Meet Valkyrie, The Humanoid Robot Being Developed For Mars Mission By UK Scientists [Video]

Valkyrie looks right out of Star Wars; however the humanoid robot is for real. Scientists from UK's University of Edinburgh, in collaboration with NASA, are reportedly developing the humanoid for space exploration, particularly the Mars mission.

The team of researchers is hopeful that the 6ft tall Valkyrie, which incidentally weighs just below 125kg, will be ready in five years for the Mars mission. The humanoid shares many similar traits with popular Star Wars character C-3PO, which includes the ability to walk on two legs and jointed arms and hands that can hold objects. The interesting part about the humanoid is that it is not being created for battle but rather to be a servant for the human astronauts who are speculated to reach Mars in the mid 2030s.

"At the moment the robot is a pretty basic shell which can walk up a set of three small steps and can reach out and grip something and pass it on to someone. It reacts if you push against it, either swaying or taking a step back," said Sethu Vijayakumar from the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics. "The big challenge will be getting Valkyrie to interact with people; you have to have some pretty adaptable algorithms. The dream is to have something that can be a co-worker for astronauts on space missions, for example."

The humanoid robot is the only one of its type in Europe and among the three prototypes on the globe. The basic hardware of the humanoid was built by NASA before being sent to the University of Edinburgh, which is known for creating advanced and smart robotic systems. The design for Valkyrie was specifically chosen to make it more convenient to work alongside humans, for example the humanoid doesn't need a distinct ramp to accommodate wheels.  

Valkyrie maintains walking balance through real time calculations on how to change the center of its mass position, which enables it to stand upright. The robot is fitted with a pair of stereoscopic camera that acts as its eyes. The belly of the humanoid is also equipped with cameras. A complex set of force sensors enable Valkyrie to react to pressure and touch. The humanoid robot cannot speak or hear, but it is equipped with a spinning laser radar or "Lidar" sensory system that helps it to calculate the distance to objects. Valkyrie has a total of 34 degrees of freedom regarding movement.

More complex capabilities will be added to the prototype in the next three years so that it is ready and efficient to work along with people by the time of the Mars mission. For now the scientists who are working on developing Valkyrie believe that the robot's potential is much more than space exploration, and it can be used for disaster and health care sectors.