Telepresence

Telepresence is the ability of a human in one location to work in another location by means of a humanoid robot. Rather like the pilot of a military drone the operator of the robot stays out of the danger area and operates the robot by remote control. What distinguishes telepresence from remote control is the use of a comprehensive interface that allows the operator to act as though they are actually in the remote location not just working a machine at a distance. One common analogy is the telephone. Most people talk on the telephone as though they were actually with the person they are speaking to and now conferences and meetings are be held without participants needing to physically meet. The benefits of such a system in space exploration where the need to protect and support the fragile human cosmonaut adds massively to the weight and cost of any mission are obvious but there is a snag. The time delay in communication to even nearby planets like Mars and Venus makes it impossible for the operator to stay at home and explore other worlds by remote control like the pilot of a drone. For a planet like Venus however telepresence is the way forward. A cosmonaut in a spacecraft in orbit could conduct detailed scientific investigations on the surface without have to face the searing heat or the crushing pressure. Humans are more effective than robots in fieldwork and answering questions like did Venus once have an ocean needs all the skill of a human geologist rather than a semi autonomous probe controlled from Earth. Think of the area that could be covered by a scientist operating a low altitude airship from orbit with the ability to investigate anything that seems unusual or interesting and compare that with the progress of even a sophisticated rover like Curiosity in the relatively benign environment of Mars. Telepresence is another example of a technology that would have massive application on Earth and in space and the exploration of Venus could be a real driving force in the development of the system as well as a way to explore the mysterious hell planet.