Exploring Space

EXPLORING SPACE
The chart illustrates how the Big Brain Machine and Humanoido Laboratories conduct their own space program. Various levels of space are defined according to their exploration programs and space definitions.

Humanoid robots are adaptable to space

The Big Brain machine has a manned space program and has launched humans into Next and Near Space approximately 40 times.

There is always a risk associated with manned space flight and as the distance from Earth increases, so does the risk.

The robust Micro Space program is relatively safe and used for academic purposes, having launched insects and various instruments into space.

Solar panels can power a tiny outpost in space

Solar System Space and Ultra Space is currently safely explored with the array of very powerful telescopes and Monster Machines.

This includes the newest M3T, IT, ET and OT space omnipresence telescopes that are able to exist in multiple places at the same time.

For example, the large Big Brain supercomputer that controls these telescopes remains on Earth at the Deep Space Center and at the Ultra Space Administration while the space parts and components are at numerous locations in space, called Adjuncts.

Brain in a jar technology

Brain in a Jar technology could keep the space station operating autonomously and evolve to various applications.

Our space program is interested in developing a micro space shuttle and a micro outpost in space. This is an ongoing project that began decades ago.

We've periodically blogged these ideas and worked on evolving the designs. Many of the designs developed, i.e. space telescope, could be integrated into the program. This would take exploration into Solar System Space and create orbital flights. We are reaching the crossroads in space exploration and foresee a new technology breakthrough.

We are at the crossroads of space and time

Conjecturing, we wonder if the next step into space for man will be represented by the human being transformed into a space faring humanoid avatar.

Our solar system space program could be conducted with space stations, shuttles and other space equipment designed for humanoid robots which won't need to breathe air, eat bulky food, drink water, or create waste products as we know it. They will also have a greater range of thermal operations.

Age of Molecular Mining

AGE OF MOLECULAR MINING THE UNIVERSE
Molecular mining has come of age with the recent introduction of the most powerful molecular telescope ever built. This telescope sports spectacular features with the highest resolution and largest telescopic boiler face plate ever designed, built and successfully put into operation.

The telescope maintains iconic compatibility with the previous array of extremely powerful telescopes and adds a number of new features. As of November 28th, 2013, two images are obtained through the Massive Molecular Mining M3T Telescope, one of Saturn showing the globe and a huge array of crisp rings in visible energy.

The other image is in moleculars showing things never seen before and opens the door to many new studies and experiments. This is now a color telescope version to facilitate the visible energy mode, while hundreds of telescope controls are available as developed for previous telescopes. Compatibility between telescopes was one of the best features introduced to the line of extremely powerful telescopes.

The M3T has the ability to rapidly switch back and forth from Moleculars to color Visible Energy, and visa versa. Moleculars have a typical unchanging unique hue of their own. Thus far, the M3T has explored one object in the solar system. The next target planned is a special galaxy deep in the Universe after config.

M3T Telescope First Light Saturn

MASSIVE MOLECULAR MINING TELESCOPE M3T FIRST LIGHT OF THE SATURN SYSTEM

This is now the largest and most powerful telescope in the array of very powerful telescopes. In particular, it's capable of massive molecular mining. The first light object chosen is the Saturn system, including the globe, cast shadows, and ring systems.

M3T Massive Molecular Mining Telescope
http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2013/11/m3t-telescope-first-light-saturn.html 
The new Massive Molecular Mining Telescope, the 12th telescope addition to the extremely powerful telescope array, has the largest Power Dynamic Face Plate ever created (as of 11.27.13). This telescope is known as M3T. First Light on Tuesday November 26th, 2013 focused on the planet Saturn. A glorious ring system appeared through the amplified molecular particle dynamic quanta. The intent was to image the spherical globe through rings, however the emergence of the reveal showed far more discoveries than expected.

New tenuous rings appeared outside and inside the system as well as the Saturnian globe was shining through and in between specific rings. This represents new RS discoveries and a new ring count including new rings both inside and outside the previously known Saturnian ring system.

LINKS
THE AGE OF EXTREMELY POWERFUL TELESCOPES
http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2013/05/extremely-powerful-telescopes-update.html

Robot Explorer Log 11 Creating Intelligent Life

ROBOT EXPLORER - Qualifying as intelligent life? It's hard to imagine at this early stage, that a bucket of bolts and hardware, with some electrical parts thrown in for good measure, can become an intelligent life form, but this is exactly what will happen over the next several months. How long does it take to create a new life form? It doesn't take place overnight. Like the birthing process of humans, several months are required to cook up the ingredients (parts assembly) and then educate (program) the new being. This new brain may be trimmed with over 16,000 processors, controlling hundreds and thousands of functions.

SPACE - THE NEEDED FRONTIER: Run out of desk space? There's a desk next to the desk shown in the above photo, and a desk above it. So it's desk X3, yet the space is already filled and overflowing. It's the Lab's special way of gaining more work area from the same amount of space within a finite room.

ROBOT EXPLORER LOG 11
CREATING INTELLIGENT LIFE
"We're not only looking for intelligent life in the Universe, we're also creating life and sending it out into the Universe."

CREATING NEW LIFE
Creating new life forms is nothing new for the Lab. Work began in 2002 for developing a powerful new humanoid brain. This led to a life form with limited cognizance. When the Lab's first humanoid was created in 1955, it became the robot model that led ultimately to new life form experiments in the 1980s. Although these award winning robots had intelligence, they were nothing like their new counterparts after the year 2000.

LIFE EXPERIMENTS
Experiments with neural nets and new ways to enhance processor chips (Supertronic) paved the way for a more intelligent brain. Eventually, in 2013, these brains found their way into the Robot Explorer (RE), an intelligence planned for trips to the outer fringes of the Solar System, and potentially beyond. Intelligence, neural net, and life will be instilled into RE step by step.

TEN POINTS OF DEFINING LIFE
What constitutes an intelligent life form? Some precursor things to think about are 1) ability to make decisions, 2) self preservation, 3) the attainment and/or reaching toward goals and objectives, 4) autonomous behavior, 5) ability to learn, 6) ability to communicate, 7) ability to sleep and regenerate, 8) mobility, 9) self aware, and 10) ability to memorize and recall memory. In the past, it was believed that intelligent life forms needed the ability to procreate, however, we clearly know today that people who are sterile are still very much alive and qualify as life forms.

SENDING LIFE INTO THE UNIVERSE
Thus far, we've sent various intelligent life forms into space: insectronauts into Micro Space, Robots and humans into Next Space, and human astronauts into Near Space. As the distance from Earth increases, more dependence will be placed on machines that have life and can make their own decisions to explore other worlds and places in space and time.

Brain Knitting

The first pre-brain knitting experiment

BRAIN KNITTING
The Big Brain Initiative is working on the creation of an evolutionary knitted electronic brain, made from impetus Parallax Propeller microelectronics, that can predetermine its own growth destiny.

In this remarkable one-of-a-kind experimental project, Predetermined Growth Destiny is basically putting together a structural outline of "primordial state" processors and letting the mix evolve into a brain.

Using PGDs, applications could include pre colonization of planets like Mars, growing brains automatically in the lab, evolving the growth of an existing brain, and growing parts for human bodies.

Initially parts grown could conjure a multitude of machines and machine parts as well. The patterns for PGDs would work well with three dimensional printers, knitting new brains in a relatively short period of time.

PGDs could result in armies of brained workers that could do mining on asteroids, explore the Solar System, and interface with conditions that humans would find inhospitable. PGDs could also result in appendage brain concatenations for humans to extend their functions.

Robot Explorer Log 3 First Assembly

The rough and approximate design of the interplanetary robot explorer. Note, a second processor chip (Propeller chip) is setting on the top second breadboard, and a possible third is awaiting the design outcome. Various parts are scattered around waiting for positional tryout.

Still undecided is the exact battery pack position for the heater. It's believed engineering polymer will line the top and hold a total of four breadboards. One breadboard may mount in the front for sensors. Also note, the wheels are not completed nor in place.

What is seen is the wheel base plate. These final wheels will have drive mobility and traction on ice, slippery "oil" type surfaces and frozen slush conditions. Where is this robot explorer going? Stay tuned and find out!

ROBOT EXPLORER LOG 3 - FIRST ASSEMBLY

Work continues at a rapid pace. As things are designed, the physical locations are tried on the mock robot. Last night, the pins filled up on the Propeller chip! A total of 32 pins were loaded with functions and sensors and more GPIO were needed. So the inevitable happened, a second Parallax Propeller chip was added to the board for 32 more pins.

We're standing by with a third chip. It's possible this one could have a small neural net with more cores for a higher level of decision making. The BIg Brain will create a high level of autonomy although the intelligence level is unknown at this time.

NAVIGATION & LIFE SCIENCES
Two Pings are shown for navigation, and one pyroelectric infrared device will be adapted for the life sciences section. Programming will be unique as the robot will position itself which will determine the Ping positions.

INTERFACE & RADIO CHANNELS
A small parallel interface is designed to handle the chip-to-chip communications and the robot now has two radio channels that will allow it to phone home. A small truth table was completed and the command roster was created.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
R&D continues with ongoing atmospheric studies, and a number of open studies regarding sensors, navigation, radio, power, and temperature.

SENSOR APPORTIONING
The sensors and functions were apportioned, and this left eight pins free on each chip. The extra sensors and functions, with the extra prop chip, called for another two breadboards. However, when sizing up space requirements for added sensors, it was clear the top carriage required four breadboards.

BATTERY POWER CHAMBER
There is a move to place the battery power chamber at mid level along with a frontal breadboard to hold forward and ground viewing sensors. This will require moving the front spacers back about half inch.

POWER SUPPLIES
The decision was made to have three power supplies and go with four AA batteries at 6-volts to drive the heater. Already we're we have our eye on a more powerful dynamo to deliver a more hefty charge.

PARTS POSITIONING
Photos so far just show positioning of parts which are temp only. Note the green propeller and dynamo is robbed from the spinning quadcopter project. The position of the Windmill is being tested at the center of the chassis but this negates the 4-cell power supply position. More work on this is needed.

Robot Explorer Log 2 First Considerations

Proto test robot processor stack experiment

REMOTE PLANETARY MOON AUTONOMOUS EXPLORATION ROBOT PROJECT LOG 2

Photo: Look closely - two Propeller chip processors are stacked in this multi-processor experiment. While the stacking arrangement is possible, a miss firing of the pin states caused by some off-planet anomaly at the remote reaches of the Solar System could lead to an unprotected condition and thus cause a premature processor anomaly. The stacked processor design was scrapped for this mission.

Two processor chips can be safely used in a side by side parallel design mode that safely offers pin protection from one chip to the other. Coupled with hard protection, an occurring glitch could be squelched with the autonomous reset function if properly interpreted.

Currently, the robot has a single Propeller chip with all 32 pins filled. If more sensors are required, a second processor chip may be added to form a collective, the pins may be rearranged, or multiplexing may be introduced.

If two chips are used, in theory, the Big Brain could loan its technology, thus creating a total of over 2,000 processors. A high number of processors are often required for operating AI neural nets. It would also offer a sum of 64 pins for added sensors and functions such as multiple ADCs for specific monitoring of each power supply.

FIRST CONSIDERATIONS: The project is taking on interested members to serve as science team advisers for the Remote Solar System Moon Autonomous Exploration Robot Project. We now have a new member for the microbiology team and life sciences division.  As a result of the influx of questions about the project, a short Q & A section is added below. 

Q - Will the chassis crack at -289 deg. F.?

A - The robot must have a coat of insulation to keep the heater's warmth inside. The coat will cover the conductive and heat distributive aluminum chassis.

Q - How will you test the materials and mechanics?

A - Testing in a conventional food freezer is a good idea. The sensors can be operated at their lower temperature ratings below the freezing point to simulate operation inside the insulated container. More elaborate tests may involve chambers of dry ice at -109 degrees or a vessel of liquid nitrogen at -320 to -346 deg. F.

Q - What is particulate matter content of the atmosphere and will this effect the wind dynamo?

A - No one knows the speed or particulate matter content of the air on the surface. Roughly speaking, the robot could function on the current conventional batteries a day with no wind or a much longer time with wind. Either way, it will work and gather science.

Q - Will the components function at -289 degrees?

A - Yes, electronic components are designed to function because the insulated probe, covered with insulation and heated with a heater, will not reach -289 deg. F. Components will undoubtedly run at their lower limits so the probe will not be heated to room temperatures. Cold environments are actually beneficial for the processor, making it more efficient with less power and less noise.

Q - Will particulate matter get stuck in the Dynamo due to lesser gravity?

A - There's enough gravity on this moon to cause rain to fall from the sky. The rain is double the size of Earth rain droplets and falls much slower, more like Earth snow flakes. There's frozen hydrocarbon sand so it does fall to the ground. The windmill should not contaminate quickly but if it did, it would shorten the life of the probe. It's more likely the particles are so tiny and hard frozen, they won't affect performance.

Q - Is there enough wind to turn the turbine?

A - If the wind is too slow, it will be a problem for the windmill to recharge several battery packs. However, the air is over twice as thick as the Earth's air, so it's likely it will have good wind for driving the rotor. Observations of changing clouds indicate the presence of wind too. For periods of no wind, the probe can rest and sleep and wake up periodically to look and see if the batteries have recharged.

Robot Explorer Log 1 the Chronicles

Interplanetary Exploratory Robot

ROBOT EXPLORER - THE CHRONICLES
EVERYONE KNOWS the Big Brain Electronic Machine is exploring outer space for some unknown reason. This exploration includes not only manned missions into Near Space, but has now expanded to robotic probes designed for trips to far away worlds located at the remote edge of the Solar System. 

We now have a directive from the Big Brain to design and construct an exploratory intelligent life form robot that can autonomously traverse strange new worlds in the quest for ultimate knowledge! 

This is a build of a different type of robot, with some intelligence, designed to mobility explore places in the outer reaches of the Solar System where no man has ever tread!

The places of interest have an atmosphere and can support protected life, provide water to drink, and can serve as a world to explore rich natural resources worth mega trillions and trillions of dollars.

We're talking about going to "Life Moons!" Life Moons are likely to contain developed alien life or life in the making, and encompass spectacular surrealistic vistas and moonscapes. They hold wealth and riches far beyond our Earthly imaginations!

Early design work and the robot proto begins to take shape. The explorer robot probe currently has designs for three power supplies. Initial parts are from a Parallax Boe-Bot kit. The BS2 board is removed and a replacement Propeller board will be installed. The initial prototype is designed to run from a breadboard. In this view, component and module placement tryouts are in effect. Many of the sensors are yet to be installed. The combined position is critical to the operation of the robot. The Propeller chip has 32 pins. In this design, all 32 pins are used up. If more GPIO are needed, another P8X32A-D40 will need to be added to the circuit.

The Advanced Explorer Robot will have autonomy, sensors to detect life and study the environment, and will map out the new world (actually creating maps and sending data back to home base by radio). It will carry its own life environment for survival. This mainly involves protection from cosmic rays during the journey, and a heated capsule to ensure component reliability in extreme temperatures. All parts for the interplanetary probe are off-the-shelf and commonly available. As always, the objective is the advanced prototype at lowest cost and highest technology.

PERSONAL LOG EARTH DATE WED. AUG. 21, 2013

It's hot and raining here today. This will be the most complicated and most expensive autonomous robot ever designed in the Humanoido Labs. It's for a reason - the little guy will trek to the farthest reaches of the solar system to embrace the unknown.

Today, I designed a heater for the robot, to keep it warm in -289 F. temp. I'm using a reserved power battery pack and electrical resistors calculated to emit the required amount of wattage heat to keep the electronics at their minimum operating temperatures. The processor will automatically turn the heater on and off according to a temperature analysis program.

To recharge the batteries, a small wind turbine, or windmill, will be used. This is because there is wind on this moon's surface and pretty much no direct sunlight. The planet's list of 20 moons are up to 1,037,690 miles from the Earth, so the sun looks like a tiny dot and all the hydrocarbons in the air make a very polluted foggy viewing from the surface. The actual sunlight never exceeds Earth twilight level.

Today, I'm raising the electronics package up on spacers for a third power supply to be located underneath - this will power the heater. So far, the robot explorer has 3 power supplies, one for the motors and sensors , one for the computer, and one for the heater. The heater has run through the numbers for six designs so far. Today, it was discovered that the approach with the 9-volt battery would fail, because it can deliver only a measly 0.55 Ah. So now the newer numbers will look at designs with a varied number of small 1.5 volt batteries.

Tiny Telescope for Near Space

Telescope photo showing the Moon

TINY TELESCOPE FOR NEAR SPACE FLIGHT
The next Near Space flight will carry a small telescope up into the fringes of space, and will be capable of imaging planned celestial objects during the day and night. The first time telescope will be equipped with a battery operated CCD camera imager capable of single integration color or black and white at ISO 28,000 or more.

NODAL POINTS

Short term integration

The initial tests will be unguided, i.e. accepting the motions of the spacecraft. We will study the best spacecraft orientations for particular telescopic data collecting and imaging with the greatest points of stability and least angular rotation and linear motion.

This will occur at nodal points established during the flight.

IMAGE STABILIZER
The telescope will include an Image Stabilizer to reduce imaging motion and produce more clear and less trailed images.

Solar imaging

PIXELS
With over 10 million pixels, the telescope can produce fine resolution shots.

CCD
This is an electronic telescope with a built in CCD Charge Coupled Device.
 
TIMED INTEGRATIONS
The telescope is equipped to do integrations of up to 15 seconds to capture faint objects and possible star fields during flight. Solar integrations can be as short as 1/1,600th of a second.

FOCAL LENGTH

Atmospheric effects

The small telescope is variable at f/2 to F/4.9 with a focal length from 28mm to 105mm. Part of the telescope is electronic, thus capable of FL modification.

MONITOR
A 3-inch color monitor is attached to the telescope for focus, framing and viewing in various modes.

Storage Media

STORAGE

Deep Sky M57 on storage

iPhone 5 support with Siri AI

Free iPhone app supplements telescope data

Image storing is available in the following formats: RAW 3648 x 2736, JPEG 3648 x 2736, JPEG 2816 x 2112, JPEG 1600 x 1200, JPEG 640 x 480, JPEG 3648 x 2048, JPEG 2816 x 1584, JPEG 1920 x 1080, JPEG 640 x 360, JPEG 3648 x 2432, JPEG 2816 x 1880, JPEG 1600 x 1064, JPEG 640 x 424, JPEG 2736 x 2736, JPEG 2112 x 2112, JPEG 1200 x 1200, JPEG 480 x 480, JPEG 2192 x 2736, JPEG 1696 x 2112, JPEG 960 x 1200, JPEG 384 x 480.

M1 integration

HIGH TECH TELESCOPE
The high technology telescope supports HD recording and uses a folded lens design. This is specifically designed for Near Space flight and has low profile compacted folded dimensions of approximately 4-inches x 2 x  1. The folding design extends another one inch to the 1-inch dimension. It can do continuous auto timed repeated imaging at about 2 FPS running on Lithium Ion batteries. Images are saved to a multi media card which can be retrieved after the flight.

SUPPORT
Small telescopes can be supported with iPhone 5 functions, including the built in talk-to artificial intelligence SIRI when the sound environment is relatively quiet.

Telescope Control System Bridge

Large bridge command center from JJ Abrams Star Trek film

TELESCOPE CONTROL SYSTEMS BRIDGE
Examples for the Power Dynamic Telescope
We're designing and building a telescope command and control center, and examining bridge console command systems from various sources for ideas. 

FIRST SOURCE
Telescope Control System Wrap Around

WHERE TO FIND BRIDGE EXAMPLES
The best examples of bridge control systems are found at the NASA command centers and various versions of Star Trek ships and vessels. These are larger control centers that take up more space, often occupying a room or a section of a wall. Operations may have designs for standing or seated occupancy.

JJ Abrams design

Floor to ceiling Vertical Bridge controls

VERTICAL PANELS
Vertical control panels are also popular. These displays are also adapted to virtual instruments with pieced together large touch screens. They often run floor to ceiling to take advantage of space.

NASA

NASA space station support operations

One example of a table and room command center is at NASA. The photo shows the NASA Flight Control System for the ISS International Space Station in 2006. It includes a series of tables, each with a computer control console for seated operations.

STAR SHIPS
Star ships, such as the Enterprise on Star Trek and many ship variations, have very well thought out and designed instrumentation control and command centers. Many of these bridges are designed for team operations and have multiple work stations. Some examples are for a science center, navigation, weapons console, stellar cartography, and sensors.

ADAPTABILITY

KELVIN Bridge (Star Trek)

These systems are very adaptable. For example, they include desk consoles for one or more work stations, vertical control panels for standing operations, and long strip control panels fit to walls in halls. Any of these may be telescope adapted, depending on the level of complexity and available space.

TOYS
Another place to look for various bridge designs is with toys. These often have compressed space

Bridge graphic

bridge designs which are especially useful when designing a command and control console with limited space in a small room.

GRAPHICS

Hallway control - Galaxy class Starship

There are many great visionaries drawing the graphics for space cartoons, space games, comic books and these hold fantastic designs. These are great sources for instrumentation control center designs and ideas.

EXTENDED RESOURCES
Also check other Star Trek movies, TV series, NASA sources for Skylab, Space Station, various Enterprise designs, science fiction, comics, toys, artwork, games, and galleries.

LINKS
Star Trek Blueprints
http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/uss-enterprise-bridge.php

Federation Bridges
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fadmvulcan/sets/72157604354548317/detail/

Hi Res Control Panel & Bridge Images
http://www.gadgetreview.com/2013/04/hi-rez-pics-of-jj-abrams-star-trek-bridge.html

ULT Saturn Rings Journey

Remarkable Discovery Image

A SPECTACULAR JOURNEY TO THE ROCKS OF SATURN!

THE ULT IN OBVERSE INTERPLANETARY SPACECRAFT JOURNEY MODE

MISSION OBJECTIVE: To see individual rocks and boulders within Saturn's rings for the 1st time and to show the ring system is composed of many lesser homogenous rings of varying nature.

With the ULT Telescope configured in Obverse Spacecraft Mode, a fantastic journey beyond Earth, Mars, and Jupiter unfolds. For hundreds of years, man has wondered about the structure and arrangement of the rings around Saturn. As probes imaged the rings, and even flew through the ring system, one with consequences, some scientists were disappointed to see the rings as homogenous systems without resolving the individual rocks and giant boulders thought to make up the rings. Now flash forward to the year 2,012 when technology is able to reimage the Saturnian Ring System with striking clarity and resolution unlike any decade before. The ULT Ultra Large Telescope and the ULT Space Administration has the tools necessary to achieve this feat. Like the Martian rock that produced microbes embedded within its contents, the controversial imaging of rocks and boulders withing the rings will continue. Seeing is believing and examining the evidence shows a pixel size less than the diameter of a measured large rock or boulder, which is supporting evidence for the feat accomplished by the ULT. But wait, there is more to the ULT than meets the eye. The special config makes the ULT much larger in apparent diameter than the 24-meter quoted. This is because the Telescope has employed Telescope and Spacecraft Adjuncts within the Saturnian System.

In Obverse Voyaging Mode, the viewing window shows arrival at the Saturn Ring System and reveals a total of 20 rings systems. Intrinsically the rings are fantastic. For close exams, enlargements of this image show pixel size which is smaller than the debris field particle size. Also visible are irregularities in the ring structure that do not pattern repeat. In several places in the image, there are much larger clumpings of material. In some ring positions, the ring appears to interrupt and not exactly match up, a result of lower albedo material, smaller material, or both. To achieve this high resolution, the ULT was place in Obverse Mode and a nearby planetary Adjunction was put into operation. Parameters are inclusive of a 10X Universe Penetrator, Adjunctive at Saturn, Multi Mag Slider, Obverse Spacecraft, and additional parametric identities. The ULT Space Administration is moving so quickly forward with evolving the ULT Machine that a formula to define the Telescope's diameter based on the position and number of the Adjuncts in space is yet to be determined. View the complete ULT Photo Album.