Hi my name is Stephen Manchillas
president of the texas Mars robotics team here at the University of Texas at Arlington. Since last season we have
continuously been improving our rover by reducing the weight and increasing the dexterity and the modularity of the rover
this year Arm and Gripper has made some big changes to its design. 'Most significant changed by far is an added link near the wrist.
Instead of actuating around the same axis as the first length, it rotates around the axis perpendicular that axis,
giving us horizontal motion without rotating the shoulder. The second major change is in the gripper design. last year it would not provide optimal angle
for tasks that require fine motor adjustments but parallel pads are able to grip objects firmer and more accurately than before.
The circuit box for all the electronics on board will see a large reduction in size and weight.
along with this, the aluminum tubing used for this year's frame will see 50% reduction weight while still providing the same basic format for components.
The motor and gearbox combination will see a hefty improvement as well as the motor and gearbox combination is custom-built for our needs this year
This not only improves an necessary torque and speed requirements but it also allows us
To ensure a longer lifetime of the motors with less required maintenance. A leg consisting of double-layered
thermoplastic polyurethane material (or TPU)
will be used to dampen vibrations throughout the body
this also allows for proper operation appealing clients on board as well as a more stable camera image while the rover is on the move.
To further stabilize the electronics on board the circuit box will be mounted on to dampeners.
This year instead of starting from scratch on our design we made our original design more streamlined more compact and more
efficient. We started by shortening the entire module by 4-1/2 inches, losing 5 pounds of weight in the process.
It still performs the same functions and with less length there is less room for torsion and vibrations while drilling.
Our system has the capability to drill to the desired depth of 10 centimeters,
test the temperature and moisture of that soil, and then test it for nitrates and phosphorus
depending on what science team feels will give them the best indication of proof of life.
All of this happens on board observed by a camera that relays video back to the base station
In previous years we struggled to keep the electronics modular and easy to access.
This year all of that has changed.
We have added quick disconnect pins that go to an entirely modular box that contains the arduino, motor shields, and other control boards.
This allows the controls team to detach the electronics entirely
to be worked on separately should anything need to be fixed or changed.
Our team proposes that life on mars may be identified by analyzing soil samples for bacterial endospores. In times of extreme stress,
bacterium can produce endospores a dormant and highly resistant cell which can survive
desiccation, high temperature ,high irradiation, and remain viable for thousands of years.
We will be using the Schaeffer-Fulton method staining technique to distinguish between vegetative cells and endospores.
A primary stain using malachite green will be used to stain the endospores.
Previously, our team attempted to identify life through the sequencing of
nucleic acids. This year our team opted for a less complicated and more economical testing technique.
Other improvements this year are in the areas of vehicle safety and power management.
For vehicle safety we are monitoring the slope of the terrain and using that slope data to control the power to the rover's drive systems
as well as determine if the slopes of the train exceeds our
operating parameters. We are also monitoring the
Rover's surroundings be an array of
Ultrasonic sensors and using that data to help the rover to navigate around obstacles that are too big for it to drive over.
For power management we have implemented a remote shutdown function in case it is determined that there is a serious enough issue to warrant it.
Since last year's performance during the autonomy section, we have learned a lot.
We have created several upgrades and improvements
which, improve the accuracy of the navigation system. We have also improved our tracking system
which can detect tennis balls from around 20 feet away
Our other improvements include a brand new user interface which helps us to enhance and visualize the surrounding area.
The new interface includes a 3d visual that displays feedback received from the arm and various others subcomponents.
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