Controlling Humanoids

A recent study by NASA revealed that virtual reality could be used by the scientists to control robots in space. Currently, the scientists in NASA are training human operators to control humanoids outside the earth’s atmosphere.

According to the scientists, although the robonauts have been sent to space before, controlling them from the earth has been a problem. NASA is currently working on a project called the Mighty Morphenaut that aims to train an operator for controlling a robot in space. A demo designed specifically for this purpose has an operator controlling a robot aboard a space shuttle. The operator has to get a task done through the robot such as flipping a switch or manoeuvre around floating obstacles at a safe distance.

Operators control the robots by wearing a virtual reality headset over their heads that allows them to see what the robot sees and they are able to control robonauts’ hands by using a controller.