Японы сансар судлалын агентлаг JAXA-ийн бүтээсэн бяцхан робот сарны гадаргуу дээрх судалгааны ажлаа амжилттай гүйцэтгэлээ.
2024 оны нэгдүгээр сарын 19-нд сарны гадаргуу дээр газардсан SORA-Q хэмээх бөмбөрцөг хэлбэртэй бяцхан робот хоёр тал руугаа дэлгэгдэн дугуйгаа гаргаж, 100 минутын турш хөдөлгөөнт судалгаа хийжээ. JAXA, Дошиша их сургууль, Sony болон TakaraTomy компаниудын хамтын бүтээл болох энэхүү робот нь 80 мм өргөн, 250 грамм жинтэй бөгөөд сарны гадаргуу дээрх SLIM буулгагч төхөөрөмжийн байрлалыг тодорхойлоход чухал үүрэг гүйцэтгэсэн байна. SLIM буулгагч нь техникийн доголдлын улмаас буруу байрлалтай газардсаныг SORA-Q-ийн авсан гэрэл зураг баталгаажуулжээ.
https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scirobotics.aec8039
Science Robotics сэтгүүлд нийтлэгдсэн судалгаагаар, SORA-Q нь өөрийгөө удирдах мэдрэгч болон алдааг илрүүлэх системээр тоноглогдсон болохыг онцолжээ. Робот нийт 12 өндөр нягтралтай гэрэл зураг авч, LEV-1 төхөөрөмжөөр дамжуулан Дэлхий рүү илгээсэн байна. Хэдийгээр мэдээлэл дамжуулах явцад зарим өгөгдөл алдагдсан ч уг туршилт нь ирээдүйн сансрын судалгаанд бяцхан роботуудыг ашиглах боломжийг нээж өглөө.
Судлаачид ирээдүйд ийм төрлийн жижиг роботуудыг NASA-гийн Perseverance шиг том оврын хөлгүүдтэй хослуулан ашиглах нь үр дүнтэй гэж үзэж байна. Бяцхан роботууд нь том хөлгүүдийн хүрч чадахгүй нарийн ан цав, тогоо зэрэг газруудад нэвтэрч, судалгааны хүрээг тэлэх боломжтой юм. Энэхүү технологи нь илүү хямд өртөгтэй бөгөөд уян хатан сансрын миссүүдийг зохион байгуулахад чухал ач холбогдолтой болохыг эрдэмтэд тэмдэглэжээ.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
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On January 19, 2024, a tiny, spherical rover called SORA-Q arrived on the Moon and unfurled itself into two halves to deploy wheels on each side. The miniature-sized robot, which could fit snugly into your palms, rolled around the lunar surface for nearly two hours, capturing images and relaying data back to Earth. Its short-lived stint will help inform the design of a fleet of tiny explorers capable of fitting into cramped areas that are otherwise inaccessible to their larger counterparts.
A new study details the results from SORA-Q’s time on the Moon, highlighting the challenges encountered during the mission, as well as lessons learned for future designs of small-sized space robots. The study, published Wednesday in Science Robotics, suggests that small rovers could act as helpful sidekicks for more flexible, robust, and cost-effective missions to the Moon and other celestial bodies.
The story of SORA-Q
To help create the transformable lunar robot, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) partnered with researchers from Doshisha University, Sony, and TakaraTomy. The Japanese toy company Tomy may not have much experience with space exploration, but it is known for creating the earliest Transformer toys in the early 80s.
The unusual partnership birthed SORA-Q, officially known as Lunar Excursion Vehicle 2, a tiny robot that can transform on its own to navigate its way across the varying lunar terrain. SORA-Q was deployed to the lunar surface aboard JAXA’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM).
Due to an unfortunate thruster failure, SLIM ended up lying face down on the lunar surface, and its mission was cut short. As its diligent sidekick, SORA-Q captured an image of the lander with its solar arrays facing the wrong side, helping JAXA diagnose SLIM’s condition.
As for SORA-Q, the robot operated on the lunar surface for 100 minutes, capturing a series of images of its post-landing condition and surrounding environment. The robot relayed the data back to Earth using its companion, Lunar Excursion Vehicle (LEV) 1.
The tiny rover that could
SORA-Q measured just 80 millimeters wide and weighs in at 250 grams. Its compact, lightweight design drew on concepts commonly used in toys, including transformation mechanisms and off-center wheel rotations that allow it to switch between a robot and a car.
The rover was engineered to facilitate autonomous operations on the lunar surface, equipped with various sensors and image processing software that allowed it to navigate through its surroundings. SORA-Q was also equipped with advanced anomaly detection and autonomous recovery mechanisms that allowed it to identify faults within its system.
Using its onboard cameras, SORA-Q captured 12 high-resolution images from the lunar surface. The study does note, however, that some of the data was lost during transmission to Earth.
After navigating its way around the SLIM lander, SORA-Q lost communication with LEV-1, most likely due to its battery running low. With its mission deemed a success, the rover could help shape the design of future miniature rovers for exploring alien worlds.
The researchers behind the study note that the capabilities of one individual rover on the surface of the Moon or Mars would be limited. The rover’s small size limits the number of instruments and computational powers that it can carry onboard. Instead, they envision that the ball-sized robots could be deployed alongside larger counterparts similar to NASA’s Perseverance rover and the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars.
The tiny sidekicks could be used to access cramped spaces such as small vents and craters, which are otherwise off-limits for larger, more traditionally built robots. Combining the reliability and power of larger robots with the flexibility and lightweightness of their smaller companions could lead to more access and a larger collection of data and maybe an adorable buddy cop scenario.
