Have you ever found yourself hoping for an extra pair of hands to get you through your day? Well, it might be a while before you get your single pair of hands on them, but MIT researchers have reportedly developed some astronaut SuperLimbs to help them operate more comfortably in space. The superlimbs are essentially robotic arms that can be attached to the back of a spacesuit in order to help astronauts prevent falls when they are out exploring unknown terrains.
The wearable robotics limbs are akin to those of Doctor Octopus, emerging from the back to act as extensions of the user. While these robotic SuperLimbs may not yet be able to wield the kind of control that the supervillain does, they should greatly help astronauts keep a steadier foot on the ground without risking the integrity of their own limbs and spacesuits.
MIT Engineers Design Astronaut SuperLimbs to Make Space Exploration Easier
The Supernumerary Robotic Limbs or “SuperLimbs” are a new construction by MIT engineers who, after getting a chuckle out of watching videos of astronauts falling on the moon, decided that it was an opportune moment to create something innovative. The team worked on designing wearable robotic limbs that could physically support an astronaut and help them get back on their feet after a fall. The SuperLimbs function as an exoskeleton during moon explorations, giving users an additional support system to rely on while moving around.
“Astronauts are physically very capable, but they can struggle on the moon, where gravity is one-sixth that of Earth’s, but their inertia is still the same. Furthermore, wearing a spacesuit is a significant burden and can constrict their movements,” said Harry Asada, a professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. “We want to provide a safe way for astronauts to get back on their feet if they fall.”
How Do these Wearable Robotic Limbs Work?
The SuperLimbs robotic arms are designed to extend from a backpack that carries an astronaut’s life support system, which also contains a controller and motors to power the limb. Not only are the limbs designed to be sturdy, but in order to be effective, they also need to aid with natural human movement.
To make this possible, the researchers and engineers created a control system to help the user get up from a sitting or lying position, which is something that is much harder to do in space, especially with the bulky space gear that astronauts typically wear.
How Were the Robotic SuperLimbs Designed?
According to the article from MIT, the team carefully studied how volunteers tried to get up from a lying position on their side, front, and back. They also studied how volunteers conducted the same actions when their movements were more restricted by equipment, which is how astronauts would have to do it, and noted the additional effort it took to execute the same moves. The sequence of motions was then mapped out from pose to pose, and the controllers were designed.
The controller was able to aptly perform its job in aiding volunteers to stand up with greater ease after a fall. Then, the Superlimbs robotic arms were introduced. The two multijointed arms were “based on an AI search and design optimization, to look for designs of classic robot manipulators with certain engineering constraints,” according to MIT doctoral student Erik Ballesteros.
“We filtered through many designs and looked for the design that consumes the least amount of energy to lift a person up. This version of SuperLimbs is the product of that process,” he explained. Testing so far has shown that the wearable robotic limbs are indeed useful in getting users back up on their feet with greater ease.
When Will We See the SuperLimbs Exoskeleton In Action On the Moon?
The SuperLimbs were reportedly designed over a decade ago and have since been used for other purposes, but Asada and his team saw the potential for their usage among astronauts and reached out to NASA. The initial announcement for this project was released in May last year, and the SuperLimbs system was expected to be built out at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory over the summer. While these astronaut SuperLimbs are functional, there is still work to be done in optimizing them to ensure they are lightweight.
Preparations for the launch of NASA’s Artemis mission are currently underway, and hopefully won’t be held up by the layoffs and budget cuts hitting the agency. NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I mission in late 2022 faced some hiccups with regard to the heat shield, which is being rectified for future crewed missions. The Artemis II test flight is scheduled to take place in April 2026 and will be crewed. The ultimate goal of the Artemis mission is to land on the unexplored lunar South Pole region of the Moon and eventually build a base there.
While there are many exciting aspects to consider when it comes to space travel, the safety and comfort of astronauts is of utmost priority. Allowing them to maximize their time up there is an honorable endeavor, and as such, the astronaut SuperLimbs promise to provide an advantage. The development of these robotic SuperLimbs is generally a very important one, as it could be applied in multiple situations right here on Earth. From helping disabled and elderly folk get around to simplifying occupations that come with some risks of their own, we’re excited to see where news of the SuperLimbs robotic arms emerges next.
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