Future astronauts on Mars could control drones with smart gloves

NASA has worked with a Norwegian start-up to develop a connected glove that allows remote control of a drone with one hand. This object, seeming straight out of a science-fiction universe, could be used by astronauts who will explore the planet Mars (a mission that may itself appear to be science fiction).

The US space agency aims to bring the first human beings to Mars by 2033. But these pioneers can not cover the entire surface of the star on foot. It is already planned that they will be assisted by various vehicles, such as drones, to inspect the territory, especially the most difficult to access areas.

A glove to control them all

NASA and the SETI Institute, which aims to " explore, understand and explain the origin, nature, and prevalence of life in the Universe  ", have decided to abandon the devices to facilitate the piloting of these devices. traditional (remote control, application ...) in favor of an innovative approach, even futuristic: an "intelligent glove".

To this end, the two organizations relied on the work of the young Norwegian company Ntention. The start-up has developed a driving glove that allows the user to control a drone by simply moving his hand and fingers. The device comprises a series of sensors that can detect the slightest movement and transform it into a setpoint for the drone, via a wireless connection.

First successful experiment on Earth

In addition, the sensitivity of the glove is adjustable, via multiple parameters: adjustment of the acceleration, sensitivity of rotation ... As for the camera onboard the drone, it can also be controlled by the movement, in the occurrence of the astronaut's head, which can thus look through the eyes of the craft, via augmented reality glasses.

First tests, conclusive, were made on drones sold in the trade. They took place on Devon Island, an uninhabited territory in northern Canada. On Earth, then. Therefore, if these results are promising, it will be necessary to reproduce them on Mars, under very different conditions of atmosphere and gravity.

Source: Digital Trends