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Your smartphone could power the Curiosity rover

Your smartphone could power the Curiosity rover

By:  Howard Solomon  On: 08 Aug 2012 For: Computing Canada Creator
 

ITWORLD CANADA CURATED: The brains running the newest vehicle on Mars isn't the latest CPU. But as this article points out it doesn't have to be

The latest wheeled explorer on the surface of Mars is a technological wonder that boasts Canadian wizardry and cutting edge science. But it runs on single-core processors. That's because the rover had to be designed several years ago and couldn't be updated with the latest CPUs.

As a NASA official points out in this piece, the Sparc and PowerPC-based computers don't have to be highly powerful, but they do have be hardened to survive and work in the harsh conditions in space and on Mars.
 
How much of Canada is in CuriosityThis article from the Globe and Mail details the two companies involved and how they might benefit.
 
For the latest from NASA on Curiosity's progress, click here.

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Howard Solomon Howard Solomon I'm assistant editor of ComputerWorld Canada covering network infrastructure, communications and government IT issues. An IT journalist  since 1997, I've written ... more

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