Mars Rover Simulator and Augmented Model

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Revision as of 22:44, 15 August 2012 by Tylercrumpton (Talk | contribs)

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Creator:
tylercrumpton
Status:
Brainstorming
Born On:
18:08, 14 August 2012 (CDT)
Last Updated:
22:44, 15 August 2012 (CDT)

Overview

The Mars Rover Simulator and Augmented Model, or "MR.SaAM" for short, is a contained, controllable system that allows a user to pilot a tiny rover robot in a small Mars-like environment.

Feature list

  • Realistic delay on the communication.
    • 7 min? 14 min?
  • Slow data rate.

People

Currently, the following people are working on this project:

Tasks

Each task is a separate, and mostly independent, component of the project as a whole. There is no particular order that the tasks need to be completed in.

Stage

This task involves building a small contained, model-environment that is composed of Mars-like land features. We will probably use one of the coffee tables at the shop, while ensuring that the table still functions as a coffee table.

Ideas:
  • Colored sand and rocks for the terrain
  • Hidden signs of "life"
  • Crazy-awesome aperture opening for robot entrance and exit
  • Maybe some sort of lighting (or this could be handled by a light on the rover)
  • Use a bumper-car style mesh system to power the rover (might be hard to make a connection through the sand to the grounding floor)

Actor

This is the rover itself. We need to decide on a style of rover (Curiosity, Spirit, Opportunity, custom design?), features (manipulators, lights, camera), and mechatronics (power system, control system, mechanical).

Ideas:
  • Some sort of grasper or manipulator to move rocks and stuff around
  • A flashlight if no environmental lighting is used
  • Laser-cut/3D-printed chassis, so we can open-source the design?
  • Power options:
    • Battery-powered (would require recharging, take up valuable rover space)
    • Bumper-car Mesh (use the ceiling and/or floor to provide power to the rover)
    • Tethered (not ideal, just have a long wire power the rover; it would help with data and video comm, though)

Director

The rover will be controlled by some sort of control application.

Ideas:
  • Programmable communications delay, based on distance from Earth to Mars
  • Fancy NASA control interface
  • Web-enabled, so anyone can control the robot from a computer or mobile device
  • Option to remove/edit the delay, if you just want to drive around
  • Robot and environment status alerts (low-battery, sensor data)
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