VOA科学技术2024--NASA Aims to Put Human-like Robots in Space

NASA Aims to Put Human-like Robots in Space

The American space agency NASA's human-like robot Valkyrie looks powerful. It stands 188 centimeters tall and weighs 136 kilograms.

Valkyrie is named after supernatural females in Norse mythology¹. The robot is being tested at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

The robot is designed to operate in "...damaged human-engineered environments," like areas hit by natural disasters, NASA said.

But robots like Valkyrie could also work in space one day.

Robots that look like humans, or humanoid robots, have a torso, head, two arms and two legs. Engineers believe that humanoid robots will be able to work similarly to humans and use the same tools and equipment. They just need the right software.

NASA Dexterous² Robotics team leader Shaun Azimi said humanoid robots in space could do dangerous jobs. Such jobs include cleaning solar panels or dealing³ with equipment outside the spacecraft. As a result, human astronauts could pay more attention to exploration and discovery.

"We're not trying to replace human crews, we're really just trying to take the dull, dirty and dangerous work off their plates to allow them to focus on those higher-level activities," Azimi said.

NASA is partnering with robotics companies like Apptronik, which is based in Austin, Texas. The goal is to learn how humanoid robots developed for purposes on Earth could help the development of future humanoid robots meant for space.

Apptronik is developing Apollo, a humanoid robot whose jobs on Earth will include working in warehouses⁵ and manufacturing plants. The robot can move packages and organize objects. Apptronik plans to start providing the humanoid robots to companies in early 2025.

Apptronik Chief Technology Officer Nick Paine said Apollo has strengths in comparison to humans.

"We're targeting having this system online 22 hours a day," Paine said. "This does have a swappable⁷ battery, so you can work for four hours, swap⁶ the battery and then keep going."

Apptronik chief Jeff Cardenas said there are many possibilities as new software and development increase Apollo's abilities.

"The approach is we're starting in the warehouse⁴ and on the manufacturing floor, but then it can move into retail⁸...to delivery and out more into what we call unstructured spaces," Cardenas said.

In years to come, those "unstructured" areas could include space, Azimi said. He said the robots are being designed so they can be easily changed to do many different jobs.

"Robots like Apollo are designed with modularity in mind to be able to adapt to many applications," Azimi said.

Azimi added that NASA is aiming to find out what areas it needs to look into "to bring a terrestrial system into the space environment..."

Words in This Story

mythology – n. the myths of a particular group or culture

torso –n. the part of the human body below the neck and above the waist

dull – adj. not interesting

solar panel – n. a flat piece of equipment that uses the sun's light or heat to create electricity

focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific

swappable –adj. describes an act of giving or taking one thing in return for another thing

battery –n. a device that stores electricity and provides direct electrical current to electronics

delivery –n. the act of taking something from one place to another

modularity – n. the quality of consisting of separate parts

application – n. the ability to be used for practical purposes

 

terrestrial –adj. related to on happening on the Earth

1 mythology   

n.神话，神话学，神话集

参考例句：

• In Greek mythology,Zeus was the ruler of Gods and men.在希腊神话中，宙斯是众神和人类的统治者。
• He is the hero of Greek mythology.他是希腊民间传说中的英雄。

2 dexterous   

adj.灵敏的；灵巧的

参考例句：

• As people grow older they generally become less dexterous.随着年龄的增长，人通常会变得不再那么手巧。
• The manager was dexterous in handling his staff.那位经理善于运用他属下的职员。

3 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

4 warehouse   

n.仓库；vt.存入仓库

参考例句：

• We freighted the goods to the warehouse by truck.我们用卡车把货物运到仓库。
• The manager wants to clear off the old stocks in the warehouse.经理想把仓库里积压的存货处理掉。

5 warehouses   

仓库，货栈( warehouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The whisky was taken to bonded warehouses at Port Dundee. 威士忌酒已送到邓迪港的保稅仓库。
• Row upon row of newly built warehouses line the waterfront. 江岸新建的仓库鳞次栉比。

6 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

7 swappable   

[计] 可交换的

参考例句：

• The intent isn't for to be hot-swappable or interchangeable at any time. 我们这样设计符文目的并不是为了让符文能够在任何时候被频繁替换。

8 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。