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ETH Zurich students have developed Helios, a four-armed robot inspired by primate movement, designed to handle maintenance and cargo tasks on future space stations. The prototype was built by a team of 10 undergraduates over two semesters and is scheduled for official presentation on May 27 at ETH Zurich's Audimax during the "Fokus-Rollout" event. Rather than replicating human bipedal locomotion, Helios is engineered for microgravity environments where traditional legs and wheels offer limited utility. The robot addresses a cost challenge: astronaut hours spent on routine maintenance are estimated at $140,000 each, and the team projects Helios could assume approximately 35% of such housekeeping tasks, freeing astronauts to focus on scientific research.
Design and Technical Features
Helios features four arms instead of the conventional two-arm, two-leg configuration. The lower pair functions as an additional set of hands, while the upper arms perform more precise work. This design allows the robot to grip, pull itself through station modules, and anchor to walls simultaneously.
The robot employs a tendon-style system using cables and spools, with motors positioned near the shoulders. This architecture reduces the mass of moving parts while improving dexterity and agility—critical factors for operating in weightless, confined environments.
The design draws from how primates navigate through trees, a movement pattern researchers identified as more efficient for navigating a weightless, enclosed space than bipedal or wheeled approaches.
Purpose and Cost Rationale
The longer-term objective is to offload routine "housekeeping" jobs—cleaning, repairs, and cargo shifting—from astronauts. This shift would allow space crews to dedicate more time to scientific pursuits, including cancer research and organ printing.
The team estimates that astronaut hours spent on routine maintenance cost approximately $140,000 each. By suggesting robots could assume roughly 35% of these housekeeping tasks, ORBIT Robotics frames the approach as cost-effective.
Development and Presentation
Helios was built and designed as a student "focus project" by a team of 10 undergraduates over two semesters. The robot will be officially presented on May 27 at ETH Zurich's Audimax during the institution's "Fokus-Rollout" event.
ORBIT Robotics, the Zurich-based project behind Helios, based the design on the robot's ability to "climb" through station corridors in a primate-like manner, using the extra hands to hold onto rails and walls while upper arms execute tasks.
Future Plans
While Helios is currently displayed as an Earth-tested prototype, it has been pitched as a robot intended for a future space launch to demonstrate its capabilities in orbit.
