NASA News: NASA, NSF Collaborate to Develop Advanced Robotics

WASHINGTON -- The National Science Foundation (NSF) will take the lead
with NASA and two other federal agencies to support the
administration's National Robotics Initiative.

The initiative complements the administrations' Advanced Manufacturing
Initiative and technology transfer efforts and supports the
development and use of robots in the United States that work beside,
or cooperatively, with people and that enhance individual human
capabilities, performance and safety.

"To help everyone from factory workers to astronauts carry out more
complicated tasks, NASA and other agencies will support research into
next-generation robotics," President Obama said during a speech
Friday at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Over the past five years, tremendous advancements in robotics
technology have enabled a new generation of assistive systems and
devices in industries as diverse as manufacturing, logistics,
medicine, health care, military, agriculture, and consumer products.

"NASA has been focused on human-robotic interaction for more than a
decade, leading to flight of our newest crew member on the
International Space Station, Robonaut2," said NASA's Chief
Technologist Bobby Braun. "Our challenge today is to develop robotics
technology that can increase the effectiveness and safety of humans
in space and deliver cutting-edge science. Through our participation
in the National Robotics Initiative, NASA will create the new
knowledge, technology and capabilities needed for our future space
missions while benefiting life here on Earth, today."

It is becoming increasingly evident that these early, next generation
products are a harbinger of numerous, large-scale, global, robotics
technology markets likely to develop in the coming decade. The
robotics initiative, which pays particular attention to fundamental
research and education by academia and industry, seeks to engage our
next generation of scientists and engineers in fields essential in
the new global technology economy.

"It's exciting to be on the forefront of creating new knowledge and to
play a catalytic role in the development of smart technology that
enhances America's productivity and ultimately the quality of life of
Americans," said NSF Director Subra Suresh. "It's also an opportunity
to harness the expertise of our colleagues in several government
agencies to tackle a major challenge and to bolster creative science
and the U.S. economy. NSF is proud to lead this effort."

The purpose of the initiative is to encourage innovative collaborative
research that combines computer and systems science with mechanical,
electrical and materials engineering and social, behavioral and
economic sciences to tackle the most important and challenging
problems in producing this class of human-assisting co-robotics.

Investments in the initiative from NASA, NIH, NSF and United States
Department of Agriculture may reach $40 to $50 million in the first
year, with anticipated growth in funding as other agencies and
industry partners engage.

NIH has used robotics for the rapid screening of potential drugs and
the subsequent discovery of new drugs. NIH anticipates robotics will
play an important role in rehabilitation, home health care, and
advanced robotic surgery in the near future.

The USDA encourages automated systems and improved robotics for
inspection, sorting, processing or handling of animal or plant
products, as well as multi-modal and rapid sensing systems for
detecting defects, ripeness, physical damage, microbial
contamination, size shape and other quality attributes of such products.

NSF will manage the solicitation and peer review selection process.
All participating federal agencies will work with partners to foster
the exchange of ideas and technologies that will directly benefit
American today and well into the future. For more information about
the National Science Foundation, visit:

http://www.nsf.gov

For more information about NASA, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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NASA Will Host 150 People For Tweetup At Launch Of Jupiter-Bound Mission

WASHINGTON -- NASA will host a two-day launch Tweetup for 150 of its
Twitter followers on Aug. 4 - 5 at the agency's Kennedy Space Center
in Florida. The Tweetup is expected to culminate in the launch of the
Jupiter-bound Juno spacecraft aboard an Atlas V rocket.

The launch window opens at 11:39 a.m. EDT on Aug. 5. The spacecraft is
expected to arrive at Jupiter in 2016. The mission will investigate
the gas giant's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.
Juno's color camera will provide close-up images of Jupiter,
including the first detailed glimpse of the planet's poles.

The Tweetup will provide @NASA Twitter followers with the opportunity
to tour the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex; speak with
scientists and engineers from the Juno and other upcoming missions;
and, if all goes as scheduled, view the spacecraft launch. The event
also will provide participants the opportunity to meet fellow tweeps
and members of NASA's social media team.

Juno is the second of four space missions launching this year, making
2011 one of the busiest ever in planetary exploration. Aquarius was
launched June 10 to study ocean salinity; Grail will launch Sept. 8
to study the moon's gravity field; and the Mars Science
Laboratory/Curiosity rover heads to the Red Planet no earlier than Nov. 25.

Tweetup registration opens at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 24, and closes at
3 p.m. on Monday, June 27. NASA will randomly select 150 participants
from online registrations. For more information about the Tweetup and
registration, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup

For information about connecting and collaborating with NASA, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

Juno's principal investigator is Scott Bolton of the Southwest
Research Institute in San Antonio. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
in Pasadena, Calif., manages the mission.

For more information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/juno

and

http://missionjuno.swri.edu

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