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Axel Rover Demo, 2009 - Engineers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and students at the California Institute of Technology have designed and tested a versatile, low-mass robot that can rappel off cliffs, travel nimbly over steep and rocky terrain, and explore deep craters (1:17).
Axel Rover Demo, 2009
Real-Time Visual Terrain Reconstruction for BigDog, 2008 - Real-time terrain reconstruction for the BigDog vehicle using a stereo camera.  The camera motion is estimated using visual odometry and stereo range points are projected into an elevation grid map. (1:43)
Real-Time Visual Terrain Reconstruction for BigDog, 2008
ATHLETE of the Future, 2007 - Brian Wilcox provides an overview of the All Terrain, Hex-Legged, Exterrestrial Explorer (ATHLETE) lunar robot prototype.  (3min)

(Original URL is <a href=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/videos/technology/athlete-20070806/ target=_blank>here</a>.)
ATHLETE of the Future, 2007
SOOPS-FTB, 2007 - Science Operations On Planetary Surfaces - Field Test in a Box (SOOPS-FTB), is a software tool that combines the MER operations interface (Maestro), with the MTP rover control software system (CLARAty), and the simulation environtment (ROAMS).  The image above shows screenshots from these three constiuent tools.  By combining them, the SOOPS-FTB system enables simulated rover missions, providing a venue for testing new operations and control software, or training new operators.  Using software simulated missions, in lieu of field tests or real mission days, provides greated flexibility and cost savings. (9 min)
SOOPS-FTB, 2007
 
Human Detection, 2006 - Demonstration of moving human detection from a moving robot using stereo vision.  The right shows an overhead map extracted from stereo data, and the left shows the original imagery automatically overlayed with a bounding box around the moving person. (0:36)
Human Detection, 2006
Humanoids for Autonomous Operations, 2006 - This video describes automation of a Fujitsu humanoid robot, providing vision and manipulation capabilities for space assembly operations.
Humanoids for Autonomous Operations, 2006
Lemur, Docking Demonstration, 2005 - Lemur IIa is shown docking with a support fixture using visual targets for self positioning. Additionally, a sticky gripper demonstration is shown. (3:34, no audio)
Lemur, Docking Demonstration, 2005
Lemur, In Space Assembly, 2005 - Lemur IIa is shown traversing through a mockup space structure truss to a task board, where it performs vision-guided body positioning and bolt tightening. (2:46, no audio)
Lemur, In Space Assembly, 2005
 
Lemur, Robot Traverse of Mirror Surface, 2005 - The Lemur IIa robot is shown walking across the surface of a segmented mirror, with footfalls at the segment nodes. (4 minutes, no audio)
Lemur, Robot Traverse of Mirror Surface, 2005
Lemur, Skills Demonstration, 2005 - Lemur IIa shows four skills:  body motion, inverted body pose and motion, direction change, and floor to ceiling transition.  (2:27, no audio)
Lemur, Skills Demonstration, 2005
Lemur, Three Tool Demonstration, 2005 - Lemur IIa uses three limbs to position tools during an assembly task:  a spotlight, a rotary  wrench, and a close focus camera.  Additionally, Lemur is shown signing its name with pen and paper.  (3:39, no audio)
Lemur, Three Tool Demonstration, 2005
EDL, Vision Guided Autonomous Safe Landing, 2004 - Demonstration of helicopter landing, autonomously and safely, in an obstacle field. (1:53, no narration)
EDL, Vision Guided Autonomous Safe Landing, 2004
 
Landmark-based Spacecraft-orbit Determination, 2004 - Landmark-based spacecraft-orbit determination. Left pane: Imagery with detected landmarks shown. Red = rejected as outlier. Green = accepted. Right pane: Recovered position overlaid on ground-truth trajectory. Vision-based position errors are shown for each frame.  (1:15)
Landmark-based Spacecraft-orbit Determination, 2004
MER, Rover Driving 101, 2003 - Overview of the Mars Exploration Rovers navigation algorithm, GESTALT, including explanations of stereo vision, traversability analysis, path selection and driving.  GESTALT is an acronym for Grid-based Estimation of Surface Traversability Applied to Local Terrain. (5 min)
MER, Rover Driving 101, 2003
EDL, Hazard Detection Rocket Sled Test, 2002 - Rocket sled emulation of planetary landing to test lidar sensing for hazard detection.  (2:49, no narration)
EDL, Hazard Detection Rocket Sled Test, 2002
FIDO, Technology and Training for Mars, 2002 - Description of FIDO rover field trials at Grey Mountain, Arizona, and associated MER operations readiness test at JPL. (6 min)
FIDO, Technology and Training for Mars, 2002
 
MER, DIMES Testing, 2002 - Video description of the use, and Mojave Desert field testing, of the Descent Image Motion Estimation System (DIMES) for the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) mission.  (2:26, no narration)
MER, DIMES Testing, 2002
Urbie, Indoor Navigation, 2001 - Urbie uses ladar to nagigate through obstacles indoors.
Urbie, Indoor Navigation, 2001
Automated Plant Micro-Propagation Demonstration, 2001 - Laboratory demonstration of a prototype system for automation of plant micro-propagation. (5:29)
Automated Plant Micro-Propagation Demonstration, 2001
FIDO, Toward Mobile Autonomy, 2001 - Descriptions of FIDO rover technology and third field test with MER scientists at Soda Mountain, California. (7 min)
FIDO, Toward Mobile Autonomy, 2001
 
Urbie, 2001 - The Tactical Mobile Robot program, in the DARPA Advanced Technology Office, has enlisted JPLs Machine Vision Group in leading the design and implementation of its perception urban robot. This urban robot (Urbie) is a joint effort of JPL, iRobot Corporation, the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Southern California Robotics Research Laboratory. <p>

Urbies initial purpose is mobile military reconnaissance in city terrain but many of its features will also make it useful to police, emergency, and rescue personnel. The robot is rugged and well-suited for hostile environments and its autonomy lends Urbie to many different applications. Such robots could investigate urban environments contaminated with radiation, biological warfare, or chemical spills.  They could also be used for search and rescue in earthquake-struck buildings and other disaster zones. <p>

To be able to investigate dangerous areas, Urbie has been outfitted with many different sensors and cameras. These include among others, stereo cameras, an Omnicam, three-axis gyros and accelerometers, digital compass, and a high-precision gps. In the future Urbie will also carry a night-vision camera and a two-axis scanning laser rangefinder. <p>

(8:44, no audio)
Urbie, 2001
FIDO, In Situ Exploration, 2000 - Descriptions of FIDO rover technology and second field test at Black Rock Summit, Nevada. (6:17)
FIDO, In Situ Exploration, 2000
Planetary Dexterous Manipulators, 1999 - Overview of the development of a number of technologies to advance the capabilities for manipulation by space robots.  These include: computer aided analysis and design, ultrasonic motors, autonomous rock acquisition, and coordinated autonomous manipulators. (6:32)
Planetary Dexterous Manipulators, 1999
Rocky 7, Autonomous Multiple Rock Sample Acquisition (1999) - Unedited segment of a typical experimental run.  After receiving three target locations, the rover begins its autonomous operation with no further external communication.  Using visual tracking, it successfully collects three rocks. (10 min)
Rocky 7, Autonomous Multiple Rock Sample Acquisition (1999)
 
Nanorover Technology, 1998 - A description of electronics technology development in preparation for the MUSES-CN flight mission.  Shown are techniques to sense wheel terrain contact using capacitive proximity sensing, and those to reduce dust build-up through electrostatic rejection.  Also described is the development of new miniaturized electronics, called Widget Boards. (6:32)
Nanorover Technology, 1998
Rocky 7, Long Range Science Rover Technology, 1998 - This video describes the research accomplishments of the Long Range Science Rover task in 1998 using the Rocky 7 rover.  Demonstrations are shown for improved onboard path planning, terrain-based rover localization, simultaneous motion and hazard detection, autonomous bi-directional driving, smart execution with replanning, and ground-based automated path planning.  (8 min)
Rocky 7, Long Range Science Rover Technology, 1998
Nanorover Technology, 1997 - Description of a 1 kilogram rover technology development, using imaging and optical spectrometry integrated into a small, four-wheeled, self-righting, mobile package. (5:35)
Nanorover Technology, 1997
Rocky 7, Mojave Desert Field Tests, 1997 - This video describes a simulated 32 day Mars mission conducted with scientists at Lavic Lake in May 1997.  From emulated descent imagery obtained by helicopter, planetary geologist Ray Arvidson selected four locations to be visit:  desert pavement, dry lakebed, cratered playa, and an alluvia fan.  Rocky 7 drove greater than 1km and visited all sites, where imagery and science instrument readings were obtained.  Details may be found in:  R. Volpe, <a href=http://www-robotics.jpl.nasa.gov/publications/Richard_Volpe/Jr7SunNav.pdf target=_blank>Navigation Results from Desert Field Tests of the Rocky 7 Mars Rover Prototype</a>, International Journal of Robotics Research, Special Issue on Field and Service Robots, 18(7), July 1999. (7min)
Rocky 7, Mojave Desert Field Tests, 1997
 
Calibrated Synthetic Viewing, 1996 - Multiple camera views are matched with geometric models of a space station mock-up to enable precision insertion of a model of an orbital replacement unit.  (7min)
Calibrated Synthetic Viewing, 1996
Rocky 7, Long Range Science Rover, 1996 (long version) - <br>
Part 1:  This video describes the research accomplishments of the Long Range Science Rover task in 1996 using the Rocky 7 rover.  Demonstrations are shown for distributed collaborative sequence building using the Web Interface for TeleScience (WITS) and single uplink command cycle execution of:  visual goal identification, spectrometer positioning and reading, verification of soil-like terrain before digging, soil digging with visual confirmation of sample acquisition, change-based position estimation from lander imagery, and long traverse navigation with sun sensor heading determination. Time lapse imagery of the entire demonstration is provided. (10 min)
<br>
Part 2: Intial development of the Rocky 7 mast is shown, including benchtop testing of its functionality for image panorama capture and instrument placement of a microscopic camera. (2 min)
Rocky 7, Long Range Science Rover, 1996 (long version)
Rocky 7, Long Range Science Rover, 1996 (short version) - This video describes the research accomplishments of the Long Range Science Rover task in 1996 using the Rocky 7 rover.  Demonstrations are shown for distributed collaborative sequence building using the Web Interface for TeleScience (WITS) and single uplink command cycle execution of:  visual goal identification, spectrometer positioning and reading, soil digging with visual confirmation of sample acquisition, change-based position estimation from lander imagery, and long traverse navigation with sun sensor heading determination. (4 min)
Rocky 7, Long Range Science Rover, 1996 (short version)
Five Kilogram Rover, Mars Surveyor Concepts, 1995 - Details describing a 5 kilogram rover concept vehicle and its use in a lander-centric short-range sampling mission.  Features include:  total system mass approximately half of the Sojourner rover, a rake-like soil and rock sampling tool, and automatic localization from the lander using a colored-cylinder on the rover.  Also shown is a concept for a power tethered rover with instrument positioning device. (7:40)
Five Kilogram Rover, Mars Surveyor Concepts, 1995
 
Distributed Space Telerobotics, 1994 - Dual arm satellite servicing technology is demonstrated with remote control of robots at JPL by operators in Philadelphia and Japan. (5:11)
Distributed Space Telerobotics, 1994
Exoskeleton Telemanipulation, 1994 - Shown is a human-like robot hand and arm effectively manipulating astronauts tools.  Teleoperation commands are provided by an operator wearing and instrumented glove and hand controller, which also reflect measured forces.  (5:36)
Exoskeleton Telemanipulation, 1994
RSI, Remote Surface Inspection, 1994 - Description and demonstration of the research accomplishments in Remote Surface Inspection in 1994.  Discussion and demonstrations are provide for the Integrated Sensor End Effector, operations interfaces with stereoscopic display and head motion control of remote cameras, visual change-based flaw detection, and force-controlled eddy-current sensor surface crack detection. (4 min)
RSI, Remote Surface Inspection, 1994
RSI, Multi-Sensor Remote Surface Inspection, 1993 - Description and demonstration of the research accomplishments in Remote Surface Inspection in 1993.  Details describe the Integrated Sensor End Effector, the inspection systems operator interface, and the mockup space platform under inspection. (5:43)<br><br>

This video was awarded the <a href=http://www.ieee-ras.org/member/awardsRAS.php#icra-video  target=_blank>1994 ICRA Best Video Award</a> at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.
RSI, Multi-Sensor Remote Surface Inspection, 1993
 
RSI, Via Frame Manipulator Trajectory Control, 1992 - Remote Surface Inspectin with via-frame specification of trajectories for 8 DOF manipulator control. Both simulation and experimental results are presented. Algorithm details may be found in: R. Volpe, <a href=http://www-robotics.jpl.nasa.gov/publications/Richard_Volpe/icra93.pdf target=_blank>Task Space Velocity Blending for Real-Time Trajectory Generation</a>, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Atlanta, Georgia, May 2-7 1993. Also, U.S. Patent No. 5602968.<p>

(3min)
RSI, Via Frame Manipulator Trajectory Control, 1992
Tooth and Rocky - Micro and Mini Rovers, 1991 - Demonstrations of the prototype robots Tooth and Rocky 3, as alternatives to larger Mars rover concepts.  Limited sensing, computation, and memory employ behavior control techniques in these smaller systems.  (3:31)
Tooth and Rocky - Micro and Mini Rovers, 1991
Robby, Planetary Rover Milestone, 1990 - Robby, a Mars Rover prototype and testbed, is shown autonomously traversing 100 meters in natural terrain. Stereo vision and path planning are used to reach a goal location out of view of the start position. (2:12)
Robby, Planetary Rover Milestone, 1990
Robby, Planetary Rover Program, 1990 - An overview of the Planetary Rover Program, featuring Robby. (10min)
Robby, Planetary Rover Program, 1990
 
Robby, Sampling Demo, 1990 - The Robby Mars rover prototype, performing a rock sampling demonstration in natural terrain. (5:21, no audio)
Robby, Sampling Demo, 1990
Telerobot Testbed, Teleoperation and Supervised Autonomy, 1990 - Demonstration of Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU) exchange using a three arm system with dual-arm manipulation, and stereo-camera placement via the third arm.  The remote operator completes the task by using the system features of force reflection, autonomous compliant strategies, and operator designation. (12:30)
Telerobot Testbed, Teleoperation and Supervised Autonomy, 1990
CARD: Computer-Aided Remote Driving, 1988 - Demonstration of teleoperation of a Humvee from a remote operation station.  Highlighted is technology for acquiring stereo imagery, displaying it to an operator, selection of a safe path, and execution of the designated path by the vehicle. (5:14)
CARD: Computer-Aided Remote Driving, 1988
Telerobot Testbed, Research Demonstrations, 1988 - Shown is a demonstration of a prototype system for robotic satellite servicing.  Highlighted subsystems include a graphical user interface for telemetry and sequencing, a three manipulator system with dual-arm control and stereo camera positioning, and a vision system for matching environmental models to imagery.  Specific capabilities shown are tracking and capture of a rotating satellite, and manipulation of an auxiliary task board.  (11:30)
Telerobot Testbed, Research Demonstrations, 1988
 


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