Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Yes, But Do Astrobees Have Lasers For Lightsaber Training?
NASA's Astrobee program seeks to continue the development of little helper robots for use on the International Space Station.
Special delivery!
— NASA Ames (@NASAAmes) April 19, 2019
Our flying robotic “bees” arrived earlier today at the @Space_Station. If you haven’t heard about our Astrobee robots 🤖, here’s what all the buzz is about: https://t.co/exs00mMNcB pic.twitter.com/nPhOYGTLwN
Astrobee consists of three self-contained, free flying robots and a docking station for use inside the ISS. It is an autonomous free flyer powered by fans and operates in the entire U.S. Operating Segment (USOS) using vision-based navigation. The autonomous robots are operated remotely from the ground.Astrobee facility enables robotic free flyer technology research in microgravity, and is used to test computer vision, robotic manipulation, control algorithms, and Human-Robot Interaction (HRI).
The cameras and sensors perform crew monitoring, sampling activities, logistics management and other routine tasks; thus enabling astronauts to dedicate their efforts to other science and engineering duties. Each free flying robot is capable of accommodating up to three payloads with mechanical attachment, power and data connectivity.
(Via Astrobee at NASA.)
Yes, but do they have lasers for lightsaber training?
(Luke Skywalker lightsaber training from Star Wars)
They are described in George Lucas' 1976 novel Star Wars:
The old man was hefting a silvery globe about the size of a man's fist. It was covered with fine antennae, some as delicate as those of a moth. He flipped it toward Luke and watched as it halted a couple of meters away from the boy's face. Luke readied himself as the ball circled him slowly, turning to face it as it assumed a new position. Abruptly it executed a lightning swift lunge, only to freeze about a meter away. Luke failed to succumb to the feint, and the ball soon backed off.
(Read more about seeker remotes)
The earliest real-world example of this idea, as far as I know, is the SPHERES program in 2004. Read about it in SPHERES - Mini Satellites Fly In Formation.
Read more about similar technologies in these earlier articles:
- Personal Satellite Assistant: Servant Of Astronauts And Jedi
- Astronauts Test Star Wars Remote On Space Station
- MKV-L Multiple Kill Vehicle Video
- Nexus S Directs SPHERES On ISS
- HoverBall Bids Farewell To Ballistic Motion
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 4/5/2019)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Space Tech ")
Space Weather To Universe Weather
'It radiates outward in a cone which, by the time it has reached our section of space, is many lightyears across.' - Poul Anderson, 1953.
That's MOXIE! Terraforming Mars Baby Steps
'Drake was the young spatial engineer he employed to terraform the little rock.' - Jack Williamson, 1931.
Solar X-Flares Disrupt North American Radio And Navigation
'A true cosmic storm!' - Jack Williamson, 1939.
Restructure An Asteroid, Spin It, Get A 'Space Habitat' With Gravity?
'When the colony was established, the whole interior was carved out with atomic burners...' - John Campbell, 1932.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
18 Wheels Mutant Centipede Vehicle
'If a centipede were a dinosaur and made of metal to boot...'
Octopus Suckers Inspire Transdermal Patches
'...a capsule which he placed against his wrist.'
Robotic Hands Have More Than One Use
'The crawling, exploring object was V-Stephen's surgeon-hand...'
Space Weather To Universe Weather
'It radiates outward in a cone which, by the time it has reached our section of space, is many lightyears across.'
That's MOXIE! Terraforming Mars Baby Steps
'Drake was the young spatial engineer he employed to terraform the little rock.'
'No, I'm Not A Robot' - Robot
'... with a weird simulation of life, the ten forked ends of each arm commenced a rattling pressing of the buttons.'
Missing Jet Finally Found
Ah, what could have been - still in the future.
Philippines Coast Guard Cuts Chinese Barrier
'Each of the four areas is enclosed by a sonic wall...'
Barista Robot Perfects Latte Swirl With Multi-DOF Wriggle
'It's done with a flip of the third joint of the tentacle on the down beat.'
Vendetta 2023 All-Terrain Skateboard Could Use Neal Stephenson's Smartwheels
'If you surf over a bump... If you surf over a pothole...'
Safe Street Rebel Autonomous Vehicle Luddites And Schachner's 1931 Robot-Deranger
'Then the spreading beam of the deranging ray struck them, and they stood an instant transfixed...'
The Electric Balance Bicycle And The Decline Of Western Civilization
'Noiselessly, on rubber-tired wheels, they journeyed...'
'Droplet' Battery Microscale Power Pack
'...a power pack the size of a pea.'
ARX-5 Doing Robot Arm Dancing
It's Data's day - at last.
CD, DVD Bit Rot And PKD's Civic Notification Distorter
'...copy two of the original document no longer can be superimposed on copy one.'
Inbiodroid Prometheus 2.0 Telepresence Avatar Robot
My prize robot, tall, dashing would speak and act for me...
