As hands-on experience of the design and control of space robotic systems, students were assigned to build a robot to meet a set of mission requirements using the Lego Mindstorms kits. The mission was to demonstrate the exploration of Mars, including the search for life and sample-return. The robot starts from a lander, moving down on the ramp, then negotiating obstacles in the rugged area, in order to search for a signature of life. The signature of life is represented by Monolith, a rectangular box covered by silver foil. The robot is supposed to do in-situ analysis and sample collection there, then required to turn around and return to the lander to complete the sample-return mission. The position of the lander is marked by a beam of light.
Autonomous control with sensory feedback was required to accomplish the sequence of tasks. Any of human operation or assistance was not allowed. The Lego Mindstroms provide an excellent programmable controller, with which students develop programming codes using a standard Mindstorms interface or a more sophisticated C-like compiler. Three actuators, at maximum, are controlled independently based on the information from touch sensors and light sensors.
Through the experience of bulding a robot hardware and writing software codes, students can get some insight of AI and robotics. And also, they learn the importance of the management of time, cost and manpower in accomplishing a project by a group of people.
More than forty of subscribed students were grouped into 6 teams to compete their genius ideas. After an introductory workshop on August 6th, the students worked very hard and intensively until the competition which was held on August 9th.
Rules and Notes (a pdf presentation)
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