Engineers from NASA Ames Research Center and KBR have collaborated to develop a robot system that has the ability to autonomously construct structures using specially designed lattice blocks. This innovative system, described in a paper published in the journal Science Robotics, could potentially be used to build shelters for future human missions to the moon and other planets.
The team behind the project believes that sending robots ahead of human arrivals to build structures is a practical solution to the challenge of providing shelter in extraterrestrial environments. The robotic system consists of three robots, two of which are responsible for transporting the lattice blocks, while the third robot connects the blocks together.
The lattice blocks are hollow and feature edges similar to coat hanger wires. Both transport robots have the capability to pick up the blocks from a designated area and carry them to the construction site. In addition to carrying and placing blocks, the transport robots are also able to pass blocks to one another. The blocks themselves are interconnected using twist connectors that resemble those found in ready-to-assemble furniture.
Working in harmony, the three robots collaborate to construct a predefined structure developed by the research team. In the future, it is conceivable that astronauts themselves could design the structures to be built. The team has already tested the system by successfully constructing several structures. One notable achievement was the construction of a shelter using 256 blocks, a process that took the system 4.2 continuous days.
Looking ahead, the team envisions a similar system being sent to the moon or other distant locations to pre-build structures, towers, and other facilities in advance of human expeditions. While the current system requires astronauts to apply a covering to the outer blocks manually, automation of this final step is a possibility.
The development of this robot system represents a significant advancement in the field of autonomous construction and opens up new possibilities for human exploration beyond Earth. By utilizing robots to build structures in advance, crucial time and resources can be saved, ultimately facilitating future space missions and human colonization efforts. Further research and development will undoubtedly focus on improving the speed, efficiency, and overall capabilities of these robotic builders.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
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