I started to answer my main inquiry question, but in the middle of class, Mrs Edwards told us to be more focused on our final products. So, I didn’t work on my main inquiry answer for a few days. I got carried away from my answer so I was a little behind, so this post, honestly, was late. I wrote an answer and talked to Mrs Edwards about it, and this is the outcome, and I hope you like it:
Main Inquiry Question: How are we using robots to explore underwater and space?
Humans risk their lives to explore underwater and space, but robots can help. Space and ocean exploration companies are building robots to take humans’ place in exploration. There are advantages and disadvantages to using robots that explore, but they are a big help for us.
Robots and Space Exploration
We are using robots more and more, instead of humans, to explore outer space because outer space is a dangerous environment for humans to explore. For example, outer space makes human bones frail, because there is no magnetic field in space,which our bodies are not used to. Also, we don’t waste a human’s life for exploration, and a robot’s loss compared to a human’s loss, is nothing. The last advantage is robots are faster and more efficient in observations and conclusions, they don’t need computers to certify information, they have it programmed.
Robots may cost a lot of money, but it is worth making a robot to explore unknown areas in space. For example, NASA has Launched a rover named “Spirit” which is $400 million! Spirit is also known as MER-A. Spirit was on Mars from 2004 to 2010. It was also one of the two rovers on NASA’s ongoing Mars Exploration Mission. It landed successfully on Mars at 04:35 Ground UTC on January 4, 2004, three weeks before its twin, Opportunity (MER-B), landed on the other side of the planet.
These robots use something called “vision-based estimation.” It is exactly what it sounds like. The robots have a sensor on them and when the laser hits a rock or something, the robot estimates that an object is there. Robots sometimes collect samples when they come back, and they bring back dirt samples, or rock samples.
The bad thing about robot exploration in space, according to Dr. Gans, an Assistant Professor with the Department of Electrical Engineering at University of Texas, is that the robot’s exact location can’t be exact. If the robot finds something, we have no idea where it is on the planet. Another disadvantage is, sending robots into space doesn’t catch the public attention in the same way human exploration does. The last disadvantage for robotic exploration is that if the robot malfunctions, no one is there to fix it.
But still, outer space is very dangerous for humans, and for robots, the only thing we need to worry about the robot is it getting lost, while humans need water, air, and food.
Robots and Underwater Exploration
One advantage is that it is no humans are harmed while exploring. Another advantage is that . The last advantage is that
We use robots for underwater exploration because places really deep in the ocean, and humans can’t go there because there is a lot of water pressure, and the pressure can crush our lungs!!! That’s crazy! But robots can go there. Robots can go to the bottom of the deepest oceans, to explore the ocean. Robots don’t need any air to breath like humans. Robots can go down for much more time and deeper than a human can, as long as it has enough energy, and hopefully it doesn’t malfunctions. Additionally, underwater robots have a camera on them, so they can take pictures or videos. For example, a humanoid robot named OceanOne, “who” is controlled by humans with joysticks, made by Stanford University, explored an ancient shipwreck in 1664 called LaLune, and collected treasures from King Louis XIV. OceanOne has cameras for eyes, while the Stanford researchers have gloves that replicate what the robot is doing underwater.
The bad thing about robot exploration is, it may get damaged. For example, while it is underwater, some water may get into the “brain” of the robot, and break it. Another disadvantage for underwater robots is that the water blocks out the signal if we try to contact the robot, so we can’t use GPS. This means we have no idea where the robot is exploring exactly. The last disadvantage is that sometimes the robot can break for no reason, and we don’t know what happened or when it happened.
Conclusion
What do you think is more helpful, underwater exploration, or space exploration? My opinion is underwater, because the ocean is part of our planet, and earth is 96.5% water, so I think we should finish exploring our own planet before we go far out in space. But that is only my opinion about it. You might think space is more important for different reasons. Again, that was only my opinion, and you might be thinking something different, but overall, both are important in some way.
Robots are a big help to us for exploration in the ocean and space, but in the future, little robots, called nanobots, will actually be saving human lives. Nanobots are small enough to go inside our bodies, and fix a disease, or infection, or whatever is wrong in your body.
In conclusion, even though their use isn’t perfect, robots are a big help for exploration in space and underwater. Robots help us a lot today, but imagine what they will be able to do in the future.
I was pretty proud of my work, and I hope it pays off, because I worked really hard for it, and now, all I have to finish is my Final Product.
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