To develop robotic surgery in space, NASA will send the Mira robot to the International Space Station for experiments. The device, which previously performed operations on Earth, has two sensitive arms at both ends.
One of the challenges astronauts have to face, and which will become a problem on long space travels in the future, is access to healthcare. For this reason, NASA plans to send a robot surgeon to the International Space Station (ISS).
NASA awarded the device’s manufacturer, Virtual Incision, with a $100,000 budget to prepare the Mira robot for a stay in space. The company has been working on this robot for nearly 20 years. Mira consists of two articulated arms, each with a small clamp at the end.
Scheduled to launch in 2024
Researchers will need to make sure that the robot is strong enough to not be damaged during launch.
They will also need to program the robot to run tests autonomously to limit the use of International Space Station bandwidth, as well as the time astronauts spend on it. NASA plans to send the robot to the ISS in 2024.
First Image Credit: Youtube/ Virtual Incision
