This Robot Will Build Homes On Mars For Future Humans

Source: Sanvada, Vamien McKalin
Photo: Wikimedia

Mars is the next frontier, and humans are grooming robots to make sure the next generation are comfortable there. Humans on the red planet will require the services of specialists with an overabundance of knowledge, along with the ability to keep up with pressure.

Yes, we’re talking about robots, one in particular that goes by the name, Justin. The robot is being developed by the German Aerospace Center, also known as DLR, and one of the main purposes is to build houses on Mars for future settlers.

Justin is pretty slick
We understand that for over a decade, engineers have been refining Justin’s physical capabilities. For now, the Justin robots can handle tools, catch objects, and even shoot and upload images. In terms of navigating obstacles, that’s something the robot does really well, which makes sense since Mars is a rugged place.

Outside of physical abilities, this mech is now able to think for itself. This is primarily due to new AI upgrades, and we’re certain Elon Musk won’t feel happy about it.

Here’s the thing, most robots require constant human programming to perform certain tasks, but Justin is probably one of the first droids with the means to complete complex tasks autonomously. Not only that, the Justin is so smart it can do things it was never programmed to tackle in the first place.

If you’re like Elon Musk, you’re probably worried about robots thinking for themselves. Well, this might not happen with Justin since humans from a remote distance, will be keeping tabs on the machine to make sure it’s doing the right things.

What else can this droid do?
The machine can survey the surrounding environment using computer vision and Object recognition software. Additionally, it can even clean and maintain important equipment on Mars.

At one point, the machine was able to fix a solar panel in a Munich lab, and it performed this tasks in mere minutes with the help of astronauts from a remote spot.

Justin’s hardware specs
Most robots we’ve seen over the years are quite small, but this one stands 6’ 3” tall and weighs around 440 pounds. The mech can lift up to 31 pounds with each arm, which is quite surprising because that’s not an issue for most humans.

Additionally, if you’re on Mars and would love to have a cup of tea, Justin is more than capable of delivering the goods. Furthermore, both hands are equipped with eight fingers, and the head has several cameras and sensors to allow Justin to see the surrounding area.

One of the interesting things about this droid is the fact that it can communicate with nearby computers. Whatever information it has onboard its own system can be synchronized with computers located at the base station.

For now, Justin relies on wheels to get around, but as technology changes, we suspect a pair of robot feet will replace the all-terrain wheels.

https://sanvada.com/2018/01/08/robot-will-build-homes-mars-future-humans/