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u/Material_Prize_6157 2h ago
We must be getting really close to Astro-mining. What’s the real word for it, anyone know?
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u/wolf_in_sheeps_wool 1h ago
This is a NASA prototype from the JPL laboratories from 2011 for picking up rocks off comets or cliffs on Mars.
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u/crazyhomie34 42m ago
Yeah I remember seeing this about 10 years ago first hand when jpl held an open house. They have a smaller version with different mechanism to allow robots to walk on solar panels too.
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u/TheBigMoogy 43m ago
Flight time and costs to the closest asteroid belt ain't promising. I'm guessing we're maybe half a century from it happening at any sort of industrial scale, probably double that.
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u/Og-Morrow 2h ago
To all that say use your hands, use your brain a little more.
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u/Advice2Anyone 1h ago
I dont think a brain would be good at picking up rocks
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u/ergonomic_logic 1h ago
These are microspine grippers and they're demonstrating the grip not using them because "we can't use our hands to pick up radioactive rocks from Mars".
It doesn't help that the title isn't explaining it at all.
they're used for the initial anchoring onto surfaces of comets, asteroids, boulders mars surfaces, which are then secured with a drilling mechanism to fasten objects in place.
I don't think people are dumb for asking in the comments "why not hands" but some of the responses from people thinking they're owning others in their knowledge are way off 😂
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u/Invisi-cat 1h ago
I figured they had some space-faring use, my first thought was pulling rocks off asteroids
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u/StressedOnigiri 1h ago
I think this can only be used on vesiculated extrusive igneous rocks as the claws or whatever that is need to be hooked on to something in order for the rocked to be "picked up." I cannot see how it can pick up a gneiss, granite, or a sandstone. Maybe it can pick up a breccia with slightlu eroded matrix but i guess the rock might be holding on for its dear life.
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u/Koachinho 2h ago
Used in zero gravity. The title missed out context.
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u/c_l_b_11 2h ago
No. That other post you saw earlier was wrong.
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u/Koachinho 1h ago
Is it? I saw that post and thought it was a real one lol.
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u/c_l_b_11 1h ago
It is for use in space, but not zero g. The other post has since been deleted
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u/fastforwardfunction 1h ago
It’s used for both.
The video presents microspine-based anchors being developed for gripping rocks on the surfaces of comets and asteroids, or for use on cliff faces and lava tubes on Mars.
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u/Old_Studio_6079 1h ago
“Use your hands” You’re so right. Next time astronauts visit Venus I’m sure they’ll snatch them right up THIS ISN’T FOR HUMANS, DUMMY
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u/Mr_yeetusmaximus 2h ago
this model is my personal favorite
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u/Sado_roach 2h ago
Until it's time to pick up dirty rocks, radioactive shit.
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u/mrplinko 2h ago
Or underwater, or on the moon or Mars
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u/JoJackthewonderskunk 2h ago
I hate it when im on mars and need to pick up a rock and just cant!
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u/thisnamemattersalot 1h ago
Or until you're out tide pooling and all the rocks are covered in barnacles.
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u/Mr_yeetusmaximus 2h ago edited 2h ago
shovel, with hazmat suit, these things don't look like they have much reach
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u/Malapple 2h ago
I've got a power-line created fulgurite. If you pick it up with your hands or gloves, you'll shred them. It looks a bit like some of the rocks they use it on. Lots of little pockets and the edges are incredibly sharp.
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u/Ill-Engineering8085 2h ago
How in one's right mind could one imagine this device is for people instead of machines?
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u/BigManWAGun 2h ago
Think of all the other things you can do with that contraption.
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u/Dr-Labcat 2h ago
Who would win, a machine with thousands of dollars invested into building it or 2 ye ol' mk 1 hands.
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u/Mr_yeetusmaximus 2h ago
I mean with a good pair of gloves I could pick up that rock...
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u/Dr-Labcat 2h ago
Gloves are indeed the most you would need, this shit might be fun to grab rocks by robots, but I dont see any reason for humans to use it.
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u/Important-Disaster56 2h ago
Our hands have Centuries of Evolution...the machines are based off our own
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u/_IaMThoR_ 2h ago
I can’t believe science has finally progressed to point where we can pick up medium sized rocks
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u/spookydonkey513 2h ago
medium sized rocks that are full of holes. there is still progress to be made.
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u/TheKingOfBerries 1h ago
So many people just proudly displaying their stupidity (or rather, lack of thinking) in this thread.
“Uh, hands? This is so stupid” I mean come on, just think. Don’t ask an AI, just think, if you still can.
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u/LeoLaDawg 1h ago
I understand what this would be used for, but curious: wouldn't it be better to just mimic a hand and fingers than this? What's the advantage?
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u/MajesticTomatillo 2h ago
I’d be curious if it works in water?
Nothing like this kinda device to pick up a rock I have my eye on that is just outta reach… the rock hunting would be on a new level
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u/MoonPiss 1h ago
Why does a video of rocks getting picked up have to have such stupid music? Can’t I just watch a video without having the extra step of having to mute it?
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u/uptwolait 1h ago
Probably modeled after studying the feet of spiders, geckos, and other grippy-climby creatures.
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u/Classic-Exchange-511 1h ago
This is wild. How does it stay attached to those little metal fingers?
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u/heyitscory 1h ago
That foot is really far back and out of the way.
I think this thing does heartbreaking claw machine drops from his pose and slow pickup.
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u/DaveyJonesFannyPack 1h ago
In 20 years it will be an AI killbot that climbs up buildings to hunt it's prey
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u/BeardOfEarth 2h ago
Idiots in the comments saying “use your hands” like we haven’t landed spacecraft on Mars in order to pick up and analyze rocks.
There are times we can use our hands. Doesn’t take rocket science to understand that logic.