rovers stories

NASA's totally radical lander uses skateboards as feet

Kevin Hall
Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 8:47am
 
NASA really is trying everything in its quest to build better robotic craft. Wasn't too long ago that the space agency tried bean bag wheels. Now, it's duct-taped skateboards to a lander's legs to allow it to ollie across the surface of distant planets (or, in this case, help test it here on Earth).

Squishy beanbag-like wheels can roll over anything

Kevin Hall
Monday, January 3, 2011 - 1:12pm
 
Remember that balloon-like robot hand that could pick up everything even without fingers? Engineers in Canada are taking a similar approach in redesigning the wheels for rovers headed to other planets, using a beanbag-like form that would be able to tackle all kinds of terrain.