Let the robots take the strain

Robotics engineer Thomas Krueger, heading ESA’s Human Robot Interaction Laboratory, adds: “Robots can be given limited autonomy in known, structured environments, but for systems carrying out exploratory tasks such as sample collection in unknown, unstructured environments some kind of ‘human-in-the-loop’ oversight becomes essential. But direct control has not been feasible due to the inherent problem of signal delay – with transmission times constrained by the speed of light.

“So we have been working towards the concept of humans staying safely and comfortably in orbit around the Moon, Mars or other planetary bodies, but being close enough for direct oversight of rovers on the surface – combining the human strengths of flexibility and improvisation with a robust, dexterous robot on the spot to carry out their commands precisely.”