Robot chemist powered by artificial intelligence could solve Mars’ oxygen puzzle, study finds
A new study published in Nature Synthesis suggests that a robot chemist powered by artificial intelligence could be the key to providing oxygen to humans on Mars. According to the study, an AI robot could quickly figure out how to cook up vital oxygen for survival compared to humans, who would take a lifetime to complete such a task.
The study highlights the challenges of providing oxygen to humans on Mars, pointing out that there are more than a million potential oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts on the planet, making it difficult for humans to determine the best approach. Additionally, communication with Earth to solve problems would be hindered by the 20-minute delay in transmissions between the two planets.
“Oxygen supply must be the top priority for any human activity on Mars because rocket propellants and life support systems consume substantial amounts of oxygen, which cannot be replenished from the Martian atmosphere,” the authors wrote in the paper.
The study envisions that AI robots could be tasked with oxygen supply without the need for help from humans, bypassing potential problems with human survival on the planet. According to the authors, an AI robot could solve the puzzle within six weeks, as opposed to the lifetime it would take a human using trial-and-error methods.
“Within six weeks, the AI chemist built a predictive model by learning from nearly 30,000 theoretical datasets and 243 experimental datasets,” the study reads.
The researchers believe that the use of AI robots for chemical synthesis on Mars could pave the way for human exploration of the planet. “Our study provides a demonstration that an advanced AI chemist can, without human intervention, synthesize OER catalysts on Mars from local ores,” the authors concluded. “The established protocol and system, which are generic and adaptive, are expected to advance automated material discovery and synthesis of chemicals for the occupation and exploration of extraterrestrial planets.”