In 2013, I built a solar-powered rover for the Kerbal Space Program team, as an incentive to add rovers to the game.
I intend to take that design, make it easier and cheaper to build, and allow school and small universities to have a real research rover program.
I was the first to build an Android-operated rover (Jan 2010) and have improved the technology ever since.
So what's the idea?
* Autonomous - Android Phone (Camera/Radio) and Parallax Propeller (navigation)
* Long Haul -- Solar powered, maintenance-free design that can work for a year
* Heavy Duty -- Can handle rough terrain; 1.25kW open-design motor controller
* Do Science -- Connection ports for soil probes (humidity, pH, etc)
* Strike the Earth -- The design will include a drill or auger to use aforementioned probes properly
* Open Design -- All schematics and manufacturing methods will be posted
* Biotrophy -- As a "stretch goal", the design may include a clorophyll detector
Details
Videos here:
Internal
Rovers sent to the KSP folks
Current prototype delivering lasers (solar power system still WIP
Components
1×
Android Phone
Currently only 2.0 to 4.2 phones are supported
1×
Electromechanical Controller
Heavy duty, open design controller that is compatible with the Pololu VNHSP board. Partially relay based and proven reliable over a year of use
1×
Parallax Propeller NAVCOM board
Propeller chip that emulates ADB interface. Tested over 4 years in nautical environment.
1×
Nautical grade solar panel controller
Fault tolerant solar panel controller designed for eTrac Engineering, just got permission to open source it