IO9 is reporting that Robonaut 2, aboard the ISS since February, has been given commands to start a limited power up sequence. Robonaut won't be moving its various appendages until September 1, when the droid will finally be commanded to move its fingers, hands, and arms.
R2 is currently designed to stay inside the space station at all times and since the legs have not been sent up yet, it must remain docked to a permanent pedestal. When both parts are mated, R2 "may" join crew members on space walks. (ummm yeah, read the article, that's what it says! I was of the opinion that this thing was supposed to free up crew and DO space walks...and the only thing it can do is stay inside?! WTF?! Anyone else feeling gypped? All that hype and they have an expensive doll wo ho) a pair of legs are currently being designed and should be launched in 2013.
Right now I am a whole lot unimpressed....oh, it DOES tweet real nice though....
R2 is currently designed to stay inside the space station at all times and since the legs have not been sent up yet, it must remain docked to a permanent pedestal. When both parts are mated, R2 "may" join crew members on space walks. (ummm yeah, read the article, that's what it says! I was of the opinion that this thing was supposed to free up crew and DO space walks...and the only thing it can do is stay inside?! WTF?! Anyone else feeling gypped? All that hype and they have an expensive doll wo ho) a pair of legs are currently being designed and should be launched in 2013.
Right now I am a whole lot unimpressed....oh, it DOES tweet real nice though....
3 comments:
Ummm... It's NASA/Govt... The idea is to spend money like a drunk stripper... They're in the business of not being in business.
It sure looks that way don't it. NASA spent all that time touting what a great addition to the ISS staff it would be. It would have telepresence among other features that would make EVAs less dangerous just by the fact that it would be out there doing the hard stuff... So what do they really have? A toy that takes up space with a remote chance (when it even GETS legs)of ever going EVA. Smoke and thunder signifying nothing.
That photo kinda makes it look like the robot is performing Shakespeare, doesn't it?
And now you've gone and planted another idea in my head ... robots in sci-fi have traditionally been presented as "cheap labor", able to do stuff that is too tedious or dangerous for humans. But what if robots, being so costly to develop and produce, end up being coddled in cushy jobs while cheaper, more expendable humans get the grunt work?
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