As humanity’s presence in space continues to expand in the coming decades, the nature of space-based operations will become more extensive and complex. Recent advances in virtual reality (VR) systems and teleoperation technologies are exciting for the future of robotic space exploration.
“The most recent footprints on the moon are 40 years old, and the next artificial mark on the lunar surface will probably be made by a robot’s wheels rather than human soles,” said Wired. As our involvement in space grows, there will be an increasing need for systems capable of performing a variety of operations, such as robotic space exploration, surveying, data gathering and much more.
There is speculation about whether or not future space operations will involve direct human presence. “Humans can do great things while in space, but having the assistance of a robot can not only advance future exploration, it can also lead to great things back on Earth,” said NASA. Remotely-located robots will operate semi-autonomously under human supervision, or be directly teleoperated.
Space Jobs for Video Gamers
Future space operations will demand more than standard two-dimensional computer displays and interfaces. Advances in VR systems and teleoperation technologies will improve the ability of humans to remotely control a variety of complex robotic operations in space.
MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) recently presented a VR system allowing robot teleoperation using an Oculus Rift headset, which “embeds the user in a VR control room with multiple sensor displays, making it feel like they’re inside the robot’s head. By using hand controllers, users can match their movements to the robot’s movements to complete various tasks,” according to MIT News.
“‘A system like this could eventually help humans supervise robots from a distance,’” said Jeffrey Lipton, a CSAIL postdoctoral student.
Unsurprisingly, those test users with video gaming experience were much more at ease using the system. It is imagined that gamifying future VR teleoperations will make them more accessible to and usable by future operators, said MIT News.
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Source: Now.