E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
NASA / JPL-Caltech
Ashitey Trebi-Olennu is one of the engineers behind the robotic arm system on NASA's Curiosity rover. He has also been a rover planner for the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, and worked on the robotic arm system for the Phoenix Mars Lander.
The robotic arm on NASA's Curiosity rover should set a new standard for robotic operations on Mars — and it could revolutionize robotics on Earth as well.
At least that's what Ashítey Trebi-Ollennu, one of the four robotic-arm system engineers on the Mars Science Laboratory team, is looking forward to. He expects the features developed for Curiosity's 7-foot-long (2.1-meter-long) robotic arm to show up on a planet near you in the form of NASA-enabled technologies, or NETs.
"Anytime I see a technology, I say to myself, 'Is this a NET?'" he told me last week.
The robotic arm cleared the last of its commissioning tests last Thursday, and is now ready for duty on Gale Crater. Just based on metrics alone, Curiosity's arm is in a class by itself: It's twice as long as the arm that was installed on the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, and is tipped with a turnable, twistable turret that weighs 30 kilograms (66 pounds), or about as much as a small child.
That turret is bristling with instruments — including an X-ray spectrometer, a fine-resolution camera, a scoop and some sifters, a dust-sweeping brush, and a percussive drill that can smash rock to bits for analysis in the rover's onboard chemistry labs. The arm is designed to press that drill against the rock with a force of 300 newtons (67 pounds), which is more of a push than a construction worker generally uses for overhead drilling on Earth.
It's a formidable machine, which has to be managed with care from a distance of 175 million miles (282 million kilometers). "You can do a lot of damage if you don't take precautions," Trebi-Ollennu said. "You could damage a camera on the mast, you could damage instruments on the turret, you could run it into the ground."
That's what he and his colleagues on the robotic-arm team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have been working to avoid: They tested all the sequences the arm is expected to run in advance, in simulations and a robotic test bed. Now the same tests have been run on the actual rover. There were no surprises on Earth, and no surprises so far on Mars, either.
NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS / Ken Kremer / Marco Di Lorenzo
Curiosity's robotic arm rises above the Martian landscape in a picture taken by the robot's navigation camera.
Earthly applications
The fact that robotic operations can be conducted so smoothly from so far away is a good sign for telerobotics on Earth, Trebi-Ollennu said. He foresees a day when a "factory in a can" could be delivered to a remote location — say, a nuclear cleanup site in Japan or an oil spill in the depths of the Gulf of Mexico — and go about its business as if humans were on the scene.
"You could have somebody several thousand miles away and operate this factory in a can remotely," Trebi-Ollennu said. "If you have a factory in the can, you can have the level of penetration that you have with cellphones today."
Another innovation comes in the form of the titanium arm's pushing power. "You want to have a running back with the power of a linebacker," said Trebi-Olennu, adapting a football-team comparision. "You want to get 300 newtons, but you want to get it in a small package."
Advantageous weight-to-power ratios come in handy for robotic applications on Earth as well as Mars. "We are trying to design systems that can 'push' above their weight, and at the same time not break," Trebi-Olennu said.
Another innovation with potential earthly applications is the rover's array of piezoelectric actuators, which use electrical impulses to shake powdered rock and soil out of its sampling containers and into its SAM and CheMin laboratories. "These have the potential of having a very big impact in the pharmaceutical industry," Trebi-Olennu said.
The technology underlying the actuators was co-developed by JPL and Cybersonics, and it's already being used in Cybersonics' CyberWand medical equipment. The CyberWand dual-action lithotripter simultaneously applies ultrasound and a "jackhammer" action to pulverize bladder stones and suck away the dust.
Global reach
Trebi-Ollennu, who was born in Ghana and trained as an engineer in Britain and the United States, says telerobotics will eventually make the world seem smaller. Specialists based at the world's best medical centers will be able to direct operations in faraway locations, and manufacturers will be able to place mobile robotic factories closer to the source of the raw materials they require.
This vision isn't the nightmare of robots from another planet invading Earth. Rather, it's the dream of humans and robots working together, using technology initially developed for another planet, to make our own world better. Someday, maybe that technology will help us settle other worlds as well.
"It's such a robust system that you can get the robot to do what the robot is good at doing, and you have the human doing what the human is good at doing," Trebi-Ollennu said. "You have a strong package."
Hat tip to the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers for facilitating last week's conversation with Trebi-Ollennu, who is a senior member of the IEEE. To learn more about the instruments on the robotic arm's turret, check out this blog post from the Planetary Society's Emily Lakdawalla.
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
Leave a Comment:
Noice. This is the power of human inovation and investment in science and education. Love the Nasa. You guys make my day.
This is how NASA spending pays back the taxpayer 310% for every dollar they spend. Every invention developed with NASA money is in the public domain.
It would nice if NASA could patent these technologies they help to develop, get licensing fees for them as other companies use them, and fund itself at a respectable and consistent level that the government seems unable to do. NASA deserves at least double or triple their funding level and we're better off today thanks to their work.
The inventions are afforded patent protection. Any U.S. company can apply for a technology transfer to use the patent/invention. NASA cannot charge money since the invention was already paid for with public funds.
NASA might be able to charge professional services for helping a company implement the invention but one of two things would happen. NASA would have to give the funds to the Treasury or if they kept them Congress would cut the budget by the amount they take in. Spending for science doesn't win a congressman votes like spending for welfare or food stamps does.
Totally cool. Just a reminder that the money we spend on space stays on earth!
This is an example of how having just a high school diploma in the future will be no good. Without more advanced education finding a job will be tough.
Maybe invest in the American education and make a normal High School diploma the equivelent to an Associate's degree?
The fact is, is that standard education should be plenty to get you through life and the world is evolving faster than the people in it.
That's a great thought, but until scientists are bigger heros than basketball players, rappers and reality stars, we cannot expect students to succeed in a better school, let alone be a better scientist or engineer.
Too True these days, Tony. Now that the Earth has been reduced to the size of Google Earth, there isn't much incentive to become the next Magellan or Albert Einstein. What weneed is an inspiring Space Exploring program. With the population and energy requirement levels these days, we are only certain to need resources that are out of this world. Even the moon hosts an abundance of resources we can utilize. How cool would it be to have a Space Explorers College that you can enroll in and take a wide variety of specialty subjects that pertain to Space Travel.
This is a real challenge. Looking at how poorly many of the big schools systems perform (L.A. and Chicago) I don't know how you can get a more comprehensive high school program to work. When I was a kid, more years ago than I care to think about, schools back east gave you a traditional education along with learning a trade in parallel. The realization was not everyone can master a Bachelor or Master program in a college or university. They also broke each grade into superior, average and needs help. We have so strayed from that I don't know how you can get back to an effective system. The state government, unions and taxpayers would all fight it even if it is in the best interest of the children and he country.
The sad part is, Joe, that you are correct. We need a huge revolution in this country to change the way people think. How we currently react towards education, the arts, and sciences, I don't see this happening. It's a sad day when the almighty $ overshadows even the most inexpensive ideals. Investment, if it doesn't have a predefined return, is thrown out without even a glimpse at the potential return. Investment in our children's education benefits no one except the children and the future of our society, and sadly thats not good enough for people. :-(
NASA at its best. And as far as education in america, make the schools All Year Round, like 10 weeks in class then 3 weeks off. So, more school time and less time for kids to become bored...
education in the current state will not get you much tech and science. Political science yes, and that is linited to Socialism.
Graduates want to push buttons, contribute in ways that sometimes do not contribute to society, but feel good. Never get hands dirty, take the easy road, and make the big bucks at the get go.
Nothing wrong with that, but not realistic for the majority of graduates, and detrimental to society in the long run.
I like the focus of the article.
Who says inspiration has to come from a similar source, Baldman. No need to be a Negative Nancy about it.
What are you talking about?
I don't want to blame athletes or singers for their successes. It's the whole attitude of almost an entire generation of young people. Many kids today are just waiting for the world to realize what geniuses they are and don't have the proper motivation to succeed. Even very talented people won't get very far if they aren't motivated to succeed. We do need an overhaul of elementary and high schools in this country.
How a 2.5 billion dollar robot on a lifeless planet became a 2.5 billion dollar waste of time.
It's not a waste of time, especially if they find Life, or the remains of life. And let us not forget that one day a very big rock will hit earth, its just a matter of time, and if we aren't better in space then we may go the same way the dinosaurs did.
Since we the people are paying for these scientists Toys, we should be seeing a Hell of a lot more pictures of mars than they are showing us. They show us a picture now and then just for the hell of it. Not enough, I want to see them all, I paid for it.
the furture of mankind is in robotics, "period". they can go where we cant, survive without food,take extream cold or heat and fix themselves. think about it, exploreing new worlds and being hooked up to your avitar, opps! i mean robot. to feel what they feel, see what they see, and "go" were they go....how friggen cool is that!! already we have technology such as brain sensors that when conected to a persons head, can move robotic arms. (just by thinking about it.) what safer way to explore the universe.... i am in agreement with some of the posters on here. we need to go to space and explore/mine to give human kind a new fronteer. to show that anything is posible and that even science fiction can not compair to what we would find out among the stars.
If the human race survives, it will be because of scientists and engineers just like the NASA/JPL people. I admire them so much. I wish I could contribute more than just taxes. I'll try to help my granddaughter do better at math and science; maybe she'll control a robot on Jupiter someday. Well done, you guys!
Scientists and enginees do not plant food, build homes or cars or aircraft, it's the lowley hourly workers or farmers, scientists and engineers are important but much less than the trades people.
@Kip
I think Mary's point is scientist and engineers push the boundary of what is possible for the farmers, steel workers, etc.
The scientists and engineers to take us to new limits and new frontiers, but they won't do much thinking and planning and designing if they are not eating.
Learn to admire all trades and all jobs. I often thank the lady that empties the trash can in my office and the lady that keeps the restrooms clean. I don't want to do it and I'm grateful there is someone that will do it.
Just a little loss of reality in these observations, This world exists because of a lot more of the trades than scientists or engineers. How many architects does it take to design a home (1) compared with the carpenters about six, plumbers 2, electricians 2, glaziers2, roofers 4, painters 2 that makes about 18 people or more so you get my point, who is going to teach and train these people? I'm sure it's not going to be a collage professor. I know an aerospace engineer making about $90,000 a year and an electrician who makes $85,000 a year, I know plumbers who make as much, so the next time you need someone to unplug your drain, go ahead and call an engineer....
That article is just awesome... I've been waiting for science to give me more than just a computer on a phone and higher mpg... I want R2D2.... looks like it is getting closer.
Kip, you have better described today than our near future. 3D printers will be building houses (on-site) within a few years--a professor at UC-Davis already has a working model. Robotics, engineering, design and software development will highly change construction and other industries. The big question I have about that is: What will all the unskilled people do?
"The big question I have about that is: What will all the unskilled people do?"
What the 47 % of the current population do....bank on free give aways, big government and Socialism....
Great, I've just been outsourced again.
Hat's off to a top engineer. I do hope he can share and teach what he knows to others. He should be proud of what he and the team have done. I only hope those in other countries can see that they too can be a spacefaring country. They need only do for themselves, the best that they can. I know that is difficult, but it is senseless and useless to worry about what others say and do, it is what you say and do that matters. In our country organizations like nasa find the best and the brightest by thinking about problems to be solved. Then they solve them. That part is the simple part. A personal thank you to the engineer at the heart of the article. Thank you.
That was a great article!!!! This is the stuff of NASA that the AMERICANS should know and realize that creates and changes technology. Now if OUR MORON politicians who should also understand and explain to the Country that EVERY PENNY IS ACCOUNTED FOR AND PUT TO POSITIVE USE. Not take from it and send it over to DEFENSE. This engineer really hit it home.
Love this article!!! It should be used as incentive for every classroom in America!
Only thing though. When the main page link said "Robot on Mars" I was hoping for Transformers :-)
Or Robot from Lost in Space.
Or R2D2.
Maybe Robby.
Can sombody explain "running back with the power of a linebacker,"?
Yes, I was surprised that a Ghana-born, London-educated engineer would use that football metaphor, but it sounds as if Dr. Trebi-Ollennu has picked up a bit of American culture from his pals at JPL. ;-)
A running back is someone who takes the handoff from the quarterback and tries to dodge defensive linemen to advance the ball quickly on the ground. That player has to be fast and maneuverable.
A linebacker is a defensive player who stays behind the line of scrimmage and aims to bring down anyone who's carrying the football and breaks through the line (for instance, a running back)
Is the robot running back?
Curiosity is running forward. However, one of Spirit's front wheels quit turning, so it was running backwards until it finally passed on. I don't remember if Opportunity is running back or not.
I know with all the political brainwashing over the past 10 yrs IQ's in the west have slipped a bit. However please try to understand. "He his coming back for his bride; without spot or wrinkle..." Ephesians 5:27 Revelation 21:1-3 -
Truly sad. Faithless & dead trying to comprehend life
When I first read the title I was intrigue to what this article could be about. As soon I saw the word Curiosity I automaticlly knew what the article would be about. The space probe Curiosity, NASA probably greatest probe they have ever built (to me.) I really like this article because Curiosity is probably the most important part of this robot. Without it couldn't do many things that will help NASA with its research.
Its arms help the robot collect rock sample from mars, and helps it move its cameras, etc. The arm is probably the most strongest part of the robot and from what I read it pretty cool and strong. This invention of the arm can help us in the future and can have many advantage's. But if our economy keeps getting worse this can be a problem. So there some advantage's and disadvantage's.