Curiosity took this photo from the surface of Mars.  (photo courtesy of NASA)

The Mars Curiosity Rover has transmitted human voice from the surface of Mars. NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden sent the message via the broadcast capabilities of Curiosity.

Purdue Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Jim Lehnart says sending sound is an extraordinary feat. Lehnart says the transmission of information is almost a battle between energy that is received from a transmitted signal and the thermal noise produced by equipment that receives the data.

Lehnart says NASA designed air control codes to correct any errors that occur in the long distance transmissions. Lehnart says Curiosity can also send back the sights, and even smells, of the surface of Mars.