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"Gravitational pull on most asteroids is pretty low. That's why NASA's rover ATHLETE (All Terrain Hex Limbed Extra Terrestrial Explorer) \u2014 with its dexterous arms and the ability to crawl across low-weight environments \u2014 could become useful in the future to explore rocky space surfaces and treacherous conditions.\nATHLETE was created by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory with help from the Johnson and Ames centers, Stanford University and Boeing. \nScientist are currently testing out this half-scale model, which is already pretty large \u2014 13 feet tall, and with six legs. The six legs can life to step over boulders or dip in terrain when moving across a rocky surface. The machine has depth perception and various cameras all around it to observe any obstacles that might prevent it from accomplishing its mission. \nRight now, ATHLETE is bare, but the final version will be covered with a payload weighing in at about 32,000 pounds, plus tools. Each of the Explorer's arms can pick-up a tool, any tool \u2014 shovels, grippers, drill bits, etc. \nIn theory, the rover may not need to land softly using rockets but be able to engage its bendy legs to absorb impact and land on surfaces like a spider. \n\"We'll also be able to possibly push-off and bounce from place-to-place,\" says Chris McQuin, the task manager and team leader for the ATHLETE project featured in NASA's video. \nThe team is also looking into using gaming systems like Xbox to control advanced robots. A human control would use the robot as their avatar to direct the machines even when the robot is thousands, even millions, of miles away. For example, you move left, the robot moves left, you crouch down and pick something up, so does the robot. Scientists are also researching ways to determine the condition of the rover after it travels to scavange on a far-away planet or asteroid. \nWhat's your reaction to this robot? Tell us in the comments.\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2012/01/31/5000-pound-crab-like-robot-can-walk-on-asteroids/>