NeBula-SPOT
Explores complex environments without human guidance
Robot Statistics
Ability
Walking
Movement
Legged, Moving
Status
In DevelopmentPotential Destinations
Mars, Moon
Animal Analog: Dog
About NeBula-SPOT
This four-legged explorer prototype combines autonomy "smarts" provided by JPL with a doglike walker called NeBula-SPOT, built by Boston Dynamics. Subterranean Spot was developed in response to the Subterranean Challenge, a contest sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Autonomous
This electronic canine was designed to demonstrate the autonomy needed to navigate extreme environments without human guidance or access to GPS.
Future Spelunker
Mapping caves on the Moon or Mars could identify good shelters for future astronauts. Moreover, if it exists at all, microbial life has a better chance of survival under the surface of Mars or within the icy seas of planetary moons, like Europa, Enceladus and Titan. NASA wants to search for life in
Collaborative SubTerranean Autonomous Robots (CoSTAR) is developing robots that can autonomously explore caves, pits, tunnels and other subsurface terrain. Watch the team and their squad of robots prepare for the DARPA Subterranean Challenge Urban Circuit during a practice run at Elma High School in Elma, Washington, in the days leading up to the competition.
Image gallery
