Reading a report on the dangers and death toll of disaster response, Agogino thought her robots, fitted with the right sensors, could gather data at the scenes of fires, crashes, and other disasters to help first responders assess dangers like toxic gas leaks and plan their approach.
We thought, wow, if we can do this on the Moon, we could do it on Earth and save some lives," said Agogino, who was then director of the Berkeley Emergent Space Tensegrities Lab at the University of California, Berkeley.
She went on to cofound Berkeley, California-based Squishy Robotics Inc. The company makes impact-resistant, customizable robots for public safety, military, and industrial uses.
Agogino's robots look like ball-shaped skeletons of rods and elastic cables. She describes the structure as "a tension network" - if a robot is dropped, the impact is distributed across the network, dissipating the force, according to the principle of tensegrity.
The term tensegrity - short for tensile integrity - was coined in the 1960s by architect R. Buckminster Fuller, who popularized geodesic domes, which are also tensegrity structures.
For NASA, the ability to withstand the impact of a long drop is especially interesting, as is the ability of these structures to collapse into a small package during travel.
The agency awarded Agogino and her UC Berkeley lab Early Stage Innovations (ESI) funding in 2014 to research tensegrity robot mobility using gas thrusters.
The $500,000, multi-year, proof-of-concept ESI grants aim to accelerate the development of innovative space technologies that have significant potential. The funding is offered through the Space Technology Research Grants program, which supports academic researchers working on space-related science and technology.
Agogino and her team were designing probes that could drop from a planetary orbit or larger spacecraft, survive the drop carrying delicate sensors, and then roll and jump over rough terrain to perform missions and science on other worlds.
"Think about the Mars Curiosity and Perseverance rovers," said Terry Fong, chief roboticist in the Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley.
Fong, who was NASA's technical representative for Agogino's grant, explained that the rovers had to be gently lowered to Mars' surface with the elaborate Sky Crane system.
"With tensegrity robots, the robot itself is the landing device," Fong said. "It could survive a fall from very high up and keep going."
The tensegrity devices can be folded flat for travel - in fact, that's how Agogino ships robots to customers. Once they unfurl, the instruments and sensors are suspended in the center, protected from the impact of a fall.
"So, you save on throwaway mass," Fong said. "It's expensive and difficult to launch mass into space, so you want more of it to be used beyond landing, on the surface with scientific instrumentation and other payloads."
NASA also researched Earth science applications for tensegrity robots, which could monitor, for instance, a glacier that's about to break off into the ocean.
"That's the kind of place you would not want to send a person, because it's very risky," Fong said. "The whole surface could collapse. With a structure that could survive a drop but still be mobile afterwards, you would have a super instrument positioning system."
On Earth or on other planets, tensegrity robots offer an easier way to place delicate instruments into difficult-to-reach areas. Indeed, that's the principle behind Squishy Robotics.
Agogino and her team interviewed 300 first responders in a process known as customer discovery.
For these customers, Squishy Robotics now puts miniaturized chemical gas sensors inside the tensegrity robot that can be dropped by aircraft to take readings in an area before firefighters go in. Currently, the company only offers stationary robots, but Agogino and her team are working on mobile models.
The data these robots collect can inform firefighters' decisions about whether to wear hazardous material gear, which can add up to an hour of prep time - a delay that's only worthwhile if it's necessary.
Squishy Robotics has worked with some of the largest fire departments, including Southern Manatee Fire and Rescue in Florida, the Tulsa Fire Department in Oklahoma, and the San Jose Fire Department in California. The company has also established reseller agreements with several distributors.
Agogino's tensegrity robots could also help defuse bombs or monitor gas and electric lines.
Wildfire prevention is another emerging area for Squishy Robotics. Tensegrity robots could monitor high-risk areas, help authorities respond to reports, and ensure that smaller fires have been fully extinguished.
"The early detection of wildfires is critical," Agogino says, "because so many of the wildfires that have become raging firestorms could have been prevented if they had been caught early."
Agogino is now emeritus, having retired in December from Berkeley, which allows her to spend more time on Squishy Robotics.
NASA's Fong said he was happy to see Agogino was able to spin off the tensegrity robot technology. "We believe these robots could serve unique purposes for space," he said. "She obviously saw a way to also have a major impact on Earth."
NASA has a long history of transferring technology to the private sector. The agency's Spinoff publication profiles NASA technologies that have transformed into commercial products and services, demonstrating the broader benefits of America's investment in its space program. Spinoff is a publication of the Technology Transfer program in NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD).
SpaceDaily News Analysis
Industry Analyst A (Robotics and Automation Analyst)
Relevance rating 9/10
This article delves into NASA-developed spherical, skeletal robots and their application both in space and on Earth. It provides comprehensive insights into the development, capabilities, and potential uses of these tensegrity robots. The primary audience would include robotics and automation professionals, researchers, and those interested in disaster response technologies.
Industry Analyst B (Space Technologies Analyst)
Relevance rating 10/10
The article discusses the development and potential application of tensegrity robots in space exploration, which is directly relevant to a Space Technologies Analyst. It provides information about NASA's funding for the research and development of these robots, their design for survival in harsh extraterrestrial environments, and their potential for data collection and scientific missions on other worlds. The primary audience would include space technology researchers, engineers, and enthusiasts.
Industry Analyst C (Emergency Response and Public Safety Analyst)
Relevance rating 8/10
The article provides an important perspective on how NASA's tensegrity robot technology can be used in terrestrial settings, particularly for disaster response. It illustrates the potential of these robots for assessing hazardous situations and aiding first responders, thereby contributing to public safety. The primary audience would be emergency response professionals, public safety officials, and those interested in disaster management technologies.
Analyst Summary
Dr. Alice Agogino's research on spherical, skeletal robots-funded by NASA-shows promising applications for both space exploration and terrestrial uses. These robots, known as tensegrity robots, can withstand significant impacts, making them ideal for dropping onto other planets from a spacecraft or for use in dangerous terrestrial scenarios such as fires or disaster zones. The principle of tensegrity, meaning tensile integrity, allows these robots to dissipate the force of impacts across their network of rods and elastic cables.
NASA's interest in these robots stems from their potential for planetary exploration. They could be deployed from a planetary orbit or larger spacecraft, survive the impact of landing, and then navigate rough terrains on other planets to conduct scientific missions. On Earth, these robots have the potential to be used in public safety and industrial contexts, helping to assess hazards and aid first responders in dangerous situations.
Over the past 25 years, we've seen a trend of technologies initially developed for space exploration being applied to terrestrial uses, ranging from satellite technology used for communications and weather monitoring to materials developed for spacecraft finding their way into everyday products. This instance of tensegrity robots being developed for space and then finding a place in emergency response situations fits within this trend.
The first investigative area of interest involves the technical details of these tensegrity robots: "What specific features and design principles enable these robots to withstand significant impacts and function in harsh environments?" Understanding these design features can provide a nuanced view of this technology's capabilities and potential limitations.
The second investigative area involves broader industry implications: "What are the potential impacts of tensegrity robot technology on space exploration and terrestrial emergency response?" This question assesses the potential influence of these robots on both sectors, shedding light on how this cross-industry application of technology might shape future advancements.
Looking to the future, analysts may ask: "What further applications could tensegrity robots have, both in space and on Earth?" This question investigates the possible future trajectories of this technology, highlighting its potential and the implications for both industries.
An important aspect to consider is potential challenges: "What are the practical obstacles to deploying these robots in space or in disaster response scenarios, and how might these be overcome?" This inquiry could shed light on the practical difficulties that might arise in the real-world application of this technology.
Finally, stakeholder perspectives are crucial: "What are the responses from key stakeholders in both space technology and emergency response sectors regarding the potential of tensegrity robots?" Understanding the perspectives of these stakeholders can provide insights into how this technology might be received and its potential impacts on industry directions.
Related Links
NASA Spinoff
All about the robots on Earth and beyond!
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