Humanoid robots lab work begins in May
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION After being packed in a special shipping crate aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery for more than six months, Robonaut 2 is finally free and ready to get to work.
International Space Station (ISS) flight engineers Cady Coleman and Paolo Nespoli opened the crate and began preparing R2 for his assignment in the Destiny laboratory.
R2 is the first dexterous, humanoid robot to be sent into space. After several years of development by engineers and scientists from General Motors and the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, R2 will get its first experience in microgravity.
Because R2 consists only of a torso, head and arms, the robot has been mounted on a pedestal where it will interact with a specially designed task board so that the engineers can calibrate and refine the sensing and control systems. The R2 evaluation program aboard the ISS will begin sometime in May.
General Motors Canada
Headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario, General Motors of Canada Limited (GMCL) employs over 9,000 people across the country and is a recognized leader in green manufacturing. GMCL markets the full range of fuel-efficient Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles and related services through Canada’s largest automotive dealer network, which employs over 23,000 people dedicated to delivering a top customer experience. GMCL also plays a leadership role in automotive design and engineering, engaging in innovative research and development partnerships with leading Canadian universities and research institutes. In addition, through its Canadian Engineering Centres, GMCL conducts development activities ranging from cold weather testing to the advancement of key electric vehicle and green technologies. www.gm.ca.
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