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News Release 11-129

NSF Leads Interagency Collaboration to Develop Advanced Robotics

Working together, NASA, NIH, NSF and USDA will accelerate the development and use of co-robots in the U.S. that work cooperatively with people

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Photo of a snake robot.

Carnegie Mellon University is developing snake robots that can be used for search-and-rescue, inspection and even surgical applications.

Credit: CMU


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Photo of a disabled person piloting a robotic mobility and manipulation system to open frig door.

With the help of a remote human assistant, a person with disabilities pilots a robotic mobility and manipulation system, and opens a refrigerator door to retrieve a pre-prepared meal from home. Cooperative control leaves people with disabilities in command, and the ability to use the capabilities of both the local pilot and remote human assistant enable safe, effective and efficient operation of the robotic system in natural environments.

Credit: Rory Cooper, Department of Veterans Affairs and University of Pittsburgh


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Photo of dexterous humanoid helper Robonaut 2 with Scott Kelly in International Space Station lab.

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, Expedition 26 commander, poses with Robonaut2, the dexterous humanoid astronaut helper, in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.

Credit: NASA


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Photo of Cave Crawler, which autonomously maps underground mines and aids in rescue missions.

Carnegie Mellon University's Cave Crawler is a research robot designed to autonomously map underground mines and to aid in rescue missions underground.

Credit: CMU


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Photo of the legged robot Dante II, which explored and sampled an active volcano.

The legged robot Dante II, built by Carnegie Mellon University and sponsored by NASA, explored and sampled the active volcano at Alaska's Mt. Spurr in 1993.

Credit: CMU


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Photo of the Finch, a robot used to help teach students computer programming.

The National Science Foundation supported Carnegie Mellon University's development of the Finch, a robot used to help teach students computer programming.

Credit: CMU


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