NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Nathalie Cabrol, a NASA Ames/SETI Carl Sagan Center scientist who specializes in planetary geology, is one of the key figures in a new book by Lee Gutkind entitled “Almost Human, Making Robots Think.”

Left: "Almost Human, Making Robots Think" book by Lee Gutkind

Gutkind spent the past six years watching and recording various research and experiments at places like NASA and the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon that are striving to produce an autonomous robot some day in the future.

Cabrol, who has a whole chapter named after her in “Almost Human,” is a petite French woman with short tousled hair and a comfortable demeanor. She shares an office at NASA Ames with her husband, Edmond Grin, who is a geologist and hydrologist. When asked to share her personal interests and current projects in the robotics field, Cabrol happily obliged with the following interview.

“There is never a typical day,” Cabrol said. “ These are the kinds of words we never use, ‘typical day’ and ‘work.’ Because this is not what it’s about, it’s about passion and it’s about imagination and vision.”

Cabrol, who has traversed some of the most desolate places on Earth in the name of research, puts in long hours to make her dreams a reality. Exploring how robots can explore Mars or other inhospitable areas for humans is just a facet of her talents. But even when in the office, she doesn’t consider her 12 hours or more a day, “work.”

“I have my husband here with me, so I don’t have to call home and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to be late.’ And we share the same passion so it’s easy,” she says in an upbeat tone.

Cabrol’s schedule is extremely busy, as she is currently a science team member on the Mars Exploration Team and the principle investigator of the High Lakes Project among other assignments and travel obligations.

The High Lakes Project involves exploring high altitude lakes in the Andes because of the similarities these areas might have to ancient Martian lakes.

Additionally, Cabrol will be continuing her work in the Atacama dessert in Chile, this time studying the formation of spherules, because this type of research is analogous to the rover Opportunity exploring the Meridian site on Mars.

Both the High Lakes Project and the Atacama assignment demand strenuous activity, and the fact that Cabrol currently enjoys both hiking and diving isn’t a coincidence.

Right: Portrait of Nathalie Cabrol

“I was not a mountaineer but my husband was the one teaching me that, on the other hand I am a diver…These are skills that I developed over time and am putting them to use here,” she said. For practice, she and her husband take training trips to the Sierra’s and also spend time at Lassen National Park, as well as hiking Mt. Shasta and Mt. Whitney.

In the future, Cabrol hopes to characterize new and extreme environments that will support life. “One thing I really like to look at is both sides of the coin. Some ecosystems are disappearing because of climate change but others are being created…” she said. She would also like to stay involved in the robotic exploration of Mars, and is especially excited about the Mars Science Lab taking place in 2009.

Karen Hagstrom
NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.