Showing posts with label Lunar Robots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lunar Robots. Show all posts

Saturday, September 4, 2010

To The Moon - well send in the Avatar - the robots - the game simulation

Since we don't seem to be in any hurry to send humans back to the Moon for real, I have been spending my time in my own dreams of human like robots that can think and are intelligent.
- LRK -

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http://www.amazon.com/Artificial-Life-Overview-Christopher-Langton/dp/0262121891
Artificial Life: An Overview [Hardcover]
Christopher G. Langton (Editor)

Product Description
Artificial life, a field that seeks to increase the role of synthesis in the study of biological phenomena, has great potential, both for unlocking the secrets of life and for raising a host of disturbing issues -- scientific and technical as well as philosophical and ethical. This book brings together a series of overview articles that appeared in the first three issues of the groundbreaking journal Artificial Life, along with a new introduction by Christopher Langton, Editor-in-Chief of Artificial Life, founder of the discipline, and Director of the Artificial Life Program at the Santa Fe Institute.

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You may have watched the movie AVATAR (2009) and wondered what it would be like to be able to put yourself into an immersion chamber and experience what a synthetic life form would experience.  Could we do the same for sending a NON Human to the Moon, since sending Human Humans seems to be questionable?
- LRK -

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http://www.fandango.com/avatar2009_103067/movieoverview
 Avatar (2009)
 Opened December 18, 2009 | Runtime:2 hr. 30 min.

AVATAR takes us to a spectacular world beyond imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on an epic adventure, ultimately fighting to save the alien world he has learned to call home. James Cameron, the Oscar-winning director of “Titanic,” first  conceived the film 15 years ago, when the means to realize his vision did not exist yet. Now, after four years of production, AVATAR, a live action film with a new generation of special effects, delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film disappears into the emotion of the characters and the sweep of the story.

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It looks like we will have to rely on satellite lunar orbiters to show us the Moon and hopefully at least some rovers on the lunar surface to begin to let us know more about our  nearest neighbor in space. Sending real live, thinking intelligent explorers there seems to be a long way off and I don't have that much time to wait.  I hope our Congress makes up its mind soon as to how we will proceed.  In the mean time I guess we will be at the mercy of simulations.
- LRK -

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http://www.moonbasealphagame.com/
Do you have what it takes ...

In ‘Moonbase Alpha’, players will step into the role of an exploration team member and will be immersed in a futuristic 3D lunar settlement. Their mission is to restore critical systems and oxygen flow after a nearby meteor strike cripples a solar array and life support equipment. Available resources include an interactive command center, a lunar rover, mobile robotic repair units and a fully stocked equipment shed.

This 'First Person Explorer' serious game includes both a single player capability and LAN or internet multiplayer gameplay for up to six active players on a team. Selectable maps will be available for specific player numbers (e.g., 2 player map, 4 player map, etc.). Each of these maps is represented and tracked individually within the game’s leader boards.

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http://store.steampowered.com/app/39000/
http://www.gamingbits.com/general-gaming-news-bits/nasas-moonbase-alpha-game-launches-on-steam-today-gameplay-preview/

A Popular Mechanics review of the program is not too supportive.
- LRK -

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http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/video-games/why-nasas-new-video-game-completely-misses-the-point
Why NASA's New Video Game Completely Misses the Point
August 3, 2010 3:30 PM

There is a scene in last year's first-person shooter, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,  that puts you in the pressurized boots of an astronaut. While hitched to the outside of the International Space Station, you're asked by mission control to provide visual confirmation of an ICBM arcing through low Earth orbit. The sequence ends as abruptly as it begins, with the station blown to pieces, and you, the astronaut, sent tumbling into space. It's a bizarre and thrilling minute of doomed gameplay.

If only NASA's own astronaut simulator, Moonbase Alpha, was so brutish and short. Distributed for free online (via the Steam network) and developed in partnership with America's Army, the PC game is set on a lunar outpost in 2025. After a meteor strike disables the expedition's life-support systems, one or more players set out with tools, robots and rovers to get oxygen flowing again. It's a race against the clock—25 minutes, to be precise.

It's also excruciatingly boring, not to mention ill-timed. This past April, after hearing the recommendations of an independent panel on the future of human spaceflight, the Obama administration pulled the plug on a new manned mission to the moon. "We've been there before. Buzz has been there before," President Obama said during a speech on April 15 at the John F. Kennedy Center in Florida, referring to Buzz Aldrin, who attended the event. "There's a lot more of space to explore, and a lot more to learn when we do."

What Obama didn't mention was that Aldrin was one of the most vocal critics of NASA's return trip to the moon, advising instead a robot-only lunar presence for the United States, while concentrating on manned expeditions to Mars and its moons. Even those experts in favor of a lunar outpost saw it as little more than a logistical necessity—a place to mine for fuel and launch missions into deep space.

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http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1657/1

For you who would prefer to go to Mars, well we have a lot of data on Mars now and you can explore on your own.
- LRK -

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http://beamartian.jpl.nasa.gov/welcome
 NASA Be A Martian - Welcome

Age of Virtual Exploration & the Human-Robotic Partnership

I want to be a Martian Citizen. >  Account Set Up I just want to look around. > Anonymous Tourist Visa I am a Martian Citizen.

This site was created under a Memorandum of Understanding between NASA/JPL-Caltech and Microsoft.
 
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OK, forgive me, but I am going back to my reading and day dreaming.

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Lunar Base Construction Robots - Will they be intelligent?

Folks have been thinking about this for some time.
How close to the science fiction stories do you think they will get?
- LRK -

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http://www.spacedaily.com/spacenet/text/lunar-b.html
Japan Space Net
Talk About Lunar Base Getting Serious

Once simply the fodder for science-fiction stories, building a base on the moon is now being looked at in earnest by Japan.

Tokyo -- December 19,1996 -- Recently some 170 of the world's top space scientists, engineers and mission specialists attending the Second International Lunar Workshop in Kyoto, debating not only an extensive scientific re-exploration of the lunar landscape, but the setting up of a permanent manned presence within thirty years.

Speaker after speaker talked of the scientific and technical benefits to be accrued from exploring the moon. Some pointed to the huge tasks ahead developing critical technology needed even to get there again. But while the problem of raising finance was conveniently skipped during the five day confab, one topic dominated discussions; how to build a lunar base.

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Nine years later, still a topic of interest.
- LRK -
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http://www.pcworld.com/article/121442/japan_dreams_of_robot_moon_base_in_2025.html
Japan Dreams of Robot Moon Base in 2025
Advanced humanoid robots could take over mining, telescope-building chores for humans.
Paul Kallender, IDG News Service
Jun 20, 2005 1:00 am

TOKYO -- Japan wants to help build a lunar base and populate it with advanced versions of today's humanoid robots by around 2025, according to the head of the nation's space agency.

The idea is more than a pipe-dream; it is part of a 20-year plan, called JAXA Vision 2025, that was drawn up by Keiji Tachikawa, a former president of Japan's largest mobile operator NTT DoCoMo, who is now president of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(JAXA).

As part of the plan, Japan would use advanced robotic technologies to help build the moon base, while redeveloped versions of today's humanoid robots, such as Honda Motor's Asimo and Sony's Qrio, could work in the moon's inhospitable environment in place of astronauts, he said in a recent interview.

Japan's lunar robots would do work such as building telescopes and prospecting and mining for minerals, Tachikawa said.
"I see a big role for Japan's robotics technologies on the moon," he said. "Japanese robots will be one of our big contributions. If there is work where robots can replace humans, they will."

U.S. Also Interested
Tachikawa's plan follows a January 2004 decision by U.S. President George W. Bush that the U.S., with the assistance of partners including Japan, should build a lunar base by about 2020 and use it as a staging point for the human exploration of Mars.
The plan has struck a chord in Japan, which has long harbored dreams of building such a base

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and now four years later again, robots to go to the Moon.
What kind of robots would colonize the Moon?
- LRK -
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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/gadgets_and_gaming/article6032128.ece
From The Times
April 4, 2009
One step for a robot, a giant leap for tin-mankind
Leo Lewis in Tokyo
The cutting-edge models can lumber around a room without falling over. A few can play the trumpet or serve tea. The truly sophisticated ones can just about manage the washing-up.
But by 2020, Japan predicts, humanoid robots will be ready to colonise the Moon. Other metallic brethren of these mechanical pioneers, said scientists in Tokyo, will be engaged in the bigger, more prosaic mission of cleaning Earth’s orbit of junk.
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If we think that a robot might be intelligent, what would that mean?
When you hear the word "Robot" what image does that bring up:
- LRK -
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http://ti.arc.nasa.gov/groups/intelligent-robotics/
Intelligent Robotics

The NASA Ames Intelligent Robotics Group (IRG) is dedicated to enabling humans and robots to explore and learn about extreme environments, remote locations, and uncharted worlds. IRG conducts applied research in a wide range of areas with an emphasis on robotics systems science and field testing. IRG's expertise includes applied computer vision (navigation, 3D surface modeling, automated science support), human-robot interaction, mobile manipulation, interactive 3D visualization, and robot software architecture.

IRG maintains and operates a variety of robot hardware, including fifteen "Personal Exploration Rovers" (low-cost, educational mobile robots), the K9 planetary rover (based on a JPL FIDO chassis), four K10 planetary rovers, and dexterous manipulators (Amtec Schunk arms and Barrett grippers). IRG's research facilities include the Marscape (3,000 sq. meter outdoor rover test facility and Mars surface analog) and the Moonscape (250 sq. meter indoor rover test facility with high-precision optical tracking).

We firmly believe that collaboration is an essential part of modern research, which improves quality and speeds technology transfer. Thus, we are presently working on joint projects with partners from academia, government, and industry.

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or do you just want to get some job done and a colony of robots much like an ant colony would be enough?
- LRK -

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http://www.journal.univagora.ro/download/pdf/261.pdf
Int. J. of Computers, Communications & Control, ISSN 1841-9836, E-ISSN 1841-9844
Vol. III (2008), Suppl. issue: Proceedings of ICCCC 2008, pp. 92-107
Colony of robots: New Challenge
Workshop invited key lecture
Gastón Lefranc

Abstract: The evolution on Robotics has in a cross way of application. For one side is the applications to manufacturing, other one is application to medicine, another one in space exploration and it is starting home applications. It is very popular to have contest of robots for students, motivating very well to student, supported by universities, achieving good image
for the institutions.
One way for mobile robots is Nomad, a nice application for having new knowledge in the space, but the inversion it is very expense and complex. If it has problem or fail, all the work will stop. Instead of that, if you use a community of robots, working like a society of insect, it is possible to have simpler mobile robots to have specific tasks, less expensive, more reliable to reach the same aims.
In this presentation is focusing in colony of robots. This implies to merge several disciplines based on models of communities, to have control of a society of robots working together in a
collaborative and cooperative way in non structured environments.

Keywords: Multi-robots, Colony of robots, Multiagents Systems

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If you think your robot should be intelligent, would you mean that it should have the ability to acquire and use knowledge?

And by knowledge, you mean that it should be able to organize information?
Would you want it to be able to communicate, that is transfer its knowledge?
Should it have intuition, that is built in knowledge.

How would it acquire knowledge?
Have feelings, that is experience sensory input.
Should it have perception, the ability to transform sensations into knowledge?

What about being able to reason, applying logic to thinking.
Oh, should it be able to think, analyze what it imagined.
Aaah, have imagination, that is be able to visualize, model and devise simulations.

And lets be scarry, should it be aware, that is have knowledge of the world (Moon) situation.
Should it show emotion, that is have value judgment, evaluation of good and bad.
Lastly, throw in some consciousness, the ability to include self in the world model.

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http://www.james-albus.org/interest.htm
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A PowerPoint presentation of the potential impact of intelligent machines on science, economics, military strength, and human well being can be found here:
http://www.james-albus.org/Engineering%20of%20Mind3.ppt [116 KB, 22 slides - LRK -]
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http://www.amazon.com/Engineering-Mind-Introduction-Science-Intelligent/dp/0471438545
Engineering of Mind: An Introduction to the Science of Intelligent Systems (Hardcover)
Presenting a reference model architecture for the design of intelligent systems Engineering of Mind presents the foundations for a computational theory of intelligence. It discusses the main streams of investigation that will eventually converge in a scientific theory of mind and proposes an avenue of research that might best lead to the development of truly intelligent systems.
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Will be interesting to see just what kind of robots go to the Moon.
- LRK -

What kind of robot would you like to have helping you colonize the Moon?

Thanks for looking up with me.

More at http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Japan aims for walking robot on the moon by 2020

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ioijx5DLWQ4vTbjJmhNgHsNszNhwD97AVVSG0
By JAY ALABASTER – 1 day ago
TOKYO (AP) — Japan hopes to have a two-legged robot walk on the moon by around 2020, with a joint mission involving astronauts and robots to follow, according to a plan laid out Friday by a government group.

Specifics of the plan, including what new technologies will be required and the size of the project's budget, are to be decided within the next two years, according to Japan's Strategic Headquarters for Space Development, a Cabinet-level working group.
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Bob in Texas mentioned the above link and these also.
- LRK -

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http://i.gizmodo.com/5197523/japan-pledges-to-land-humanoid-robot-on-moon-by-2020
Japan Pledges To Land Humanoid Robot On Moon By 2020
By Wilson Rothman, 7:00 PM on Fri Apr 3 2009, 8,440 views
In an otherwise vague announcement, Japan's Strategic Headquarters for Space Development said that it would put a two-legged humanoid robot on the moon by 2020.
This is to be part of a bigger space plan, whose details will be decided in the next couple of years. It's no surprise that Japan is eager to put robots on the moon (they're eager to put robots anywhere), and it's also no surprise that they wish to follow up the robots-only mission with a manned mission, using robot helpers.
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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/gadgets_and_gaming/article6032128.ece
From The Times
April 4, 2009
One step for a robot, a giant leap for tin-mankind
Leo Lewis in Tokyo
The cutting-edge models can lumber around a room without falling over. A few can play the trumpet or serve tea. The truly sophisticated ones can just about manage the washing-up.
But by 2020, Japan predicts, humanoid robots will be ready to colonise the Moon. Other metallic brethren of these mechanical pioneers, said scientists in Tokyo, will be engaged in the bigger, more prosaic mission of cleaning Earth’s orbit of junk.
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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/03/japan_proposes_two_legged_robot_on_moon_by_2020/
Japan talks lunar 'bots as commies go hot
Time to stretch those servos
By Austin Modine • Get more from this author
Posted in Rise of the Machines, 3rd April 2009 18:16 GMT
As North Korea preps a ballistic missile launch over Japan, the Japanese are grandstanding back with promises of robots walking on the moon by 2020.
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We have mentioned that it would be nice to have some robots to help set up a lunar base camp.
We have also mentioned that the lunar regolith is not going to be kind to mechanical devices.
It will be interesting to see how well a robot will handle all of the grit.
- LRK -

I have been reading the writings of James S. Albus and I know we have a number of robotic machines being used in industry.
http://www.isd.mel.nist.gov/documents/library/isd_pub.html
http://www.isd.mel.nist.gov/personnel/albus/


We have seen cars run on their own across the desert.
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/october12/stanleyfinish-100905.html
Will someone make an automatic railroad track installer for the Moon?
http://www.distant-galaxy.com/maelstrom2/DigiMatte/ACC_M2LunarRailMountains.html

I wonder what the response from the USA will be?
Are we really going to do more than just spend a couple of days on a mountain?
Who or what is going to install power lines?

What will be the next robot toy or transformer you buy at the store?
One of an astronaut robot and its adventures on the Moon?
Will you be able to buy a lunar base camp kit?

Hope we see more books about living on the Moon.
Enjoyed watching the TV series Space: 1999.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072564/

Who is writing about the Moon Base Alpha now?

Any movies being developed showing how we will live on the Moon?
http://www.distant-galaxy.com/maelstrom2/MaelstromII.html

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/