Clearpath Robotics’ Husky A200 has joined Dr. Jean Hunter and Dr. Kim Binstead, for a two week training session at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah in preparation for the four-month Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS).
Clearpath Robotics‘ Husky A200 Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) has joined Dr. Jean Hunter (Cornell University), Dr. Kim Binstead (University of Hawaii), and six crew members for a two week training session at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah in preparation for the four-month Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS).
Beginning in April, HI-SEAS will bring volunteer crew members together in a simulated Mars environment for 120 days to research new forms of food and food preparation for long-term space missions. Additionally, Simon Engler, from the University of Calgary, will be on hand with the Husky A200. Engler will be focusing on astronaut-robot interaction and robot companionship studies.
Playing a key role in Engler’s research is Clearpath Robotics’ small but mighty UGV, the Husky A200. Already being used for methane detection studies by the Autonomous Space Robotics Lab (ASRL) at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, the Husky’s agility in rugged terrain, combined with its easygoing, user friendly nature, is quickly making it the go-to platform for Mars robotics research around the world. HI-SEAS currently uses the Husky to study robot operation while wearing a dexterity-impeding spacesuit and as a useful tool, for example, for transporting rock samples back to the base station.
“The Husky is perfectly suited to the rugged terrain that will be faced on this, and future Mars research missions,” says Matthew Rendall, CEO of Clearpath Robotics. “Having Clearpath platforms involved in, and trusted for, such important work is a great feeling.”
The HI-SEAS team is currently at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah for a two week warm up before the official project kick off in Hawaii, and the Husky has wasted no time making friends. “We’re all very excited about the rover, and it’s slowly turning into a 7th crew member” says Crew Commander, Angelo Vermeulen.
About Clearpath Robotics:
Clearpath Robotics is a Canadian startup company founded in 2009 by four graduates of the University of Waterloo’s Mechatronics Engineering program. Dedicated to automating the world’s dullest, dirtiest, and deadliest jobs, Clearpath has found early success, winning the FuEL (Future Entrepreneurial Leaders) Award, TiE Quest’s New Entrepreneur Award, the Shopify Build a Business Award, and taking first place in the 2011 CBET RISE Business Plan Competition. High profile clients such as the Department of National Defense, Canadian Space Agency, US Navy, MIT and Carnegie Mellon University are proving Clearpath really is “Your Unmanned Expert”.
Company Contact Information
Clearpath Robotics
Paul van der Vorst
148 Manitou Dr. Suite 101
N2C 1L3
Phone : 519 513 2416 x816