The android robot Pemba conquered a 6,200-meter-high volcano

The "Pemba" android, based on the Unitree G1 robot, successfully climbed to the summit of Ecuador's Chimborazo volcano, located at an altitude of 6,200 meters above sea level. This climb was part of an ambitious project aimed at testing robots’ ability to operate in conditions that are dangerous for humans.

The project is led by Pablo Berlango Boemare of Geologic Dome. 

His team aims to prove that autonomous robots can effectively perform tasks related to environmental monitoring and nature conservation.

According to the developers’ vision, androids equipped with artificial intelligence systems, cameras, and satellite communication will be able to patrol remote areas, detect poachers, and monitor the state of ecosystems much more effectively than traditional sensors and surveillance cameras.

However, during the ascent of Chimborazo, the robot was not yet able to manage entirely on its own without human assistance. On relatively simple sections of the route, “Pemba” moved on its own, but on the difficult stretches of the 16-hour ascent, engineers had to carry it in their arms.

Currently, the team is refining reinforcement learning algorithms so that the robot can navigate complex mountain terrain on its own without outside assistance.

The extreme conditions of the high mountains posed a serious challenge for the developers. Low temperatures and thin air negatively affect electronics and batteries. To protect the robot’s systems, engineers equipped it with special thermal regulation devices.

These solutions were developed based on preliminary tests in China’s Altai region, where the Unitree G1 model demonstrated stable operation even at temperatures as low as minus 47 degrees Celsius.

The next stage of the project will be testing the robot in the Himalayas. Geologic Dome, in collaboration with the Fourteen Peaks Expedition team, plans to test the robot on the route between Everest Base Camp and Camp 4, located at an altitude of approximately 8,000 meters.

During the upcoming mission, the developers aim to assess the wear and tear on mechanical components, the efficiency of power systems, and the stability of the robot’s artificial intelligence in an extremely thin atmosphere.

In the future, such robots could be used for cleaning up trash in the mountains, monitoring glaciers, conducting environmental research, and participating in rescue operations.

However, the implementation of the Himalayan mission is currently being held back by legal issues. The Nepalese government currently lacks a regulatory framework governing the ascent of robots to mountain peaks. Because of this, the organizers were forced to postpone the expedition until the relevant rules are adopted.