🌑 AI 'SHERPA' will guide NASA's VIPER rover across the Moon's south pole

Plus: Wasbi boosts brain function, Eye scan tracks kidney health, and AI-solar-powered robot boat Sending a rover into space, landing it on a celestial body, and navigating it across an unfamiliar terrain represents a complex task. Nonetheless, the emergence of artificial intelligence in the 21st century provides advantages and potentially serves as a guiding system for rovers on celestial bodies. Now, NASA plans to land its inaugural rover mission, the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER), on the Moon's south pole. This rover will utilize an AI system named SHERPA to navigate and strategize its path across the demanding lunar surface. Jump to today's [Must Read]( to learn more about NASA's VIPER rover navigating the lunar surface. Good morning. I’m Shubhangi, the editorial assistant at IE. This is the Blueprint. Let’s get started! 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This rover, named after the skilled Sherpa guides of the Himalayas, will use the AI system SHERPA to navigate and plan its route across the challenging lunar surface. AI provides adaptability, flexibility, resilience, and efficiency to VIPER, enabling it to thrive in a dynamic environment. Edward Balaban, VIPER's lead for strategic planning at NASA's Ames Research Center, emphasized AI's strength in leveraging change. Upon landing at Mons Mouton, a flat-topped mountain near the Moon's South Pole, VIPER will face intricate and unpredictable terrains with no human presence for immediate assistance. Click below to learn more about AI systems analyzing real-time data, assessing the surroundings, and autonomously making decisions. [[Read More]( [Innovation]( [👁️ 3D eye scan tech called 'OCT' may detect early cues of kidney diseases]( Utilizing a non-invasive approach, scientists have developed Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), a 3D eye scanning technology. This innovation aims to examine retinal 3D images, enabling the detection of subtle eye changes. The primary goal is to provide an innovative method for early identification and monitoring the advancement of kidney disease. [[Read More]( [Transportation]( [🏎️ Mad Mike's Mazda 787D makes history as first ever 5-rotor Wankel marvel]( Renowned drifting expert 'Mad' Mike Whiddett introduces his groundbreaking Mazda 787D, featuring the world's first five-rotor powerplant. An homage to the iconic Mazda 787B, celebrated for its unique 1991 Le Mans victory as the sole non-piston-powered car to triumph. [[Read More]( [Military]( [🛥️ Kiwi Navy will test new AI, solar-powered robot boat for endless recon]( The New Zealand Defense Force announced that the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) will soon trial its first 22.3-foot (6.8-meter) renewable-powered Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) called "Bluebottle." This USV will perform persistent surveillance tasks in New Zealand's waters for fishery and border protection, as well as meteorological data collection. [[Read More]( job alert In this section you’ll find the latest jobs as featured on: [jobs.interestingengineering.com]( [Sr. Software Test Engineer I]( at 23andMe Sunnyvale(US) [Senior Network Architect Engineer #TS999]( at CRL Technologies Lexington Park(US) [Beginning Software Engineer (Back End)]( at Boeing Intelligence & Analytics Annapolis Junction(US) [ITSM Senior Engineer]( at McLane Company Temple(US) [Sr Software Engineer]( at Medifast Inc Havre de Grace(US) [DevOps Engineer]( at Accenture Federal Services Reston(US) QUESTION OF THE DAY Which lunar resources intrigue you the most for further exploration and study? [Tracing water ice]( [Regolith composition]( [Volatile elements on the moon]( [Accessible minerals]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Yesterday, we asked you about what aspect of progress in fusion energy most captivates your interest and found that the prospect of cheap, clean energy excites 56 percent of you. 56% The prospect of cheap, clean electricity 24% Mitigating climate change impacts 13% Technology finally catching up with physics 8% Moving closer to sci-fi-like energy future “AI allows VIPER to be more adaptable, flexible, resilient, and efficient. It’s a tool that allows us to use change as a strength." 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