robotics – My WordPress Site

Legged robot performing analogue tests in Marslabor at the University of Basel. Credit: Dr Tomaso Bontognali.

Analog Studies, Artemis & Lunar Exploration, Astrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains & Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

Legged Robot Could Accelerate Resource Prospecting On The Moon And The Search For Life On Mars

by Keith CowingApril 1, 2026April 1, 2026

Planetary surface missions currently operate cautiously. On Mars, communication delays between Earth and rovers (typically between four and 22 minutes), as well as data transfer constraints due to uplink and downlink limitations, force scientists to plan operations in advance.

Robot experiment (Credit: Chuo University)

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Analog Studies, Artemis & Lunar Exploration, Away Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains & Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Tricorders & Sensors

ISAS/JAXA Campaign Using A Swarm Of Small Robots

by Keith CowingMarch 23, 2026March 23, 2026

Remotely operated vehicle MiniROV in a simulated environment during the training of the Deployable AI developed as part of the Deployable Artificial Intelligence for Exploration and Discovery in the Deep Sea project. Image courtesy of Deployable Artificial Intelligence for Exploration and Discovery in the Deep Sea/MBARI. Download largest version (jpg, 405 KB).

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains & Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Deployable Artificial Intelligence for Exploration and Discovery in the Deep Sea

by Keith CowingFebruary 18, 2026February 18, 2026

Xiaoyue Ni watches a robotic fish with a reprogrammable tail swim in a fish tank. The proof-of-demonstration could lead to materials with reprogrammable material properties that could function inside of human bodies or electronics. -- Duke University

Exploration Gear & Tech, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

Programmable Lego-like Material Emulates Life’s Flexibility

by Keith CowingFebruary 11, 2026February 11, 2026

This annotated orbital image depicts the AI-planned (depicted in magenta) and actual (orange) routes the Perseverance Mars rover took during its Dec. 10, 2025, drive at Jezero Crater. The drive was the second of two demonstrations showing that generative AI could be incorporated into rover route planning. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UofA

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Desert Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Mars, Missions & Hardware, People Of Astrobiology, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return

Perseverance Rover Completes First AI-Planned Drive on Mars

by Keith CowingJanuary 31, 2026January 31, 2026

Proof of life module physical hardware on rover chassis-- astro-ph.EP

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Mars, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Tricorders & Sensors

Tricorder Tech: Autonomous Mars Rover Module for Soil Sampling and Life Component Analysis

by Keith CowingJanuary 27, 2026January 27, 2026

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover captured this view of a location nicknamed “Mont Musard” on Sept. 8, 2025. Made up of three images, the panorama also captures another region, “Lac de Charmes,” where the rover’s team will be looking for more rock core samples to collect in the year ahead. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS (sky modified by Astrobiology.com) Full Image Details

Astrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

Perseverance Can Continue To Operate On Mars Until At Least 2031

by Keith CowingDecember 17, 2025December 18, 2025

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) through the Mars Exploration Program (MEP) within the Planetary Science Division (PSD) intends to add a new program element under the Planetary Science Division (PSD) in the ROSES-2025 solicitation entitled Science Transport & Robotic Innovation for Deployment and Exploration (STRIDE).

Exploration Gear & Tech, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return

NASA SMD: Advance Notice of Intent to Solicit: Science Transport & Robotic Innovation for Deployment and Exploration (STRIDE)

by Keith CowingDecember 17, 2025December 17, 2025

The Teledyne Marine-Rutgers University Sentinel Redwing autonomous underwater vehicle is embarking on an underwater journey that could be a world first: circumnavigating the globe. -- Teledyne Marine

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Missions & Hardware, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Tricorders & Sensors, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

An Autonomous Robotic Glider Will Circle And Explore Our Ocean Planet

by Keith CowingOctober 29, 2025October 29, 2025

For the second stage of our analysis pipeline, outputs were further evaluated using a livability index L (scaled between 0 and 1). Among the 51 Mars-positive samples, the mean livability index was 0.417, with scores clustering at a midrange band of 0.31-0.48 (Table 5). These results suggest that most images were neutrally classified with the model neither stating high nor low livability rates across the tested data. Dust warnings were found to be common, with twenty-four samples flagged as “Warning” , twenty-five as “Caution” , and two as “Severe” (Table 6). -- eartharxiv.org

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Tricorders & Sensors

A Computer Vision Framework For Estimating Surface Habitability From Mars Using Convolutional Analysis

by Keith CowingOctober 28, 2025October 28, 2025