Watch: Russia’s New Space Robots

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The Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects in the Defense Industry (FPI) has showcased an operational prototype of a humanoid robot designed to perform complex operations in space.

Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told reporters that Russian military robots won’t be limited to the battlefield, and that space applications hold a special priority. “We’ve launched work to create an avatar that will become a crewmember of the Russian national orbital station,” Rogozin said.

The robot will be capable of performing dangerous missions outside of the space vehicle, while the remote-operator remains safely inside.

Rogozin emphasised that the application of military technologies to civilian and scientific purposes is essential for maintaining Russia’s leading position in space exploration. “Systematic progress,” he said, is needed for that to remain the case. “We believe humanoid robots with synthetic vision and AI in perspective is not a fairytale,” Rogozin said.

FPI demonstrated two working prototypes:

“Fyodor”, the first of these, is shaped like a human torso mounted on a platform, with two articulated arms. It can perform precise operations and works in three modes: copycat, supervisory, and completely autonomous. The operator controls it with a special suit that scan for fine movements in the neck, shoulders, wrists, and fingers.

The other is far more human-like and will eventually walk and manipulate objects like a human. For now, engineers are using this prototype to develop mobile equilibrium and complex coordination.

FPI also presented an operational prototype of a military exoskeleton. The robotic suit augments human performance with super-human strength, inbuilt communication systems, and targeting-assistive technologies in the helmet’s screen.