For Each Astronaut, a “Buddy”
Astronauts on the International Space Station may get tiny robot helpers to assist them in daily chores and to buzz around their orbiting outpost, monitoring its condition.
Taking a page from science fiction, engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, in California, are developing small robot “buddies" that could tag along with astronauts and act as personal assistants.
Developers envision little round robots about the size of grapefruit that are propelled by tiny fans through the weightlessness of a space station or shuttle, hovering over the astronauts’ shoulders and responding to voice commands, the devices, equipped with cameras, speaker, microphones and a variety of sensors, could serve as additional sets of eyes, ears and noses for the crew in space and the support staff on the ground, engineers say.
The jobs imagined for these robot aides range from the essential to the mundane.
As an astronaut works on an experiment with both hands in a glove box, fen: instance, the mechanical assistant could serve as a communications link with a researcher watching from Earth.
The devices also could patrol the corridors of the space station, checking for gas leaks, smoke and unusual bacterial growth, or remind astronauts about the next tasks on their daily-to-do lists or of the need to send a birthday message to a loved one at home.
Yuri Gawdiak, the principal engineer on the project, said the idea of the personal satellite assistant, or PSA, came to him after an experiment between the American space shuttle Atlantis and the Russian Mir space station in 1996. That mission showed that laptop and palmtop computers could use radio signals to exchange information on a wireless network without interfering with other electronic systems aboard the spacecraft.
Afterward, astronauts told engineers that they wanted wireless palmtops, or even smaller portable data assistants, that could record and monitor data like the fictional tricorder devices popularized by the television series “Star Trek,” Mr. Gawdiak said. “I took it a step further when I noticed that crews on missions left equipment to float around when they got busy,” he said. “I thought they would like a device that would always face them when floating, perhaps something stabilized by gyroscopes.”
He said the idea evolved further when he saw astronauts on a shuttle mission demonstrate toys in weightlessness during an educational program. Small wind-up toys hopped and flew around the cabin with startling speed and ease, he said, spurring ideas of practical mobile devices.
‘Then I saw 'Star Wars’ and there was a scene in the movie when the characters used a remote robot object — a fast moving ball — to practise with their light sabers,” he said. “And that gave me more ideas.”
The device, as now envisioned, is a ball about five inches (12.5 centimetres) in diameter that is studded with sensors for rangefinders, motion detectors and position trackers to keep it from running into things or getting lost. The battery-powered PSA could move in any direction using six tiny enclosed propeller fans and have a flat-screen video panel on one side to display data.
“This is small enough to be unobtrusive, and big enough to hold the technology that will be available in the next couple of years to do the job," Mr. Gawdiak said.
It would be impossible for each PSA to carry the computing power and instruments for all the things people suggest these helpers could do, which is where the wireless data network comes into play.
His robots would operate from a base station that would contain powerful computers for analysing sensor data, running speech-recognition and voice-synthesizer software, relaying communications and tracking the devices.
The station also would contain docking ports for recharging the PSA’s batteries and a variety of sensors that could be snapped onto the robots, depending on tasks assigned to them.
Engineers at Ames completed a crucial test of the robots’ components this month by mounting them on a hover plate and guiding them around a test table on a cushion of air. And the team has received financing to develop a prototype.
“We hope to launch a personal satellite assistant in about two years aboard a space shuttle and in about three years aboard the International Space Station," Mr. Gawdiak said.
The space station, a $60 billion project involving 17 countries, will eventually house up to seven astronaut-researchers. Developers would like to use at least three PSAs on the station to demonstrate the technology, allowing the devices to work in formation to zero in on environmental problems.
Grapefruit-sized robots may serve as for astronauts. This idea came to Yuri Gawdiak after an experiment between and astronauts. Scientists that the small robots shall perform tasks that patrolling to reminding astronauts to send a birthday message. The robots, or is powered by battery and by tiny fans. Equipped with it can move with ease and shall not . Since these robots cannot carry all the necessary instruments, will enable the robots to operate from a base station. Researchers hope that PSAs shall operate on the in about 3 years’ time and help solve .
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Question Focus: Synonym match - summary says 'serve as' and passage says 'act as personal assistants'
Correct Answer: personal assistants
Why this is correct: The summary says grapefruit-sized robots may serve as something for astronauts. The passage clearly says they could act as personal assistants, which directly matches the idea.
Passage Reference: are developing small robot 'buddies" that could tag along with astronauts and act as personal assistants.
Common Mistake: Students sometimes write helpers or assistants. These are synonyms, but IELTS requires the exact words from the passage. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'act as personal assistants' = Summary: 'serve as ___ for astronauts'
Tips: When the summary uses 'serve as', look for 'act as' in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- assistants = helpers
- developing = creating
Question Focus: Detail match - nationality of the astronauts in the experiment
Correct Answer: American
Passage Reference: after an experiment between the American space shuttle Atlantis and the Russian Mir space station in 1996.
Why this is correct: The passage says the experiment was between the American space shuttle Atlantis and the Russian Mir space station. The first gap asks for the nationality of the first group.
Common Mistake: Some students write Atlantis, but the gap needs the nationality, not the name. This is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'American space shuttle Atlantis' = Summary: 'between ___ and Russian astronauts'
Tips: Check whether the gap asks for a name or a description like nationality.
Key Vocabulary:
- experiment = test
- shuttle = spacecraft
Question Focus: Detail match - second nationality in the experiment
Correct Answer: Russian
Passage Reference: after an experiment between the American space shuttle Atlantis and the Russian Mir space station in 1996.
Why this is correct: The passage clearly mentions the Russian Mir space station. This matches the second nationality in the summary sentence.
Common Mistake: Writing Mir is wrong because the summary asks about the astronauts, not the station. This is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'Russian Mir space station' = Summary: '___ astronauts'
Tips: If a gap comes before a noun, it often needs an adjective.
Key Vocabulary:
- station = base
- mission = journey
Question Focus: Verb match - scientists' expectations
Correct Answer: envision
Passage Reference: Developers envision little round robots about the size of grapefruit that are propelled by tiny fans through the weightlessness of a space station or shuttle, hovering over the astronauts' shoulders and responding to voice commands, the devices, equipped with cameras, speaker, microphones and a variety of sensors, could serve as additional sets of eyes, ears and noses for the crew in space and the support staff on the ground, engineers say. The jobs imagined for these robot aides range from the essential to the mundane.
Why this is correct: The summary says 'Scientists ___ that the small robots shall perform tasks'. The passage uses the verb envision, meaning imagine or expect.
Common Mistake: Students may write think or believe, but these words are not in the passage. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'Developers envision' = Summary: 'Scientists ___ that'
Tips: For verb gaps, copy the exact verb form used in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- envision = imagine
- developers = engineers
Question Focus: Fixed phrase match - describing variety of tasks
Correct Answer: range from
Passage Reference: The jobs imagined for these robot aides range from the essential to the mundane.
Why this is correct: The passage says the jobs range from the essential to the mundane. The summary keeps the same structure, so range from fits exactly.
Common Mistake: Writing vary from changes the wording. Even though the meaning is similar, it is wrong. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'jobs imagined ... range from' = Summary: 'tasks that ___ patrolling to reminding'
Tips: Learn common IELTS phrases like 'range from ... to ...'.
Key Vocabulary:
- mundane = ordinary
- essential = necessary
Question Focus: Acronym reference - naming the robots
Correct Answer: PSA
Passage Reference: the idea of the personal satellite assistant, or PSA, came to him
Why this is correct: The passage introduces the robots as personal satellite assistant, or PSA. The summary says 'The robots, or ___', so PSA fits perfectly.
Common Mistake: Some students write only assistant, which is incomplete. This is a partial truth trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'personal satellite assistant, or PSA' = Summary: 'The robots, or ___'
Tips: When you see 'or' in a summary, look for an acronym in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- satellite = orbiting device
- assistant = helper
Question Focus: Verb form match - how the robots move
Correct Answer: propelled
Passage Reference: robots about the size of grapefruit that are propelled by tiny fans through the weightlessness of a space station
Why this is correct: The passage says the robots are propelled by tiny fans. The summary changes the sentence but keeps the same verb.
Common Mistake: Writing powered is tempting because the summary mentions batteries, but the passage uses propelled. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'are propelled by tiny fans' = Summary: '___ by tiny fans'
Tips: Check parallel grammar when two verbs are joined by 'and'.
Key Vocabulary:
- propelled = pushed forward
- weightlessness = zero gravity
Question Focus: Noun match - equipment on the robot
Correct Answer: sensors
Passage Reference: is a ball about five inches (12.5 centimetres) in diameter that is studded with sensors for rangefinders, motion detectors and position trackers to keep it from running into things or getting lost.
Why this is correct: The passage describes the device as studded with sensors. The summary says 'Equipped with ___', which matches exactly.
Common Mistake: Students may write cameras or detectors, but the summary is general and the passage uses sensors. This is a wrong detail trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'studded with sensors' = Summary: 'Equipped with ___'
Tips: Choose the general term if the summary is general.
Key Vocabulary:
- sensor = detector
- equipped = having
Question Focus: Negative ability - what the robots avoid
Correct Answer: run into things
Passage Reference: to keep it from running into things or getting lost.
Why this is correct: The passage says the sensors keep the robot from running into things or getting lost. Either phrase fits the summary grammar.
Common Mistake: Writing avoid accidents changes the wording and adds meaning. This is a paraphrase trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'running into things' = Summary: 'shall not ___'
Tips: After 'shall not', use the verb without -ing.
Key Vocabulary:
- run into = crash
- lost = unable to find way
Question Focus: Cause solution match - how limitations are solved
Correct Answer: wireless data network
Passage Reference: which is where the wireless data network comes into play.
Why this is correct: The passage explains that because robots cannot carry everything, the wireless data network solves this problem. The summary repeats this idea.
Common Mistake: Writing base station is wrong because the network enables operation from the station. This is a causation trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'wireless data network comes into play' = Summary: '___ will enable the robots'
Tips: Look for explanation phrases like 'which is where' to find answers.
Key Vocabulary:
- wireless = without cables
- network = connected system
Question Focus: Future plan detail - location and time
Correct Answer: international space station
Passage Reference: in about three years aboard the International Space Station," Mr.
Why this is correct: The passage states the PSA will launch aboard the International Space Station in about three years. This matches the summary exactly.
Common Mistake: Writing space shuttle is wrong because that is the two-year plan, not three years. This is a time trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'aboard the International Space Station' = Summary: 'operate on the ___'
Tips: Always match the time reference in the summary with the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- aboard = on
- launch = send into space
Question Focus: Purpose match - what the robots will help solve
Correct Answer: environmental problems
Passage Reference: allowing the devices to work in formation to zero in on environmental problems
Why this is correct: The final paragraph says PSAs will work together to zero in on environmental problems. The summary shortens this but keeps the key phrase.
Common Mistake: Students may write technical problems, which is not stated. This is a not given trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'zero in on environmental problems' = Summary: 'help solve ___'
Tips: Answers often come from the final sentence when the summary ends.
Key Vocabulary:
- environmental = related to surroundings
- zero in on = focus on
General Tips:
- Summary completion follows passage order. Use the previous gap location to find the next answer faster.
- Always copy the exact words from the passage. Synonyms are usually wrong.
- Check grammar clues around the gap like 'a', 'the', 'by', or verb forms.
- Watch the word limit carefully. More than three words is automatically wrong.
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