Chapter 120: Heavenly Clerk

The "Dragon Claw" project, which is the next-generation robotic arm for the space station.

Li Yang had flipped through the existing data and videos provided by the Space Administration countless times.

That thick, rigid, and stiff metal arm always seemed a bit... "clumsy" against the backdrop of the vast starry sky.

"Strength is sufficient, but dexterity is lacking." Li Yang gave his preliminary evaluation at the project's internal discussion meeting.

"It's like asking a heavyweight boxer to thread a needle."

Wang Hao played with a miniature rocket engine nozzle model in his hand and interrupted: "That's simple? Just make it thinner and lighter!"

"Make it thinner and lighter, rigidity drops, and precision and load-bearing capacity will be affected." Chen Guang immediately denied it from a technical perspective.

"The space station environment has micro-vibrations and thermal deformation, and flexible structures will cause end-positioning errors to amplify."

"Therefore, we need a structure that maintains strength while possessing extreme flexibility and dexterity." Li Yang's eyes flashed with the familiar light that appeared when he was immersed in a new creative idea.

He pulled up a video showing an octopus shuttling freely among coral reefs, its tentacles winding and supporting at times, grabbing prey precisely at others, and even able to unscrew a bottle cap.

"Look at this." Li Yang pointed to the screen.

"Octopus tentacles have no rigid bones, yet they can be both rigid and flexible. What do they rely on?"

"It's the muscular hydrostats and extremely sensitive tactile perception crisscrossing inside."

Wang Hao blinked: "Brother Li, are you trying to... install an 'octopus claw' on the space station?"

"You can understand it that way." Li Yang didn't refute Wang Hao's layman metaphor but followed along.

"The 'Heavenly Clerk' robotic arm I envision has a core of 'semi-rigid-flexible composite structure'."

He pulled up the preliminary 3D model.

It was no longer a simple metal rod, but more like a "spine" composed of countless tiny metal rings.

Between the rings, a certain special flexible material was filled.

"Look here," Li Yang zoomed in on the structure.

"Inside each metal ring, an ultra-miniaturized biomimetic hydraulic drive unit is integrated, equivalent to a muscle bundle of an octopus tentacle."

"By precisely controlling the pressure and coordination of these micro-hydraulic units, the entire robotic arm can become as hard as iron when needed, and as soft as a rope in an instant."

"What about the outer layer?" Zhao Kaiyuan was hooked.

"The space environment is harsh, temperature difference, radiation, micro-meteorites..."

"Cover the outer layer with 'scales' that can adaptively change." Li Yang switched screens to show a type of armor plate similar to Li Kui's "Dragon Scale Alloy" but thinner and with micro-actuators.

"Usually closed, providing protection and thermal control."

"When precise operation is needed, the 'scales' can adaptively micro-open and close according to the shape of the target, increasing friction and adapting to different gripping surfaces, just like the suckers on octopus tentacles."

"What about the 'fingertips'?" Chen Guang asked, already starting to think about sensor and data processing needs.

Li Yang smiled; this was the first time he had revealed such a confident smile in days.

"The 'fingertips' integrate 'mechanical spider' level micro-sensor arrays and multi-functional tool heads."

"High-resolution tactile, optical, laser ranging, and even micro 'Bee Sting' laser welding/cutting heads."

"Theoretically, it can not only grab equipment with standard interfaces but even 'pinch' a screw floating in space, or perform 'minimally invasive surgery' on exposed cables."

This concept was too advanced, leaving even Wang Hao with his mouth wide open: "Holy crap... Brother Li, this is no longer an octopus."

"You're turning space into our backyard, where we can clean up however we want!"

A few days later, in a ground simulation pod, the first "Heavenly Clerk" arm engineering verification prototype performed its first demonstration.

To increase persuasiveness, Feng Yan specifically invited experts like Chief Zhou from the Space Administration to visit again, and even invited several instructors responsible for space station astronaut training.

Inside the simulation pod, a rough "Heavenly Clerk" arm prototype with metallic color hung quietly.

Its appearance was far from perfect, with exposed cables and hydraulic lines clearly visible.

But the sense of lines that differed from traditional robotic arms and seemed to possess the potential for life had already made the experts present feel different.

The demonstration began.

Li Yang stood in front of the console and entered a few simple target instructions.

The metal "tentacle" woke up like a python, starting to move nimbly.

It easily bypassed the intricate obstacle rods deliberately set in the simulation pod, moving smoothly without the slightest lag.

Then, it approached a simulated, discarded satellite component with a highly irregular shape.

Under the gaze of everyone, the end of the "Heavenly Clerk" arm, like a real tentacle, gently wound around it, and the "scales" at the end slightly opened and closed, instantly forming a stable multi-point grip.

"Grip force distribution is uniform, pressure on the target surface is below the safety threshold." Chen Guang reported the data calmly.

Chief Zhou couldn't help but lean in to observe the force feedback curve on the screen, his face full of disbelief.

The climax came.

An ordinary raw egg was carefully "pinched" by the micro-gripper at the end of the robotic arm, then moved steadily to another position, without the slightest damage to the eggshell throughout the process!

"This flexibility... this precision..." an astronaut instructor muttered.

"If the space station really had such an arm, the risks of many extravehicular precision operations would be greatly reduced, and efficiency could be increased several times!"

But Li Yang's demonstration wasn't over. He looked at Chen Guang: "Guangzi, load the reinforcement learning module of 'Torch Dragon'."

Chen Guang nodded and operated a few times on the console.

The next scene left everyone, including the members of Longyin's own team, shocked.

The "Heavenly Clerk" arm began to act autonomously!

It no longer needed Li Yang's step-by-step instructions but was like a wise tentacle possessing its own life.

Shuttling through the simulation pod, actively searching for simulated targets of different shapes, sizes, and weights.

A sphere, a cube, a fragile solar panel model...

It used different methods such as winding, light pinching, and lifting to, with minimal energy consumption and the safest posture, take these targets.

Grab, transport, return. The movements became increasingly skilled and efficient.

"It... is it learning by itself?" Chief Zhou's voice trembled slightly.

"Yes." Chen Guang explained.

"'Torch Dragon' built a virtual training environment for it, allowing it to autonomously learn the optimal gripping strategy for different targets through millions of simulated training sessions.

The demonstration just now is a direct manifestation of its learning results.

In actual missions, it can also perform dynamic adjustments and adaptations based on real-time sensor data."

The combination of intelligence and biomimicry demonstrated overwhelming technical power!

An expert couldn't help but whisper to Chief Zhou: "Old Zhou, this... this technical level is at least ten years ahead of the same type of robotic arm reported publicly abroad!"

"They are still pursuing thicker, longer, and more powerful thrust, while we... have already started playing with 'living' robotic arms!"

Chief Zhou didn't answer; he just stared fixedly at the metal tentacle that seemed to possess its own life, his eyes complex.

He remembered that not long ago, a certain Western power's space agency had publicly displayed its new generation space station robotic arm.

Boasting about its "breakthrough" positioning precision and load-bearing capacity, which had attracted quite a bit of admiration at the time.

Looking at it now, that thing was just like a clumsy iron rod in front of "Heavenly Clerk"!

This is a true dimensionality reduction strike.

It's not just a simple surpassing of performance parameters, but a subversion of the entire technical route!

After the demonstration, the astronaut instructor excitedly grabbed Li Yang's hand: "Director Li! When can this 'Heavenly Clerk' arm go to space?"

"I dare say, with it, our capabilities in on-orbit assembly, maintenance, and even responding to some sudden situations will undergo a qualitative leap!"

Before Li Yang could answer, Wang Hao squeezed over, hugging Li Yang's shoulder, and said triumphantly to the instructor:

"Instructor, don't worry!"

"Once our 'Space Truck' is built, we will send this 'octopus claw' up to you as soon as possible!"

"At that time, let those guys who are still using 'iron rods' open their eyes to what real space operation is!"

Feng Yan looked at Li Yang and Wang Hao surrounded by the crowd, and then at the "Heavenly Clerk" arm that had quieted down in the simulation pod.

He knew that Longyin would not only subvert the way of entering space in terms of cost but also redefine the standards of space operations in terms of technology.

Just then, a prompt message from "Torch Dragon" flashed on the terminal on Chen Guang's wrist:

"'Sky Patrol' satellite prototype cluster communication protocol simulation test ready, start?"

Feng Yan's mouth curled up slightly.

It seems that the next shock is also ready. ===== CHAPTER 121 =====