Researchers designs robots to maintain resilient deep space habitats

To address this, a group of researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have been developing robots to repair or replace damaged components in a habitat.

The Resilient ExtraTerrestrial Habitats Institute (RETHi), led by Purdue University in partnership with SEAS, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Texas at San Antonio, aims to design and operate deep space habitats SmartHabsthat can rapidly recover from expected and unexpected disruptions. Justin Werfel, Senior Research Fellow in Robotics at SEAS, leads the team tasked with developing the technology for autonomous robots to maintain the habitats.

Preparing for the Unknown

One of the team's main objectives is to prepare the habitats for unexpected disruptions, such as meteorite breaches. The team aims to make the habitats as self-sufficient as possible, which means robots taking care of maintenance tasks like replacing filters and cleaning equipment. This way, the astronauts can focus on other emergencies, and the habitat can handle itself even when the crew isn't present.

Multifunctional Robots

A significant challenge in designing robots for deep space habitats is multifunctionality. Unlike industrial robots that are highly specialized and perform specific tasks, deep space habitats require one or a few multifunctional robots that can perform many different tasks, including emergency repairs. To achieve this, the team has developed new robotic arms and grippers, systems to improve human-robot collaboration and ways to design robot-friendly equipment.

New Gripper Design

To address the multifunctionality challenge, the team has developed a gripper with fingers made of scissor links, which can be reconfigured to change the number of joints in the finger. The gripper has three modes: one for securely grasping objects, one for in-hand manipulation of objects, and one for adapting to the shape of an object and distributing contact pressure. This design allows the gripper to perform a wide range of tasks, increasing the range of tasks possible with a single gripper.

The Harvard team's work offers a glimpse into the future of deep space habitats, where robots will play a crucial role in maintaining the habitability of such environments. The team's research will also affect other fields, such as disaster response and industrial automation.

The researchers have published their work in IEEE.