NASA builds Kinect controlled, six legged, huge space vehicle

NASA tries out all modern technological advancements for boundless space explorations. The premier space agency has now created a massive six-legged, 12 eyed dancing robot that can be totally controlled using either a Microsoft Xbox Kinect or Nintendo Wii. NASA scientists can now control the enormous robot standing in front of a 270-degree wraparound screen. Well, some gestures in the control room can propel the huge robot, called the All-Terrain-Hex-Limbed-Extra-Terrestrial-Explorer or ATHLETE in an outer planet.

All-Terrain-Hex-Limbed-Extra-Terrestrial-Explorer

ATHLETE is a huge space vehicle that it is mounted to the corners of a hexagonal ring, which is 2.75m (9ft) wide. It is 13-feet taller and has a whopping 357 stone (5,000lbs) weight. The space vehicle can carry a load of over 2,285 stone (32,000lbs). More stunningly, it can walk, climb and dance in rough terrains of Mars, moon or even asteroids. NASA has presented ATHLETE as a special exploration vehicle that has the ability to explore asteroids.

ATHLETE features six enormous legs with wheels that make it capable of running on any surface including rocky terrains. Six long and gigantic legs help the vehicle climb any rocky areas and surfaces. The ATHLETE will be a multi-tasker that should do many activities like dripping, scooping, capturing high clarity images and videos and send them to the earth. The same motors that turn the wheels power the drilling and scooping capabilities of the hexagon space explorer.

It is not for the first time that Kinect or Wii is used as remote controlling units in big projects, in robots and others. With little to no effort, scientists will be able to control the ATHLETE space vehicle by just stepping into a control unit with a 270- degree wraparound screen.

Apart from just controlling ATHLETE, scientists can watch the entire movements of the space vehicle sitting in the control room. Scientists can instantly surf the images and video clips that the vehicle sends across. However, NASA hasn’t made it clear for which mission it will first deploy the ATHLETE. Indeed, it will help NASA in its big space exploration missions in future.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of California Institute of Technology is developing ATHLETE under a NASA contract as part of the Human-Robot System (HRS) Project, which is headed by Robert Ambrose of the Johnson Space Center (JSC).

Via: News.com/Athlete