... simple as is necessary. The cost relates directly to its complexity. An example of a complex service robot is the Mars pathfinder robot. The Mission Homepage states that this project cost under $150 million dollars spent over three years. The Sojourner Rover conducted technology experiments like wheel-soil interactions, autonomous navigation and hazard avoidance, in addition to carrying an alpha proton x-ray spectrometer (APXS) (mars.sgi.com/rover/descrip.html). This sensor could determine the element composition of rock and soil. Another example a service robot was developed by The Intelligent Systems & Robotics Center, a branch of Sandia Labs. The Mine Robot is designed to enter an area when conditions are too dangerous for people after a mine disaster. The Mine Robot can move safely where people cannot to locate survivors, check the atmosphere, or assess the condition of the mine's support structure. To do this they decided to use the Robotic All Terrain Lunar ...

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