NASA and GM Team Up to Develop the Next Generation of Robots

Scientist and researchers at NASA and GM are working together to speed up the development of the next generation of robots that will be used in the automotive and aerospace industries.

The two organizations are working together, through a Space Act Agreement at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston Texas, to build humanoid robots that are capable of working with people. The next generation of humanoid robots will be able to assists astronauts in hazardous space missions that can potentially be dangerous to humans. The robots will also help GM build safer cars for the future.

The two organizations will also be working with engineers from Oceaneering Space Systems of Houston to develop and build a more dexterous and technologically advanced robot. This next generation robot, called Robonaut 2, can use its hands to do work beyond the scope of previously developed humanoid machines.

The original robot, Robonaut, was built over 10 years ago by software, robotics and simulation division at Johnson Space Center in a collaborative effort with the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency. In the past 10 years, NASA has gained significant expertise in robotic technologies for space applications. These expertises will help NASA launch a new age of space exploration.

NASA and General Motors have been in partnership since the 1960's in developing the navigation systems for the Apollo missions. GM also played an essential role in the development of the Lunar Rover Vehicle that was the first vehicle to be used on the moon.