NASA Fashions Mountain-Climbing Robot

coondoggie writes "NASA researchers today said they had built and tested a robot that can rappel off cliffs, travel over steep and rocky terrain, and explore deep craters. The prototype rover, called Axel, might help future robotic spacecraft better explore and investigate foreign worlds such as Mars. On Earth, Axel might assist in search-and-rescue operations in locations where people might not be able to reach. Axel can operate upside down and right side up and uses only three motors: one to control each of its two wheels and a third to control a lever. The lever contains a scoop to gather lunar or planetary material for scientists to study, and it also adjusts the robot's two stereo cameras, which can tilt 360 degrees, NASA said."

Comments

Next Plan

[Van Cutter Romney]

Due to budget cuts and to save on fuel costs, Axel is designed to climb up Mt. Everest and blast off to outer space from there.

A serendipitous happenstance

[Cathoderoytube]

NASA was originally working on a standard walking robot for use delivering coffee and snacks to NASA employees. However, when it took a bad spill down five flights of stairs and was discovered to be still largely operational it was re-purposed as a 'mountain climbing robot'.

Re:Name origin?

[drinkypoo]

It's named after Axl Rose. After you hear the noise the winch makes you'll understand why.