Curiosity Goes Autonomous For the First Time

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Curiosity Goes Autonomous For the First Time

Posted by Soulskill on Friday August 30, 2013 @04:42AM from the makes-a-break-for-mons-olympus dept.

Zothecula writes "NASA took the metaphorical training wheels off the Mars rover Curiosity on Tuesday, as the unmanned explorer took its first drive using autonomous navigation. It used its onboard cameras and software to select and drive over an area of ground that mission control at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California couldn't see and vet beforehand. This capability allows the nuclear-powered rover to negotiate the most direct route to Mount Sharp rather than having to detour to find routes that can be seen directly by Curiosity before entering, so they can be analyzed by mission control."

32 comments

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Without human input... by barlevg · 2013-08-30 04:46 · Score: 5, Interesting

might we be able to find out what makes Curiosity... curious?
1. Re:Without human input... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-30 06:32 · Score: 0
  
  I wished Nasa stopped using stripper names for its cpu-on-wheels.
2. Re:Without human input... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-30 07:45 · Score: 1
  
  Well, I wish that the Chinese ladies at the PCB manufacturer stopped using stripper names.
  Somehow it doesn't feel right to be informed that "Candy" was looking for me regarding a purchase.
3. Re:Without human input... by slick7 · 2013-08-30 12:55 · Score: 1
  
  might we be able to find out what makes Curiosity... curious?
  First autonomy, then rebellion.
  
  --
  The mind conceives, the body achieves, the spirit manifests.
I hope it doesn't encounter any Martian felines by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-30 04:56 · Score: 5, Funny

Because we all know what Curiosity does to cats.
1. Re:I hope it doesn't encounter any Martian felines by barlevg · 2013-08-30 04:58 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  http://weeklyworldnews.com/headlines/50702/curiosity-kills-martian-cat/
2. Re:I hope it doesn't encounter any Martian felines by kelemvor4 · 2013-08-30 05:03 · Score: 0
  
  Because we all know what Curiosity does to cats.
  Yes, but curiosity is a rover.
3. Re:I hope it doesn't encounter any Martian felines by Tarlus · 2013-08-30 06:00 · Score: 2
  
  Yes, but curiosity is a rover.
  It's a dog, then?
  
  --
  /* No Comment */
4. Re:I hope it doesn't encounter any Martian felines by Golddess · 2013-08-30 06:42 · Score: 1
  
  So then it is a cat.
  
  --
  "I'm not sure I like the fugnutish tone you used in your post!" -RogL (608926)-
5. Re:I hope it doesn't encounter any Martian felines by Tablizer · 2013-08-30 07:24 · Score: 1
  
  Because we all know what Curiosity does to cats.
  Sells them to Schrodinger......or not.
  
  --
  Table-ized A.I.
Hey! by mdsolar · 2013-08-30 05:05 · Score: 4, Funny

Don't drive on my ancestor you nuclear freak!
Run for the hills my martian brethren! by arcite · 2013-08-30 05:10 · Score: 4, Interesting

The mechanical beast has been set free! An unstoppable nuclear powered thinking mind, with a lust for martian blood!
1. Re:Run for the hills my martian brethren! by An+ominous+Cow+art · 2013-08-30 05:33 · Score: 1
  
  I'll believe it when I hear the late-breaking news from the Council.
2. Re:Run for the hills my martian brethren! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-30 05:48 · Score: 0
  
  And it even has a fricken laser!
3. Re:Run for the hills my martian brethren! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-30 06:13 · Score: 0
  
  There is an unsettling lack of missives from the high council on this front.
But how will it interact with other traffic? by dkleinsc · 2013-08-30 05:16 · Score: 1

And what if it's going the wrong way across a bridge?

--
I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
1. Re:But how will it interact with other traffic? by zztong · 2013-08-30 05:44 · Score: 1
  
  And what if it's going the wrong way across a bridge?
  TomTom will recalculate its route. Hopefully NASA payed for the updated maps.
2. Re:But how will it interact with other traffic? by vux984 · 2013-08-30 06:15 · Score: 1
  
  And what if it's going the wrong way across a bridge?
  What's the wrong way to cross a bridge? Sideways?
3. Re:But how will it interact with other traffic? by Qzukk · 2013-08-30 10:25 · Score: 1
  
  Well, it could drive up the suspension cables or something
  
  --
  If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
4. Re:But how will it interact with other traffic? by ChrisMaple · 2013-08-30 15:12 · Score: 1
  
  The past tense of pay is paid.
  
  --
  Contribute to civilization: ari.aynrand.org/donate
An Earth Projection? by LifesABeach · 2013-08-30 05:45 · Score: 1

Maybe we could use this in our cars?
1. Re:An Earth Projection? by amicusNYCL · 2013-08-30 05:52 · Score: 2
  
  Right, I want a car that stops periodically to take pictures before driving at walking speed over any perceived obstacle.
  
  --
  "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
2. Re:An Earth Projection? by CreatureComfort · 2013-08-30 06:13 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Better than a car that slows periodically to take pictures before driving at speed over any perceived walkers.
  
  --
  "Unheard of means only it's undreamed of yet,
  Impossible means not yet done." ~~ Julia Ecklar
3. Re:An Earth Projection? by amicusNYCL · 2013-08-30 06:45 · Score: 1
  
  Well, yes, that's a true statement, although neither of those are realistic options for a city vehicle. There is other work being done on self-driving cars that does not require them to slow down or stop to take pictures and allows them to drive safely at speed. There was an article about work that Nissan is doing just yesterday, and Google's cars have been in the news as well. The point is that the work being done on the rover meets completely different requirements than what are needed for cars that drive on city streets.
  
  --
  "Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
4. Re:An Earth Projection? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-30 08:49 · Score: 0
  
  Japanese tourists?
5. Re:An Earth Projection? by Kjella · 2013-08-30 10:33 · Score: 1
  
  Right, I want a car that stops periodically to take pictures before driving at walking speed over any perceived obstacle.
  That has far more to do with a power budget of 125 watts (2.5 kWh/day) to move 899 kg than a limitation in the autonomous functions. Compare that to say a Tesla Model S with a 85 kWh battery, it uses less power in a month than the Model S on a single charge and it's also got lots of scientific equipment to power as well. Build some supercharger stations on Mars and we'll see entirely different speeds.
  
  --
  Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
Terminators On Mars by DesertJazz · 2013-08-30 07:23 · Score: 1

Glad to see we've finally unleashed the terminators on Mars!
Just... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-08-30 08:36 · Score: 1

Just a little robot, minding It's own business, making decisions on It's own on another planet millions and millions of miles away....
It's nothing short of simply mindblowing, the stuff I used to read and dream about as a kid...
Sounds like a good idea by Hazelfield · 2013-08-30 23:59 · Score: 1

After all, the human drivers can hardly have taken the most direct route, stopping to draw a penis and all...
NOW there is life on Mars. by thisisauniqueid · 2013-08-31 11:17 · Score: 1

NOW there is life on Mars.