🚀 go-pugleaf

Tonight on PBS here in Ames, Iowa the show "Space Age" had 3 small
segments on robotics in reference to going to Mars.

First shown was Ambler at CMU.  

Second, was Rodney Brooks ( with Anita Flynn? ) and Atilla walking
across rocks in the lab.  Brooks spoke of tiny "tumblebots" that would
be blown around Mars and when they found perhaps water would stop
themselves to be seen by a satellite in orbit around Mars.

Next they showed an underwater ROV ( I didn't catch what university) .
The camera on the ROV was controlled by head movements of the operator
who saw the camera's view with builtin goggles on the helmet.

In general, the rest of the show was only average exciting.  The robot
clips came about halfway into the show.

The show may be showing later in the week in different television
markets around the U.S.

The excerpt from the newspaper:

"The program takes a worldwide view as it examines scientific,
economic and technological aspects of the space programs launched by
various countries.   The opening installment concentrates on the
`Quest for Planet Mars,' outlining the difficulties that have existed
in mounting a mission to the planet and also projecting what the voyage
would be like, via simulation.  Part 1 of 6."

Mark D. Smucker   ----   mds@iastate.edu