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The document discusses various bio-inspired robots that could enable future space exploration, including robots inspired by geckos, bees, fleas, octopuses, starfish, and jellyfish. It also describes soft, origami-inspired robots like NASA's Puffer robot that could navigate challenging terrain. The document concludes by discussing algorithms like SLAM that allow robots to autonomously map and navigate unknown environments, which will be crucial for space robots to explore planetary surfaces.

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21 views4 pages

Research

The document discusses various bio-inspired robots that could enable future space exploration, including robots inspired by geckos, bees, fleas, octopuses, starfish, and jellyfish. It also describes soft, origami-inspired robots like NASA's Puffer robot that could navigate challenging terrain. The document concludes by discussing algorithms like SLAM that allow robots to autonomously map and navigate unknown environments, which will be crucial for space robots to explore planetary surfaces.

Uploaded by

Nandini
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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RESEARCH TOPICS, BRIEFING

BIO-INSPIRED ROBOTS IN SPACE EXPLORATION:-


1. Gecko Gripper Technology (NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory – JPL): NASA’s JPL
developed a gripping technology called “Gecko Gripper” inspired by the adhesive properties of
gecko feet. The gripper uses synthetic materials with microstructures that mimic the hierarchical
adhesive structures found on gecko toes. The technology allows robots to cling to surfaces
without the need for traditional adhesives or mechanical grips. Gecko-inspired grippers have
been tested in space-like conditions and could be used in future space missions to anchor robots
on spacecraft exteriors, asteroid surfaces, or other challenging terrains.

2. RoboBees (Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory):

The RoboBees project at Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory seeks to develop small, flying robots inspired
by the flight capabilities of bees and other insects. These tiny robots, known as “RoboBees,” are
designed to mimic the wing-flapping mechanisms and aerodynamics of insects, enabling them to hover,
fly, and perch on surfaces. RoboBees have the potential for applications in swarm exploration and
mapping of distant planets or for monitoring environmental conditions in space.

3. Jumping Robot (NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory – JPL):


NASA’s JPL developed a jumping robot inspired by the jumping ability of fleas. The robot, known as
“LEMUR” (Limbed Excursion Mechanical Utility Robot), is equipped with four articulated limbs and
gecko-inspired adhesive feet for gripping surfaces. LEMUR has demonstrated its ability to traverse
vertical and challenging terrain, making it suitable for exploration missions on rocky planetary surfaces or
asteroids.

4. Soft Robots for Exploration (Various Research Institutions):


Several research institutions are exploring the use of soft robotics for space exploration. Soft robots are
made from flexible and compliant materials, allowing them to deform and adapt to different
environments. These robots can be used for tasks like surface mobility, sample collection, and
manipulation without causing damage to delicate structures. Soft robots have the potential to play a
significant role in future space missions that require versatile and adaptable robotic systems.

NASA’S PUFFER (POP-UP FLAT FOLDING EXPLORER ROBOT):


PUFFER is a soft, origami-inspired robot developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It features
a deformable body that can fold and unfold, allowing it to navigate challenging terrain. PUFFER was
designed to be compact and lightweight for easy deployment and can explore areas that are difficult to
access by traditional rigid robots. Its flexibility and small size make it ideal for scouting and
reconnaissance missions in tight spaces, such as caves, crevices, or the interior of spacecraft or asteroids.

ROBOTIC “TENTACLE” ARM (HARVARD UNIVERSITY):


Harvard researchers have developed a soft robotic arm inspired by the movements of octopus tentacles.
The arm is composed of flexible materials and is equipped with embedded sensors to detect its
environment and adapt its shape accordingly. This type of soft robotic arm is well-suited for space
exploration tasks that require delicate manipulation and interaction with various objects, as it can
conform to different shapes without causing damage.

STARFISH-INSPIRED ROBOT (UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO):


Researchers at the University of Tokyo developed a starfish-inspired robot that can move and crawl using
inflatable chambers. The robot’s body is made of soft materials, and its movement is achieved by
selectively inflating and deflating the chambers. Such soft robots could be useful for planetary surface
exploration, as they can traverse rough and uneven terrain while minimizing the risk of damaging
delicate equipment or scientific instruments.

JELLYFISH ROBOT (STANFORD UNIVERSITY):


Researchers at Stanford University created a jellyfish-inspired robot that uses a combination of soft and
rigid materials to mimic the swimming motions of jellyfish. The robot can generate thrust and control its
movement in water, making it suitable for underwater exploration missions, which are of interest for the
study of potential subsurface oceans on moons like Europa and Enceladus.

BIOROBOTS (NASA AMES RESEARCH CENTER):


NASA Ames Research Center is exploring the use of soft, inflatable robots, also known as “BioRobots,” for
planetary exploration. These robots are designed to be inflated upon arrival at their destination, using
pressurized gas or even locally available resources, such as atmospheric gases or stored gas cartridges.
By using inflatable structures, these robots can be lightweight during transport and expand to larger sizes
for improved mobility and functionality after deployment.

MICROMOUSE:
Micromouse is a robotics competition that involves building completely autonomous robots capable of
navigating through a maze. The goal of the competition is for the robot to find the shortest path from a
designated starting point to the center of the maze as quickly as possible.The robot may use wheels or
tracks for movement and is equipped with sensors, such as infrared or ultrasonic sensors, to detect walls
and obstacles.Teams typically pre-program the robot or use algorithms that allow the robot to make real-
time decisions based on sensor inputs.
The success of a micromouse largely depends on the efficiency of the algorithm used for maze
exploration and pathfinding. Various algorithms, such as flood-fill, A*, Dijkstra's, or other heuristic
approaches, can be employed to optimize the robot’s path and minimize the time taken to reach the
center.

FLOOD-FILL ALGORITHM:

(Doesn’t find the shortest path)

The flood-fill algorithm is a simple technique used to explore and identify connected regions in a grid or
a 2D array. The algorithm starts at a specific point (usually the starting position) and recursively visits
neighboring cells, marking them as visited. It continues until all reachable cells are explored, creating a
filled region or finding the target location.

A* ALGORITHM:

It guarantees the shortest path by using a heuristic to estimate the cost from the current position to the
goal.

Working:

The algorithm maintains two lists: an open list and a closed list. The open list contains the nodes to be
evaluated, and the closed list contains nodes that have already been evaluated. A* uses a combination of
the actual cost to reach a node (the path cost from the starting point) and a heuristic function (the
estimated cost from that node to the goal) to prioritize which nodes to evaluate next. The heuristic
function is usually an admissible and consistent heuristic to ensure optimal results

DIJKSTRA’S ALGORITHM:-

Dijkstra’s algorithm maintains a list of unexplored nodes and their tentative distances from the starting
node. It iteratively selects the node with the smallest tentative distance, explores its neighbors, and
updates their tentative distances if a shorter path is found. This process continues until the target node is
reached, and the shortest path is determined.

Most efficient:- A*

The same concept can be further incorporated into SPACE ROBOTICS for
Autonomous navigation and path planning.
SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping): SLAM algorithms, often powered
by ML techniques, allow robots to build maps of their surroundings while simultaneously localizing
themselves within those maps. SLAM is crucial for space robots to explore unknown environments and
create detailed maps for future missions.There are several types of SLAM algorithms, but two main
categories are EKF-based (Extended Kalman Filter) SLAM and Graph-based SLAM.

1.EKF-based SLAM:

Extended Kalman Filter-based SLAM is one of the earliest and most widely used SLAM methods. It
applies the principles of the Kalman Filter, a recursive mathematical algorithm that estimates the state of
a system based on noisy sensor measurements. In EKF-based SLAM, the robot’s position and map
features (such as landmarks or key points) are represented as probability distributions.

The SLAM process Involves two main steps:

1.Prediction: The robot’s motion model predicts its future position based on control inputs (e.g., wheel
encoder readings).

2.Update: When the robot observes new landmarks or features through sensors like cameras or LIDAR, it
updates its position estimate and the map using the sensor data.

EKF-based SLAM works well in small environments with few landmarks, but it may face challenges in
larger or more complex environments due to linearization errors and the need to maintain accurate
covariance estimates

Graph-based SLAM: Graph-based SLAM represents the environment as a graph, where nodes correspond
to robot poses (positions) and landmarks, and edges represent the constraints or measurements
between these nodes. The goal is to optimize the graph to find the most likely positions of the robot and
landmarks that best explain the observed data.

Graph-based SLAM can be categorized into two types:

• Online SLAM: The graph is optimized as new sensor measurements arrive, and the robot’s position and
map are updated in real-time.

• Offline SLAM: All sensor data is collected, and the graph optimization is performed after the fact to
generate a consistent and globally optimal map and robot trajectory.

Graph-based SLAM algorithms, such as Least Squares SLAM (LS-SLAM) and Pose Graph Optimization, are
capable of handling larger and more complex environments. They generally provide more accurate
results and are less prone to issues like linearization errors compared to EKF-based SLAM.

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