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NASA's Robonaut 2 Can't Use Its Space Legs Upgrade

Posted by Soulskill on from the safety-mechanism-to-prevent-it-from-killing-all-humans dept.

BarbaraHudson writes: Robonaut 2, now in orbit on board the International Space Station, has run into problems with the software controlling its new legs. From the article: "The machine ran into a few technical errors. According to NASA, the ground teams deployed Robonaut's software and received telemetry from the robot, but were unable to obtain the correct commands for the leg movement, which are vital to performing every day tasks aboard the International Space Station. Ground teams have begun assessing how to move forward with this issue, though it is unclear if they currently have a fix in mind."

58 comments

  1. Update failure on Patch Tuesday? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ummm, don't use Windows?

    1. Re:Update failure on Patch Tuesday? by davester666 · · Score: 1

      Should have hired Canada to make it!

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
  2. Tech Support: by Tablizer · · Score: 2

    "We can fix it, but it's gonna cost you an arm and a leg."

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
    1. Re:Tech Support: by Virtucon · · Score: 2

      "Have you tried turning off and back on?"

      --
      Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
    2. Re:Tech Support: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe NASA should hire real Software Engineers and quit thinking that Mechanical Engineers can write software...and oh yeah, maybe some testing would be useful.

    3. Re:Tech Support: by product_bucket · · Score: 3, Funny

      /dev/ttyACM0 not found
      This program requires root priveliges to access legs.
      unable to run... using lateral undulation instead

    4. Re:Tech Support: by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      Tech-support tells the astronauts to "re-boot" the legs, and they put a new set of boots on it.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    5. Re:Tech Support: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      unable to laugh, using the roflcopter move instead :P :D

  3. Sad. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Will they have to shoot it?

  4. Yeah, so? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Toss it out the airlock and 3D print a new one!

    Wadda ya got up there, Luddites?

    1. Re:Yeah, so? by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

      Toss it out the airlock and 3D print a new one!

      Give a hoot, don't pollute LEO.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    2. Re:Yeah, so? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >Give a hoot, don't pollute LEO.

      too fucking late.

  5. Fix/rewrite the software? by TWX · · Score: 2

    Wouldn't it simply be a matter of fixing or rewriting the software for the legs?

    Worst case, if somehow the wiring for the legs is wrong, the astronauts should have some complex device, called a multimeter, to figure out how the legs ARE wired, if it comes down to that.

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    1. Re:Fix/rewrite the software? by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      Or maybe they should remove the legs and re-install them. They were originally installed by astronauts in the space station - maybe someone made a mistake? Or some thin flexible printed wiring (like used to connect the laptop keyboard to the motherboard) broke.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    2. Re:Fix/rewrite the software? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't they have a 3d printer? Up/download some new legs. And a bike!

  6. Does Robonaut not have a backup? by Virtucon · · Score: 1

    Go back to version 1.0 Firmware? No?

    --
    Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
    1. Re:Does Robonaut not have a backup? by neo-mkrey · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Never trust Version 1.0 of anything.

    2. Re:Does Robonaut not have a backup? by Virtucon · · Score: 2

      I can't remember. Does that version have the "Kill all humans" command built-in?

      --
      Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
    3. Re:Does Robonaut not have a backup? by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 3, Funny

      I can't remember. Does that version have the "Kill all humans" command built-in?

      Hard to tell - we can't seem to locate any of the coders who wrote it.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    4. Re:Does Robonaut not have a backup? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why're ya avoiding & downmodding this Barb http://slashdot.org/comments.p... ? You troll apk http://tech.slashdot.org/comme... n' you can't back it up? Yes.

  7. V.I.N.C.E.N.T. didn't need legs! by Thud457 · · Score: 1

    What's a space-robot need freakin' legs for?
    Piece of junk, throw 'im in a Black Hole!

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    1. Re:V.I.N.C.E.N.T. didn't need legs! by tepples · · Score: 1

      What's a space-robot need freakin' legs for?

      That's what I was thinking. If they can't get the legs working, it should still be possible to do science, pitch a tent, do gymnastics, swing like Spider-Man...

    2. Re:V.I.N.C.E.N.T. didn't need legs! by cusco · · Score: 1

      What I want to know is when it changed from being "in orbit" to being "on orbit" and why? You can certainly be in a certain orbit, but AFAIK it's impossible to be on an orbit. For some bizarre reason the latter has become more popular the last few years.

      --
      "Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
    3. Re:V.I.N.C.E.N.T. didn't need legs! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, when speaking of a particular orbit, 'on orbit' is correct, just as 'on course' is correct.

  8. Lieutenant Robonaut by stimpleton · · Score: 2

    Robonaut, you got new legs!

    --

    In post Patriot Act America, the library books scan you.
    1. Re:Lieutenant Robonaut by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Robonaut, you got new legs!

      "Custom-made titanium alloy. It's what they use on the space shuttle. " ...and now the the space station apparently.

    2. Re:Lieutenant Robonaut by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Came here for Lieutenant Dan reference, Slashdotters did not disappoint.

  9. Telemetry from Robonaut says: by nytes · · Score: 1

    "Doc, I can't feel my legs!"

    --
    -- I have monkeys in my pants.
    1. Re: Telemetry from Robonaut says: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "My veels. I can't move my veels."

  10. We can rebuild him... by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

    We have the technology. We can make him better than he was. Better...stronger...faster. Wait, only six million? He already costs 17 million and his legs don't even work! Budget cuts?! FORGET IT! PROJECT OVER! *flips table over*

    btw, to date his full cost is in fact $17 million.

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:We can rebuild him... by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1

      Well, at least it's less than $6 billion.

  11. Daddy! I can't feel my legs! by Irate+Engineer · · Score: 1

    Shouldn't have skimped on the code.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2XvxDaIwCw

    --

    Left MS Windows for Linux Mint and never looked back!

    Vote for Bernie in 2016!

  12. I've seen this a million times. by Drunkulus · · Score: 1

    It's a Ruby app running on Ubuntu, and Puppet overwrote the new configs.

    1. Re:I've seen this a million times. by tepples · · Score: 1

      Then perhaps you need to install Real Boy instead of Puppet.

    2. Re:I've seen this a million times. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah Real Boy is the way to go now. I tried building it but it segfaults:
      http_parse.c:1564: internal compiler error: Segmentation fault
      terminate called after throwing an instance of 'std::logic_error'
          what(): basic_string::_S_construct NULL not valid
      Any ideas? I'm running the latest Ubuntu (Feisty Fanboi) in Docker.

  13. Support contract by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Simply call the support number. "Your call is very important to us, stay on the line and the next support technician will answer your call. We are experiencing higher than normal call volume, please stay on the line, and have your customer ID and serial number and support contract number available for the operator. In the meantime, simply go to our website to find an answer to the most frequent legs problem there. Call volume is normally lower on Monday mornings at 7:03 AM, UTC. If your Space Robot is no longer under warranty, please call 1 800-Get Fucked, to arrange for a new support contract.

  14. Trolling apk again's your mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why're ya avoiding this Barb http://slashdot.org/comments.p... ? You troll apk http://tech.slashdot.org/comme... n' you can't back it up? Yes. You're also a mistake of nature. A genetic abberation (bad code so to speak) to start with since you've admitted you were a woman in a man's body. Did you do something about that? Yes, a bigger mistake. You're trying to be a woman, and you're not. Can you bear children from inside yourself? No. You're a fake. Just like you were as a coder or computer pro since apk's making mincemeat out of you again for trolling him and all you can manage is to run, troll. Hahahahaha!

    1. Re:Trolling apk again's your mistake by radtea · · Score: 1

      I'm a deaf person in a hearing person's body and a myopic person's body. There are technological fixes for those things, and I apply them. I don't see why other people with different problems than mine shouldn't apply technological fixes to their issues.

      But of course there are always going to be those who scream "FOUR EYES" and otherwise bully the kid with glasses, or hearing aids, or is otherwise using technology to help them be functional and happy in this crazy old world.

      Unfortunately, we don't have a technological fix for bitterness and hatred just yet, and people who are full of hatred and bitterness would be unlikely to use it if we did, as they seem to like their bitterness and hatred, which is rather sad, really.

      --
      Blasphemy is a human right. Blasphemophobia kills.
    2. Re:Trolling apk again's your mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You conveniently overlook BarbaraHudson started it and is being finished by her own stupidity.

    3. Re:Trolling apk again's your mistake by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dude, APK. Nobody's conveniently over looking anything. You've been wining the "who's the biggest jackass" contest on the internet for years - hell friend you're famous for it. It's like the god-damned hosts file man, it's not wrong to use a hosts file as a blacklist it's just unorthodox, but instead of just admitting that you were being a little weird and you're hardly the only one to use that solution - you fought - you fought everyone, all the time, long after the gist of the argument is over you roam around the net looking for the last person you were arguing with so you can bring up old shit that really should be left alone. And what you're saying isn't "Hey Barb, I think you were wrong about that last thing we were arguing about", no what you're doing is cyberstalking your debate opponent and assaulting them with hate speech. And fuck man, I didn't even have to look, to know what you're arguing about, it's the fucking hosts file, it's always the fucking hosts file, it's been the hosts file - you vs the internet for over 10 years now.

  15. Why? Look at the results BarbaraHudson got by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject and you tell me http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net...

    1. Re:Why? Look at the results BarbaraHudson got by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hahahahahaha

  16. WTF? by SuperDre · · Score: 1

    How can such a blunder even happen? They did test it rigorously on an identical robot here on earth, or is that something they just completely forgot...
    This is something that should just never have happened.. what kind of amateurs are they..

  17. Wide Eyed and Legless... by advocate_one · · Score: 1

    I've gone and done it again...

    --
    Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
  18. Um, this is zero g. NO one needs legs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They should have put another two arms on, like a chimp has. At least they could be useful instead of hanging there and doing nothing.

    This has to be more of a PR thing than anything else, as any decent engineer would have abandoned the human frame completely. No gravity means no need for legs.

  19. Help! I've fallen and I can't get up! by smooth+wombat · · Score: 1

    Oh wait, this is space.

    Never mind.

    --
    We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
  20. Waste of money by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    NASA has spent billion on this and other ISS toys all the while ignoring planetary missions such as a Europa missions. Only after intense pressure from the public (and the Planetary Society) did they finally release a few dollars for Europa.

  21. A kick and a curse... by courcoul · · Score: 1

    Bang on it with a crescent wrench....

    Solved the problem in Armageddon, didn't it?

  22. Typo by azav · · Score: 1

    It's everyday* tasks, not every day tasks.

    Everyday is an adjective meaning commonplace.

    --
    - Zav - Imagine a Beowulf cluster of insensitive clods...
  23. Barb says hosts = crappy, trolling? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why're ya avoiding & downmodding this Barb http://slashdot.org/comments.p... ? You troll apk http://tech.slashdot.org/comme... n' can't back it up? Yes. Barb's clearly trolling: If she can't take it and prove her 'point' (obviously not from the downmods but not proving apk wrong) then don't dish it out. Go away Barb. Your ac replies = crappy. Not hosts.

  24. In other news, NASA has renamed said device.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Robo-Not.

  25. Nobody's proved apk wrong on hosts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Barb trolled him on hosts + lost after she started with apk. Apk just levelled that known troll easily.