Train real Mars robots by playing a videogame

In a clever and creative approach to improve Mars robots, MIT has created the gameMars Escape, a free, two-player online game where one player takes on the role of a human Mars explorer while the other controls his helpful robot buddy.

Players will have to work together to figure out a way to accomplish a mission before the air runs out. MIT will gather data from all the games played and use it to improve robots that could one day accompany real people on a real voyage to the Red Planet.

It looks like you have to be 18 to play (mature content?), and it takes only about 10 minutes to complete it. Now, what we're wondering is, what happens if a bunch of griefers go in there with the intentions of screwing up the data? Think before you grief - future lives of astronauts could be in your hands.

Play it now here.

Apr 29, 2010