From: daver@sunspot.ssl.berkeley.edu (David Ray)
Subject: Re: INDUSTRY: NASA develops "telepresence" for exploration (Forwarded)
Date: 5 Feb 1992 17:32:44 GMT
Message-ID: <kp07tsINN515@agate.berkeley.edu>


>NASA DEVELOPS "TELEPRESENCE" FOR EXPLORATION
>  (stuff deleted..)
 
>         "When we begin to explore Mars, (...stuff deleted..)

>        Telepresence lets a researcher, wearing a video headset, 
>see remote locations through cameras mounted on a remotely-
>operated robotic vehicle.  The researcher points the camera by 
>moving his or her head and steers the vehicle with a pair of 
>joysticks or with body motion.  Manipulators on the robot relay 
>the "feel" of an object's weight and texture.

  I have dreamed of this kind of technology for a long time, and it
sounds wonderful, but I can't understand one thing. There is such
a long delay for radio waves (or any e/m waves) to get to the moon or
Mars that I can't see how there could be any useful "feedback".
It takes over 2 seconds to the moon and back, and over 15 minutes
to Mars and back. How can a person wearing a headset be able to
steer a vehicle, or "feel" an object's texture with such a long
delay?

Just wondering.

Dave