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This article is presented by:SANJAY BARUA
VAYJSALYA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
IT – 3/4
ABSTRACT
ANTS technology builds on and advances recent trends in robotics, artificial intelligence, and materials processing to minimize costs and maximize effectiveness of space operations. The electro-mechanical marvel can be deployed in space and it can, all by itself, transform into rovers, bowl-shaped antennas, hut-like human shelters, or more specialized service providers, as the situation demands.
This paper presents a novel technology for NASA's ANTS missions, named as Model-Driven Autonomic Computing. The new hierarchical model overcomes the challenges of largeness, complexity, dynamicity and unexpectedness possessed by the ANTS system. The paper also deploys self-configuration, self-healing, self-optimization and self-protection for ANTS.
ANTS’ structures would thus be capable of forming an entire mobile modular infrastructure adapted to its environment. The present developments of ANTS include the TET walker, ART etc. The future missions are LARA, SARA and PAM. The paper also illustrates how ANTS is of use for the disabled in an astonishing way and the technologies involved in it, along with its minimal power requirements.
Intelligent Beings in Space! The cartoon superheroes were frustrated. They confronted a menacing robot that quickly repaired any damage they inflicted. It was made up of a swarm of microscopic robots - so-called nanobots - that could change its function and shape at will. Suddenly the swarm became fluid and flowed away. That cartoon scenario may seem entertaining! But the reality is startling.
Engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) want to pull off a similar trick. They are testing a robot that they hope to shrink to nanobot’s size and eventually form what NASA calls “Autonomous Nanotechnology Swarms” (ANTS). The researchers aim to give ANTS enough artificial intelligence to make smart decisions as well as know intuitively when and how to walk and a nanobot’s swarm that has “abundant flexibility” to change shape as needed. Descending through the Martian atmosphere, for example, it could form an aerodynamic shield.
On the ground, it could become a snake to slither over difficult terrain. It could grow an antenna to send back data on anything interesting it encounters. It also would heal itself if damaged. Human bodies replace damaged cells with new ones, in a similar way, undamaged units in a nanobots swarm will join together, allowing it to tolerate extensive damage and still carry on its mission, eliminating the encumbrance that leads to the destruction of the entire craft and taking away the lives of astronauts. Who knows ants might have saved the lives of Kalpana Chawla and the six other astronauts..
