Cyborg Astrobiologist: 1st Field Test

Posted 28 Oct 2004 at 15:39 UTC by steve

Earlier this year we reported on the Cyborg Astrobiologist project. Their plan is to develop a virtual environment which combines a human astrobiologist or geologist with robotic sensory extensions. A human could either be linked through telepresence to a Mars rover or a human might wear sensory extension gear. A new paper describing the first field test of the project, scheduled to appear in an upcoming issue of the International Journal of Astrobiology, has been released online with the title, The Cyborg Astrobiologist: First Field Experience (PDF format). The field test consisted of a geologist visiting the cliffs of Rivas Vaciamadrid. As the geologist looked at outcroppings and faults, imaging software identified regions of interest worth further examination. More photos and links can be found on astrobiologist Patrick McGuire's homepage.