Types of Robots
Contents
The Types of Robots needed for a Lunar Settlement
A fully functioning lunar settlement will require a great many types of robots. Here are a few ideas.
This list is based on the mining settlement described in Dr. Schmitt's book, "Return to the Moon". It is also intended for use in developing robot characters in stories about lunar settlements.
Physical Robots
General description:
- Most are rover types
- Wheeled base
- Camera eyes on an upright
- One or two arms
- Multiple tools for hands
- All outside robots wear protective coats to protect from dust and temperature
- All robots are largely controlled from Earth
- Called teleoperation
- They are capable of autonomous operation
- To address the communication delay
- 384,401 km / 299,793 km/sec = 1.28 sec each way
- This also lets them do minor tasks and keep themselves safe on their own
- A combination of a robot and its Earth-side human operator may be story character
- Some robots are safety buddies for all outside workers and tourists
- A robot may be associated with an avatar
- There will be no NG Star Trek Commander Data type robots for the foreseeable future!
- What they want: (these are built into their programs)
- Not to hurt people
- Not to be damaged
- Keep the He-3 production running
Sandworms:
- They are the big mining machines, called Sandworms
- They harvest helium-3
- They are huge
- They are ugly
- They have many moving parts
- They crawl forward slowly processing regolith at the rate of tons per hours
- One small sandworm digs trenches for new buildings
- This was the first one built
- It is 1/4 the size of the big ones
- A small rover robot is permanently attends each Sandworm
Construction, Production & Science:
- Some robots are trucks with boom arms
- Many may be cranes or other construction equipment
- Can carry massive material, equipment, and a few people
- Some fixed pieces of industrial equipment are robots too
- These have many moving parts and may have arms
- Some robots are stationed at the air lock doors
- Provide security
- Dust control by sweeping and inspection
- Some robots tend to or are science instruments
- One robot tends the amateur astronomy equipment
- Some small robots work inside cleaning up moon dust
Waldos
- These are a combination spacesuit and robot
- Controlled by person in spacesuit
- They can be run from Earth if necessary
- They augment the workers capabilities
- They are very strong, but move slowly
- They may have either legs or wheels
- Waldos were made famous in the movie "Aliens"
Avatars
- An Avatar is a computer generated persona that exists only in a computer or Personal electronic device
- They appear on your computer screen
- They talk to you
- They do your virtual bidding
- Many are game players
- They may have a job
- Teacher
- Personal assistant - interface with computer system
- They may look like:
- People, pets, dinosaurs, etc
- The Moon personified
- Some are a dead person
- This is controversial
- some people think it make the computers feel haunted
- Making one for a living person is unethical
- They may just be a pet.
- They have some artificial intelligence
- They may be associated with one computer terminal or one robot
- A ghost in the machine
- They may move around between machines to follow a person
- They give some people the creeps
- They want:
- Nothing
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