1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,800 You know, we use the word system to describe something that is made up of different parts 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,480 that must work together in order for the system to function. 3 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:14,480 A car, it's a mechanical system, and it's made up of different parts, like an engine, 4 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,480 the body, the doors, and the wheels. 5 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:22,400 Each part can't get you where you want to go, but when the parts work together as a 6 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,400 mechanical system, you can go places with it. 7 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,800 The International Space Station is also a mechanical system, with parts in it that work 8 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:30,800 together as a whole. 9 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:36,360 Say, do you know how busy the astronauts are on board the International Space Station? 10 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:42,120 Well, let me tell you, each astronaut conducts hundreds of experiments for scientists in 11 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:47,320 the United States and in many other countries, so they could use a little help. 12 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:52,760 Now, let's go to NASA Ames Research Center and meet engineer Yuri Gaudiak, who thought 13 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:54,680 of a way to help the astronauts. 14 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:59,120 Yuri, tell us about how you're going to help the astronauts on station. 15 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:03,520 Well, in addition to doing experiments, the astronauts have to do a lot of logistics, 16 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,760 inventory tracking, air samples, and water samples. 17 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:10,440 So as a research team, we wanted to help offload those activities. 18 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:15,320 So we developed a robot that we were inspired by, by Star Trek with the tricorder, and by 19 00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:17,360 Star Wars with a floating orb. 20 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:22,440 And what we added to that was the ability to do scheduling, procedures, training, and 21 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:24,520 also environmental sensing. 22 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:29,000 And we wanted it to be mobile so it could go follow the crew or go off on its own and 23 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,880 actually monitor by itself. 24 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,120 So what we developed is the Personal Satellite Assistant. 25 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:36,680 Yuri, that is so cool. 26 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:44,780 You know, let's find out more about this robot that NASA is building to help the astronauts. 27 00:01:44,780 --> 00:01:49,520 As you watch the program, think about your robot as a system and the parts it will need 28 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,400 in order to perform the tasks you assign to it. 29 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:58,000 Now, guys, this is the PSA, or Personal Satellite Assistant Laboratory, here at the NASA Ames 30 00:01:58,000 --> 00:01:59,200 Research Center. 31 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:00,760 And this is Dr. Keith Niswander. 32 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:01,760 Hi. 33 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:02,760 How are you, Keith? 34 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:03,760 Good. 35 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:04,760 Tell us, what will the PSA be able to do? 36 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:09,280 Well, the PSA will be able to check the inventory, the temperature, the air pressure, and air 37 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:11,200 composition on the space station. 38 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:15,600 It needs to move around by itself in microgravity, avoid things that get in its way, and communicate 39 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,480 with computers and people, like mission control and astronauts. 40 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:23,160 It must also understand the astronauts' commands and let the astronauts know when something 41 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:24,160 needs to be addressed. 42 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:29,200 So, Keith, it sounds like the PSA is a system that's made up of many other systems that 43 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:30,200 all must work together. 44 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:31,200 That's right. 45 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:32,840 A lot of this work has never been done before. 46 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,960 We've never had a robot that flies around by itself in microgravity with humans for 47 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:41,080 long periods of time and knows what to do and understands what you say. 48 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,080 What is microgravity? 49 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,560 Microgravity means that you feel very little of the force of gravity because the ISS and 50 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,120 everything in it is in free fall as the ISS revolves around the Earth. 51 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:51,480 Want to learn more about microgravity? 52 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,840 Well, then check out the NASA Connect program, Who Added the Micro to Gravity? 53 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:56,840 Now back to the PSA. 54 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:01,920 The PSA has a propulsion system, a sensor system for measuring things like temperature 55 00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:04,240 and pressure and detecting obstacles. 56 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,440 There's also a navigation system for knowing where it is in the station and knowing how 57 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:09,160 to get from place to place. 58 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:13,320 It also has an artificial intelligence system so it can make decisions and a communication 59 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,880 system so it can communicate with astronauts and ground control. 60 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:22,360 How will the PSA see where it's going so it can avoid obstacles that may get in its way? 61 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:25,760 The PSA will use proximity sensors to tell if something is nearby. 62 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:27,760 All these little holes are sensors. 63 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,000 We're using sonar or sound waves. 64 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,000 Sonar. 65 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:36,000 Isn't that what bats use to navigate and what whales and dolphins use to locate schools 66 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:37,000 of fish? 67 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:38,720 Yeah, it's the same idea. 68 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:42,560 The PSA also has four pairs of cameras for stereo vision. 69 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:44,240 What is stereo vision? 70 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:46,840 Well, two eyes enable depth perception. 71 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,920 With only one eye, it's difficult to tell how far away something is. 72 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:52,520 Most animals have two eyes. 73 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:57,600 The PSA has eight cameras which serve as eyes to perceive depth all around it. 74 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,280 Cameras will also be used to show mission control what's happening on the space station 75 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:04,520 and allow video conferencing with the astronauts. 76 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,000 The PSA also has a thermal imager that looks for hot spots. 77 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,960 This is very important for doing things like looking for an overheating rack. 78 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:15,240 The PSA will also have a laser pointer on it that can be controlled from the ground. 79 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,640 Engineers on the ground will be able to point to things on the space station and the astronauts 80 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:20,000 will know what they're referring to. 81 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,840 Wow, the PSA is going to be busy. 82 00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:24,800 What other responsibilities will it have? 83 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:28,240 Well, they can keep track of the astronaut's schedule, alert them when something needs 84 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:32,200 to be done, and give them instructions when they need to repair something. 85 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:34,920 So the astronauts wouldn't have to use their manuals anymore. 86 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:36,760 The PSA would tell them what to do. 87 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:37,760 That's right. 88 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,920 The cameras are all in electronic form, either in the computers on the ISS or the computers 89 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:42,920 at mission control. 90 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:47,080 So the PSA can access the information from the computers and read it to the astronauts 91 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,200 or show it to them on the PSA's monitor. 92 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:53,640 So the PSA is a system that contains other systems so that it can work. 93 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:54,640 That's right. 94 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:59,120 The PSA has sensor, navigation, propulsion, communication, and artificial intelligence 95 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:00,120 systems. 96 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:01,120 Thanks, Keith. 97 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:05,000 So, guys, what mechanical system did you choose? 98 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,960 Now is the time for your teacher to pause the tape so you can discuss your mechanical 99 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:09,960 systems. 100 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:15,600 Here are some examples of mechanical systems you probably come in contact with every day. 101 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,920 Dr. Nice-Warner mentioned several PSA systems. 102 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,600 Now it's time to look in detail at one of those systems.