NASA, NSF Collaborate to Develop Advanced Robotics

David E. Steitz

Headquarters, Washington

 

Lisa-Joy Zgorski

National Science Foundation, Arlington, Va.

 

WASHINGTON -- The National Science Foundation (NSF) will take the lead with NASA and two other federal agencies to support the administration's National Robotics Initiative.

The initiative complements the administrations' Advanced Manufacturing Initiative and technology transfer efforts and supports the development and use of robots in the United States that work beside, or cooperatively, with people and that enhance individual human capabilities, performance and safety.

"To help everyone from factory workers to astronauts carry out more complicated tasks, NASA and other agencies will support research into next-generation robotics," President Obama said during a speech Friday at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Over the past five years, tremendous advancements in robotics technology have enabled a new generation of assistive systems and devices in industries as diverse as manufacturing, logistics, medicine, health care, military, agriculture, and consumer products.

"NASA has been focused on human-robotic interaction for more than a decade, leading to flight of our newest crew member on the International Space Station, Robonaut2," said NASA's Chief Technologist Bobby Braun. "Our challenge today is to develop robotics technology that can increase the effectiveness and safety of humans in space and deliver cutting-edge science. Through our participation in the National Robotics Initiative, NASA will create the new knowledge, technology and capabilities needed for our future space missions while benefiting life here on Earth, today."

It is becoming increasingly evident that these early, next generation products are a harbinger of numerous, large-scale, global, robotics technology markets likely to develop in the coming decade. The robotics initiative, which pays particular attention to fundamental research and education by academia and industry, seeks to engage our next generation of scientists and engineers in fields essential in the new global technology economy.

"It's exciting to be on the forefront of creating new knowledge and to play a catalytic role in the development of smart technology that enhances America's productivity and ultimately the quality of life of Americans," said NSF Director Subra Suresh. "It's also an opportunity to harness the expertise of our colleagues in several government agencies to tackle a major challenge and to bolster creative science and the U.S. economy. NSF is proud to lead this effort."

The purpose of the initiative is to encourage innovative collaborative research that combines computer and systems science with mechanical, electrical and materials engineering and social, behavioral and economic sciences to tackle the most important and challenging problems in producing this class of human-assisting co-robotics.

Investments in the initiative from NASA, NIH, NSF and United States Department of Agriculture may reach $40 to $50 million in the first year, with anticipated growth in funding as other agencies and industry partners engage.

NIH has used robotics for the rapid screening of potential drugs and the subsequent discovery of new drugs. NIH anticipates robotics will play an important role in rehabilitation, home health care, and advanced robotic surgery in the near future.

The USDA encourages automated systems and improved robotics for inspection, sorting, processing or handling of animal or plant products, as well as multi-modal and rapid sensing systems for detecting defects, ripeness, physical damage, microbial contamination, size shape and other quality attributes of such products.

NSF will manage the solicitation and peer review selection process. All participating federal agencies will work with partners to foster the exchange of ideas and technologies that will directly benefit American today and well into the future. For more information about the National Science Foundation, visit http://www.nsf.gov.

For more information about NASA, visit

http://www.nasa.gov.

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Report from Antarctica: USTRANSCOM Deputy Commander Vice Adm. Mark D. Harnitchek

By Carla Voorhees

Vice Adm. Mark D. Harnitchek is the deputy commander, United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), Scott Air Force Base, Ill. He serves as a principal advisor and assistant to the commander, USTRANSCOM. USTRANSCOM is the single manager for global air, land and sea deployment and distribution for the Department of Defense. This post was originally written for the USTRANSCOM internal blog.

I recently returned from the trip of a lifetime to Antarctica. I was there to visit the National Science Foundation’s facilities at McMurdo Station and Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station; not many folks get to go there so it was truly a thrill to experience that continent in all its majestic splendor — absolutely pristine and unspoiled — and to see firsthand the incredible performance of the mobility team that supports the National Science Foundation.

Literally everything at the National Science Foundation’s McMurdo Station and outposts on Antarctica is transported there by a TRANSCOM component — by sea via an Military Sealift Command charter vessel, container ship or oiler — and by air via a McChord C-17 or NYANG LC-130 (that’s a C-130 with skis). Equally impressive, everything present at the South Pole station was flown in an LC-130 — and I mean everything. I was lucky enough to fly to the South Pole and see these LC-130 professionals in action on the ice — and that’s literally on the ice, since there’s no concrete on the continent, and no hangers either, so the crews are outside working on this a/c in 
subzero temps — talk about impressive!

The mission in Antarctica is largely scientific with three major endeavors

1.Study of the environment and the biology there: rock formations, glacier behavior and wildlife — penguins, seals, whales, undersea life

2.Study of Antarctic systems to predict environment changes/shifts in the rest of the world: global warming, weather forecasting, etc.

3.Study unrelated to Antarctica itself: but the environment lends itself to the study of things like: neutrinos which are released into the atmosphere near the South Pole; the construction of large radio telescopes; the study of extremely pristine air, etc.

Another fascinating thing about Antarctica is the history of exploration. Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian, and Robert Falcon Scott, an Englishman, were the first to reach the South Pole in December 1911 and January 1912 respectively. Amundsen’s successful round-trip journey to the Pole took about 3 months to complete — and all with simple winter coats, sleds, and dogs. On the other hand, Scott’s journey did not go as well and his small party perished on their return journey. The US station at the South Pole is now named after both of these men, in honor of their tremendous courage and spirit.

Check out our Facebook page to see pictures from various parts of the trip. It was the experience of a lifetime and another tribute to the great work of the entire DOD distribution and transportation team, including US Pacific Command, Air National Guard and many others. This year’s Operation Deep Freeze just ended, but many of the scientific endeavors continue.

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