NASA’s Robonaut 2 presenter discusses how to design a humanoid robot for safe, useful work alongside astronauts at Kennedy Space Center.
R2 was designed to move at speeds and through joint motions similar to a person, so it can use familiar tools and workspaces. Its range of motion exceeds a human’s in some ways, including wrist rotation, and its hands can manipulate objects with varied grasp forces.
Unlike industrial robots built mainly for precise positioning, R2 senses forces and can change its stiffness. The presenter demonstrates that its palm can resist movement while its elbow remains more flexible, helping the robot guide a peg into a hole without building up large contact forces.
The presenter explains that force sensing and compliance let people work close to R2 without the cages used around many factory robots. He says he can stop its moving arm by hand, while noting that its 50-pound arms could still cause injury if they struck someone against a hard surface.
R2 was built to manipulate light objects, including blankets and envelopes that shift shape and position. The demonstration also compares human strength with robot endurance: R2 moves a 20-pound weight, and can hold difficult positions longer than a person even though its strength per pound is lower.
A handshake demonstrates how R2 senses the force applied to and by its hand. The presenter describes the interaction as a leader and follower taking turns, using the same force-awareness that supports work with objects and people.
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