Spherical Robots for Off-World Surface Exploration

This invention is a smart spherical robot for the intended use to perform rapid mapping, ground awareness, and synthesizing life-data for real-time use. The system is compact and is intended to withstand environments on other planets.

Background:

Rapid advancement in electronics, sensors, actuators, and power have resulted in shrinking devices and instruments for robotic application. Development of real-time geo-mapping is an application that will greatly benefit space exploration and provide safety within the defense industry. The need for real-time geo-mapping will greatly assist in both these industries by:

• Performing rapid mapping in real-time
• Performing ground situation awareness
• Synthesizing and making sense of the data acquired for predictive decision making
• Using more compact/less expensive controls, sensors, and cameras

Even though there is technology in the market that is capable of measurement with 360 degrees, there are limitations to the types of environments that this product can perform in. 

Applications:

• Space exploration
• Defense industry

Advantages:

• Inexpensive
• Rapid feedback on mapping surface
• Safety system