'Robot Dogs' Could Be Sent to Explore the Moon and Mars without Human Control

'Robot dogs' could be sent to explore the moon and Mars without human control

The ANYmal is a quadrupedal robot capable of carrying out research on lunar environments (Picture: ETH Zurich/Cover Images) They’re man’s best friend on Earth and could soon be man’s best friend on the moon. Though this breed is a little less fluffy than the average mutt. Researchers have been testing a new robotic ‘dog’ explorer capable of investigating extreme environments without constant control. The semi-autonomous machines can move through…

Four-legged robots look to speed up Mars and Moon exploration

The slowest part of a Mars mission is often not the driving, it is the waiting. A rover can only do so much when every move must be planned from Earth, then checked, then sent back across a gap that can stretch communication delays to between four and 22 minutes one way. Moreover, limited data transfer and dangerous terrain make a cautious style of exploration necessary. As a result, rovers may cover only a few hundred meters in a day. A new stu…