SAMPLE is an experiment by the Research Group for Autonomous Intelligent Systems of the Graz University of Technology, Austria. It addresses issues that limit the utilization of planetary rovers and supports analog astronauts and scientific teams in their exploration and investigations by providing a semi-autonomous remote inspector. For this, it aims to extend the area of use of rovers and to provide novel ways for the cooperation of analog astronauts and robots. It investigates robot capabilities such as photogrammetry-a measurement method to create 3D models of objects and landscapes from 2D photos-, in-situ instrument placing, sample collection, and semi-autonomous task execution. The project will provide data products like 3D maps, images, and special measurements collected by the rover during the exploration. To improve this data collection on site, a robotic arm has been integrated, whose level of autonomy can be adjusted by the analog astronauts. Implementing machine learning algorithms allows for improving the navigation skills of the rover.
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