity that he is still on Earth (because of the Columbia disaster, plans have changed).
Robonaut 2 is a humanoid robot developed by NASA and General Motors. It is a legless humanoid figure, whose head is painted with gold paint, and the torso is white. The robonaut has five fingers on his hands with joints similar to human ones. The machine can write, grip and fold objects, hold heavy things, for example, a 9 kg dumbbell. The robot does not yet have the lower half of the body. The R2 helmet has four video cameras, thanks to which the robot not only orientates itself in space, but also transmits signals from them to the dispatchers' monitors. There is also an infrared camera in the helmet. The total number of sensors and sensors is more than 350. The robot's neck has three degrees of freedom, and each arm, whose span is 244 cm, has seven. The device's brushes have 12 degrees of freedom. Each finger can withstand a load of up to 2, 3 kg. In the "belly" of the robot is a computing center, which includes 38 PowerPC processors. Structurally, the robot is made mainly of aluminum and steel. The Robonaut 2 weighs 150 kg and is 1 m tall. A backpack with an energy system is placed on the robot's back.
Robonaut-2 left for the ISS on February 24, 2011 aboard the STS-133 shuttle Discovery and will operate at the station on a permanent basis.
The purpose of launching the robot is to test its functioning in zero gravity conditions, to study the effect of cosmic and electromagnetic radiation on its operation.
On April 14, 2014, the legs for the robonaut are to be sent by the American Space Agency (NASA). It is interesting that after the legs are connected to the humonoid robot, its total height will be 2.7 meters. Each robot leg has seven joints.
But so far, according to my information, this (delivery of the lower extremities) has not happened.
A bit from the history of Russian space robots
Lappa is a large mechanical manipulator used during the assembly of the Soviet orbital station Mir. The manipulator was attached directly to the assembled modules of the station. Each of the modules "Kvant-2", "Crystal", "Spectrum" and "Nature" was equipped with one copy of the blooper.
The manipulator was also used to reposition the station modules, allowing them to be rotated 90 °.
SAR-401 from NPO Android Technology.
The principle of avatar control: it repeats the movements of a human operator, dressed in a special suit (in the case of SAR-401, a copying type master device UKT-3 is used).
Since 2013, various control scenarios have been worked out in terrestrial conditions: from the ISS and an emergency scenario for controlling the robot from the ground. It's a pity, but this is still a non-flying option.
Related video: Top 5 Humanoid Robots of 2015.
Materials, photos and videos used:
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