NASA has announced that MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory( CSAIL) is one of two university research groups nationwide that will receive a 6-foot, 290-pound humanoid robot to test and develop for future space missions to Mars and beyond.
You need to see this thing to believe it. Check it out in the video at this link and embedded below:
A group led by CSAIL principal investigator Russ Tedrake will develop algorithms for the robot, known as “Valkyrie” or “R5,” as part of NASA’s upcoming Space Robotics Challenge, which aims to create more dexterous autonomous robots that can help or even take the place of humans “extreme space” missions. (NASA’s challenge is divided into a virtual competition using robotic simulations, and a physical competition using the robot.)
This is an incredibly strong, super-hero robot. Very capable, very strong, self contained. Thankfully it is a good robot.