A blurry Facundo Fernandez, project lead, with the robotic arm held probe for mapping uneven surfaces. (via Georgia Tech)
How did life begin here on Earth? That’s a tough question, however it’s widely known that chemistry had something to do with it. Specifically, simple molecules decided to bond with one another to form the precursors of genetic material, although it’s not known as to what the catalyst was that brought those molecules together (enzymes hadn’t yet hit the scene). Some scientists believe the answer could have come from space, with catalytic materials on the surface of meteorites jumpstarting those attractions rather than genetic manipulation from some ancient alien civilization.
The problem arrives in analyzing the uneven surfaces of meteorites to gain reliable data to that theory, as Earth’s atmosphere is unforgiving to incoming rocks from space. Scientists from Georgia Tech knew that all too well and decided to turn to a robotic system to help them get the answers they need through mass spectrometry. MS is an analytical tool that produces a chemical analysis of atoms or molecules in a sample material, which are typically cleaned and carefully prepared for that analysis. Rocks on the other hand are a nightmare to work with, as they need to be sliced into thin, flat samples, which could alter the readings, giving false analytical data. To avoid those issues and maintain reliable data, the scientists turned to Universal Robots UR5 robotic arm for precision probing of uneven surfaces, like those found on meteorites.
The team outfitted the robotic arm with a 3D camera to map the 3D coordinates of a sample surface, in the initial case, ink patterns on the surface of polystyrene spheres. The robot then takes specific samples of the material using an acupuncture needle (probe) and deposits the promising material into a mass spectrometer. During tests, the scientists were able to detect different colors in the inks used and then were able to recreate a 3D image of the object based on the material. The robotic system is expected to help scientists garner more information about what catalyst may have help start life here on Earth.
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