When we think of space exploration, the image of astronauts gracefully bounding across the lunar surface is iconic. Yet, those familiar with the behind-the-scenes footage of NASA’s Apollo missions know that even the most skilled astronauts can stumble in the moon’s low-gravity environment. Now, engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a novel solution to help lunar explorers recover from falls: wearable robotic limbs, aptly named Supernumerary Robotic Limbs or “SuperLimbs.”
The SuperLimbs project represents a significant step forward as NASA prepares for the Artemis missions, which aim to return humans to the moon and even establish the first permanent moon base. Unlike the Apollo missions, which were largely exploratory, the Artemis astronauts will engage in extensive construction and excavation work—activities with a heightened risk of falls.
During the Apollo missions, as Erik Ballesteros, an MIT doctoral student and team member, points out, “During the Apollo era, when astronauts would fall, 80% of the time it was when they were doing excavation or some sort of job with a tool. The Artemis missions will really focus on construction and excavation, so the risk of falling is much higher. We think that SuperLimbs can help them recover so they can be more productive, and extend their EVAs.”
The engineers at MIT, including Harry Asada, professor of mechanical engineering, have meticulously designed SuperLimbs to emerge from a backpack that also houses the life support system. The robotic limbs are powered by a control system that responds to astronaut feedback. Preliminary tests with healthy volunteers wearing a suit simulating the stiffness and constraints of a spacesuit showed that those assisted by SuperLimbs could get up from a sitting or lying position with less effort.
The team’s research, supported by NASA and set to be presented at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), reflects a growing focus on how robotics can enhance human performance in extreme environments. Asada notes the risk of falling on the moon and the benefits of the SuperLimbs design, emphasizing, “We realized that we could make some modifications to our design to help astronauts recover from falls and carry on with their work.”
Built on a decade of research and development, SuperLimbs have been applied in various industries, including aircraft manufacturing and shipbuilding. This latest adaptation could alleviate the physical burden of spacesuits and improve astronauts’ efficiency on the moon—and potentially, in future Mars missions.
As the design becomes more sophisticated, the researchers plan to further streamline the SuperLimbs, utilizing advanced, lightweight materials to minimize the weight of its components. This summer, Ballesteros aims to complete the full system at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and test it in low-gravity simulators, bringing the technology closer to real-world application.
Relevant articles:
– Robotic ‘superlimbs’ could help moonwalkers recover from falls, phys.org
– Robotic “SuperLimbs” could help moonwalkers recover from falls, MIT News
– Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT News