Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have invented “SuperLimbs” that can help astronauts get back on their feet after falling.
According to a study from the University of Michigan, the moon’s gravity is only 1/6 that of Earth’s, making it difficult for astronauts to maintain their balance. Historically, 12 astronauts from NASA’s Apollo missions who walked on the moon experienced 27 falls and nearly 21 additional near-falls.
When astronaut Charlie Duke fell on the moon in 1972 while conducting experiments, it took him three attempts to stand up again. The research found that falls are more frequent when astronauts are collecting samples or using tools.
Two auxiliary limbs can help astronauts easily get back up when they fall in low-gravity environments. (Image: MIT).
In light of NASA’s plans to send humans back to the moon and undertake unprecedented missions such as establishing a base for habitation or conducting long-duration trips, Professor Harry Asada at MIT has been developing the idea of a suit that can assist astronauts when they fall for over a decade. This led to the creation of SuperLimbs.
According to Ana Diaz Artiles, an assistant professor of aerospace engineering at Texas A&M, equipping astronauts with two auxiliary limbs located in a backpack can help them save energy when trying to get back up. Additionally, lunar dust is “super toxic,” making it potentially harmful for astronauts to roll on the surface as they attempt to stand up.
Erik Ballesteros, a graduate student at MIT involved in the design, stated that the SuperLimbs system needs some improvements, but he hopes it will be ready for application by January when it successfully helps a mannequin get up from a prone position.
With advancements in technology, Erik hopes that within one or two years, the system will be ready for human application, but first, the research team needs to learn a lot about safety concerns. “We can’t just use duct tape and put everything together; we have to be very precise and very careful,” the graduate student remarked.
Furthermore, the research team may face many other challenges. Dr. Jonathan Clark, a clinical professor of neurology and space medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, who served as a flight surgeon for the crew on six NASA space shuttle missions, told CNN that the harsh environment of space—from temperature extremes to contaminating particles like dust and electromagnetic radiation—could make the approval process for this technology for use in space costly and lengthy, potentially taking years.
In addition to supporting astronauts, researcher Ballesteros indicated that these auxiliary limbs could help astronauts move faster or assist with tasks such as excavation, sample handling, and construction.
In the history of space exploration, the Apollo 17 astronauts hold the record for the longest time spent walking on the moon, at 7 hours and 37 minutes.
