Case Study: NASA achieves greater astronaut productivity with Digi International’s wireless module for Robonaut 2

NASA frees up 2+ hours of crew time with Digi International

NASA needed to free astronauts on the International Space Station from time-consuming routine tasks, like lengthy air quality monitoring, to allow more time for scientific exploration. To address this, they worked with Digi International to Wi-Fi enable their Robonaut 2 robot, which was otherwise tethered by control and power cables.

Digi International provided their ConnectCore Wi-i.MX53 wireless module, which passed rigorous testing for the space environment. This solution allowed the Robonaut to move freely and be controlled remotely, saving astronauts hours of crew time. The wireless link also enabled real-time video transmission and data logging, with future plans for the robot to assist on spacewalks outside the station.

NASA