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Carnegie Mellon University Robot Will Demonstrate Concept For Continuous Solar-Powered Exploration of Planets and Moons
EVENT: See a demonstration of a prototype, autonomous solar-powered robot developed
by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute with support
from NASA. The robot, named Hyperion, has the potential to be self-sufficient
for extended periods of time. In July, it will be taken to Devon Island in the
Canadian Arctic, where it will test a concept called Sun-Synchronous Navigation,
which involves tracking the sun for power while exploring terrain. The robot
will travel opposite to Earth's rotation and in synchrony with the sun. It must
reason about its position and orientation with respect to the sun while exploring
its surroundings. It must navigate to capture enough sunlight to power itself
while traveling and trying to reach important scientific objectives. Solar-powered
robots are not new, but this concept may enable them to obtain continuous solar
power for long-term exploration of distant planets and moons. Several weeks
of experiments will be conducted to measure the robot's performance, test computer
algorithms and build up to integrated experiments that will take place over
24-hour periods of continuous sunlight. Carnegie Mellon's research team will
validate the parameters that will allow sun-synchronous explorers to be developed
for other planets. For some missions, by following the dawn, these rovers may
also be able to regulate their temperatures by staying in the transition region
between frigid night and scorching daytime temperatures. The team leaves for
Devon Island July 3. Experiments will begin around July 10 and conclude by July
20. There is a narrow window of opportunity after the snow has melted in mid-July
and before the sun sinks below the surrounding hills toward the end of the month.
WHERE:
National Robotics Engineering Consortium (REC), 40th Street beside the Allegheny
River in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh. Signs will be posted to guide
reporters to the exact site. In the event of rain, the demonstration will take
place in the REC building.
WHEN:
10 a.m, Monday, June 25. For more about Hyperion and Sun-Synchronous Navigation,
see http://www.frc.ri.cmu.edu/sunsync.
Contact:
Anne Watzman
aw16@andrew.cmu.edu
(412)268-3830
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cs.cmu.edu