Photos: Nasa robots that will explore other worlds and disaster zones

RoboSimian

The ape-like RoboSimian made it through to the finals of this year's DARPA Robotics Challenge. Made by Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory the bot can navigate uneven terrain and has the dexterity to carry out tasks such as opening a door and turning a wheel to open a valve.

Image: Nasa

RoboNaut 2

Robonaut 2 shows off its newly developed climbing legs, designed to allow the bot to move in zero gravity.

Currently being tested on board the International Space Station, the bot's hands and fingers have been designed to work like a humans and it has cameras in its head for vision.

Grover

Designed to withstand 30 mph gusts and temperatures as low as minus 22 F, NASA’s polar rover has been demonstrated operating autonomously in Arctic conditions.

The robot known as GROVER, which stands for both Greenland Rover and Goddard Remotely Operated Vehicle for Exploration and Research, carries a ground-penetrating radar to analyze layers of snow and ice.

Surge

It may not look like it but this robot, called Surrogate, or "Surge" for short, is similar to a human: with an upright spine, two arms and a head, standing about 4.5 feet (1.4 meters) tall and weighing about 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms).

Like RoboSimian, another Jet Propulsion Laboratory bot, it was designed to operate in dangerous environments in the aftermath of a disaster.

Image: Nasa

Curiosity

Nasa's car-sized rover has been rolling around the surface of Mars since August 2012 and is scheduled to continue its mission to learn about the planet's geology and climate indefinitely.

During its travels the mobile laboratory has found evidence of water having flowed on Mars' surface in the past and determined the age of rocks on the planet's surface.

Image: Nasa

Scorpion

One of Nasa's earlier experiments, the eight-legged Scorpion robot prototype was evaluated by NASA Ames Research Center in 2005, as a potential model for exploring planets.

Image: Nasa

Robotic manufacturing system

This robot in NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama will help the agency build the biggest, lightweight composite parts ever made for space vehicles, lowering production costs and allowing for heavier payloads.

Image: Nasa

K10

The Intelligent Robotics Group (IRG) at NASA’s Ames Research Center, developed the K10 robots to be remotely operated on planetary surfaces and act as scouts for human explorers.

The K10 robots drive autonomously and can traverse long distances over a wide variety of terrain. The K10 runs on custom, embedded software on a dual-core Linux laptop.

Image: Nasa

Lemur

An artist's concept showing how LEMUR (Limbed Excursion Mechanical Utility Robot) could inspect and maintain the International Space Station. The Lemur 3, being developed by Nasa Jet Propulsion Laboratory, sticks to surfaces using a gripping system based on how geckos cling to walls.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech