NASA can handle their robots in 3D

NASA today unveils an application to learn how to handle some of their robots in 3D, as "Curiosity", which will land on Mars on 6 August.

The application is available for free for iPhone and iPad.

"Spacecraft 3D" uses animations to show how they can maneuver and manipulate the external components of the ship.

For now, NASA has begun with two of his many vehicles, Curiosity, and the Ebb and Flow sister ships, the GRAIL mission, orbiting the moon.

"With 3D Spacecraft and a mobile device, you can put high-definition three-dimensional models literally in the hands of children of all ages," said Stephen Kulczycki, Deputy Director of Communications and Education of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of the in Pasadena (California).

And this application is one of the first that uses "augmented reality" (AR), which gives the user a direct view of a real-world physical environment with virtual elements, creating a mixed reality in real time.

According to Kevin Hussey, director of display technology at JPL is as if the user were the director of a Hollywood movie, move the camera phone or tablet up or down, left or right and "the prospect of the ship moves with you. "

"It's a great way to study a NASA spacecraft in 3D," he said.

NASA plans to incorporate this project the Cassini probe, which is orbiting Saturn, the Dawn spacecraft, which has investigated the asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres study, and the Voyagers, who study the limits of our solar system and the application also be available in other formats.