Orbit Robotics Unveils Helios: A Four-Armed Humanoid Robot for Space Missions
Orbit Robotics, a Canadian company, has developed a humanoid four-armed robot named Helios designed for use in microgravity environments such as space stations. Unlike traditional robots, Helios does not have legs, as they are unnecessary in zero-gravity conditions. Instead, its engineers added an extra pair of arms with hands to enable it to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
Innovative Design for Space Applications
Helios is not constructed with rotating actuators typical of conventional robots. Instead, its four arms, attached to a humanoid upper body, are moved through electromotor-driven pulley systems. This design makes the robot lighter and more flexible. The motors are positioned near the shoulder joints to minimize moving mass and improve efficiency. The elbow joints are designed as rolling contact joints, ensuring smooth, low-friction movement while maintaining flexibility.
The robot’s design mimics the human musculoskeletal system through a “Tendon Drive” mechanism. This system uses cables acting as tendons to drive the joints, resulting in more natural movement. Orbit Robotics claims this approach enhances Helios’s dexterity in microgravity compared to traditional actuated joints.
Capabilities and Development Goals
Helios’s hands feature five fingers, allowing it to perform delicate tasks in space. The robot is currently a prototype, with much of its structure 3D-printed. While it has not yet been tested in actual microgravity, it has been evaluated in a simulated space station environment using harnesses.
Orbit Robotics aims to create robotic systems that support astronauts by taking over routine tasks such as maintenance and cargo management. These tasks currently consume about 35% of astronauts’ time on space stations. By delegating these responsibilities to Helios, astronauts could focus more on research activities.
Testing and Future Development
The company has also developed the Ikarus robotics platform, a test environment built in just two months. Ikarus is used to train robots for autonomous tasks, enabling imitation learning, teleoperation and hardware testing. This platform is critical for refining Helios’s capabilities before potential space deployment.