A team at a NASA lab in California is testing a unique robotic snake called EELS, which could one day be used to look for signs of life on a distant moon. The robot is designed to be autonomous and can navigate a variety of terrains, including ice, snow, and water. Learn all about NASA’s new test here!
What is the new snake-like robot?
The new snake-like robot was created by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is called EELS (Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor). This new robot will be sent into space to examine Saturn’s moon called Enceladus.
According to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory “Called EELS (short for Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor), the self-propelled, self-propelled robot was inspired by a desire to search for signs of life in the ocean hidden under the icy crust of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. by descending into narrow slits in the surface spewing geysers into space.”
The robot is built with the spirit of a startup company “Build fast, test often, learn, adapt, iterate.”
What are the characteristics of snake-like robots?
According to the Laboratory, EELS “It weighs about 220 pounds (100 kg) and is 13 feet (4 meters) long. It consists of 10 identical segments that rotate, using threads for drive, traction and grip.”
The first version of the robot was built in 2019, and the project team is continuously upgrading its capabilities so that it can work independently without any human interaction.
The prototype consists of 10 identical segments. Each segment can rotate independently allowing the robot to move through different types of terrain. The robot uses screw threads to push itself forward, create traction, and grip different surfaces.
JPL states that “The team tried a variety of screws: a white 8-inch (20 cm) 3D-printed plastic screw for testing on looser terrain, and a narrower, sharper black metal screw for ice.”
What are the capabilities of EELS?
EELS are trained to operate on all possible terrain. The robot has the ability to move and grip on uneven terrain where it is inaccessible.
EELS project manager Matthew Robinson said “It has the ability to go places other robots can’t. While some robots are better at a particular type of terrain, the idea behind EELS is the ability to do it all.”
He added, “When you get to places where you don’t know what you’ll find, you want to send a robot that is flexible, risk-aware, ready for uncertainty — and able to make its own decisions.”
EELS is essentially training to be a self-aware robot that can sense its surroundings, calculate risks, navigate, and collect data. If something goes wrong, the robot’s adaptability will help it recover on its own without human assistance.
The article said that “EELS creates a 3D map of its surroundings using four pairs of stereo cameras and lidar, similar to radar but using short laser pulses instead of radio waves. With data from these sensors, navigation algorithms discover the safest path forward.”
The company says that in the final form, “The robot will have 48 actuators—basically small motors—that give the robot the flexibility to perform a variety of configurations, but add complexity to both the hardware and software team.”
Categories: Trends
Source: newstars.edu.vn