Yonder Dynamics 2023 SAR

Summary

Yonder Dynamics, a student-run engineering team from UC San Diego, presents their rover 'Lethargy' for the 2023 University Rover Challenge. The rover features advanced systems such as a new rocker-bogie suspension, a 5-axis arm with swappable modules, and enhanced control software. Lethargy excels in handling various mission tasks, including object retrieval, equipment servicing, and soil sample analysis. With improved path planning, autonomous navigation, and spectroscopic analysis capabilities, the rover is optimized for URC's challenging missions. Its robust design and reliable communication systems ensure high performance in harsh conditions.

Takeaways

• 🤖 Yonder Dynamics is a student-run engineering team at UC San Diego competing in the 2023 University Rover Challenge.
• 🚜 The rover, named Lethargy, features a new differential bar-based rocker-bogey suspension system, which is lightweight, simple, and robust.
• 🦾 The rover includes a 5-axis arm with a differential wrist and swappable 3D-printed hand modules, allowing for quick reconfiguration between missions.
• 🧠 New arm control software allows operators to switch between joint-by-joint control and inverse kinematics modes for improved task precision.
• 📡 Lethargy's path planning and GPS system can autonomously navigate within a 3-meter radius of provided GPS points and reroute on the fly using a stereo camera.
• 🔧 The electrical system has been upgraded with custom PCBs for power distribution and control, and a fail-safe emergency stop system is in place.
• 🔬 The science module includes a custom-built spectrometry system that detects extinct life indicators in soil samples using fluorescence and transmission spectroscopy.
• 🌡️ Soil samples are analyzed using a rotating carousel, and multiple reagents pre-loaded into cuvettes for various measurements such as pH and fluorescence.
• 📻 The rover uses a high-bandwidth 5.8 GHz communications system for long-range video transmission, with a backup 900 MHz Lora system for situations with lost line of sight.
• 🏆 The team has developed a highly capable rover prepared for all four URC missions, with robust systems for terrain traversal, object manipulation, and scientific analysis.

Q & A

What is Yonder Dynamics, and what competition are they participating in?

Yonder Dynamics is a student-run engineering project team at UC San Diego. They are participating in the 2023 University Rover Challenge (URC), where they present their Rover, Lethargy.

What improvements have been made to the Rover for the 2023 URC?

Improvements include a newly developed drivetrain, science module, and a new differential bar-based rocker bogey suspension system. These updates enhance the Rover's ability to handle rough terrain and improve mission performance.

What is the purpose of the Rocker Bogey suspension system, and how is it designed?

The Rocker Bogey suspension system is designed to be light, simple, and robust, allowing the Rover to traverse rough terrain and steep inclines. Its differential bar linkage ensures the Rover's stability and low center of gravity.

How does the 5-axis arm on the Rover enhance its mission capabilities?

The 5-axis arm is stable, strong, and has a large range of motion. It features a differential wrist and swappable 3D printed hand modules, allowing the arm to perform tasks like object manipulation during retrieval missions and fine equipment servicing tasks.

What improvements were made to the Rover's arm control software?

The arm control software was enhanced to allow operators to switch between different control modes depending on the task. Joint-by-joint control is used for coarse movements, while fine Cartesian movements are handled using inverse kinematics mode. Motion profiling was added to automate common motions.

How does the new delta-type arm attachment improve the Rover's precision?

The delta-type arm attachment, combined with an inverse kinematics model, allows the Rover to perform precise tasks such as typing on a keyboard or inserting thumb drives quickly and accurately.

What role does the Rover's GPS and path planning system play in its autonomous missions?

The GPS and path planning system guides the Rover to within a 3-meter radius of provided GPS points. A stereo camera and new rerouting algorithm ensure that the Rover can navigate obstacles and challenging terrain while on the move.

How does the Rover's sensor fusion technique aid in the detection of objects?

The sensor fusion technique is used to detect and track Roco tags during the autonomous mission. It locks onto detected tags and continues tracking them even over obstructions, enhancing the Rover's ability to locate mission targets.

What features were integrated into the Rover's electrical and power systems?

The electrical system was consolidated using custom PCBs to manage power distribution and control modules. The emergency stop system was upgraded to be fail-safe, and a compact driver station with an uninterruptible power supply ensures seamless operation between power sources.

How does the science module analyze soil samples collected during missions?

The science module collects soil samples into cuvettes, which are analyzed using a custom-built spectrometry system. The system uses lasers, LEDs, and fluorescence techniques to detect soil indicators like kerogene and carotenoids, as well as pH levels and microbial cell concentrations.