Can a robot dog cure the loneliness for astronauts in space?
Space travel is exciting, but it could drive astronauts "mad" at times. An organic-looking robot dog is here to fix that.
Courtesy of Jihee Kim
Space travel is not only a physically demanding practice but also a mentally demanding one. Living in confined space onboard the space station for months or even years, being far away from families and friends, and getting constant examinations by experts on Earth with their complex tasks in space all put astronauts’ mental health in a vulnerable state.
Sometimes, the pressure gets to them. According to NASA’s records, A Chinese payload specialist Taylor Wang threatened not to come back to Earth after his experiment failed in the 1980s. The fear of space can also impact crew members: astronaut Henry Hartsfield recounted an incident where a crewmate became fixated on the hatch, expressing concerns like, “You mean all I have to do is turn that handle, and the hatch opens, and all the air goes out?” The situation became disconcerting enough that they decided to lock the hatch. Other times, delusion may kick in after a long period in space. The 1976 Soviet Soyuz 21 mission was called off after the entire crew complained about an awful smell. However, the source of the odor was never found, and a recent NASA report suggested that the crew might have collectively imagined the smell.
Designer Jihee Kim and Laika. Courtesy of Jihee Kim
As humanity continues to embark on ambitious space missions like NASA’s Artemis and the Moon to Mars projects slated for 2025 to 2030, more attention is needed to the astronauts’ mental health. A South Korean design student, Jihee Kim, has come up with a solution—a robot dog that is designed to be both a physical and emotional companion during prolonged space missions.
Courtesy of Jihee Kim
Named in homage to the pioneering space dog in 1957 who was the first to orbit Earth, Laika the robot dog is nothing (in its appearance) like the industrial Spot from Boston Dynamic. Closely resembling a real dog in both its shape and movement, Laika even has a wiggling tail that makes it somewhat cuddly. However, it is a hardcore robot from the inside. Its robust titanium body is made to endure the harsh environment of outer space, while it is also equipped with depth cameras, thermal imaging cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) cameras that help it move around agilely. Electrocardiography (ECG) sensors are discreetly embedded in its neck and on the back—the petting points, allowing Laika to monitor the vital stats of the astronauts.
Courtesy of Jihee Kim
Laika also has a stretchable handle on its back that allows users to carry essentials like a bottle of water during exercise or use it to transport the robot dog easily.
Looking forward, Kim envisions the integration of mixed-reality (MR) glasses as a routine accessory for Laika users. This innovative addition enables space explorers to interact with their robotic companions and receive real-time updates on their activities through wearable technology.
