New Haven Robotics 2025 URC SAR

Summary

New Haven Robotics presents the URC 2025 Mars Rover, Tenacity, showcasing major upgrades in design and functionality. The rover features a redesigned 6-DOF arm with advanced gearing and a high-performance gripper system. The rover's autonomy is driven by integrated software, including inverse kinematics and YOLO V8 for precise typing. Powered by multiple Raspberry Pi 5 units, it supports complex science assays, including bioluminescence and pyrolysis tests. Enhanced communication systems, modular components, and robust power distribution allow for efficient, real-time operations in harsh environments. Tenacity is engineered for reliability, flexibility, and cutting-edge exploration on Mars.

Takeaways

• 😀 The New Haven Robotics URC 2025 Mars Rover, named 'Tenacity,' features a redesigned six-degree-of-freedom arm for enhanced precision and reliability.
• 😀 The arm incorporates 80:1 strain wave gearboxes with minimal backlash (less than 3 arc minutes) for accurate movement.
• 😀 Two specialized interchangeable grippers have been developed, including a rock-picking gripper with silicone surfaces and a surface gripper for autonomous typing and button pressing.
• 😀 The arm is powered by six BLDC motors and uses inverse kinematics and a velocity controller for precise movement control.
• 😀 YOLO V8 and OpenCV have been integrated for autonomous keyboard detection and typing via the arm's gripper system.
• 😀 Each subsystem of the rover operates on a dedicated Raspberry Pi 5, running ROS 2 on a customized version of Ebon 222 for greater reliability and isolation.
• 😀 The power distribution unit uses both 48V and 24V rails with dedicated fuses, relays, and a managed PoE switch for remote resets of individual CPUs.
• 😀 The rover’s improved tank-shad design includes an advanced suspension system and custom TPU 3D printed treads with taller teeth for better traction and reduced vibrations.
• 😀 The rover’s science assay includes two life-detection tests: a bioluminescence test for detecting ATP and a pyrolysis test for burning off organic materials.
• 😀 A custom base station unit allows easy control of the rover's communication and power systems, with a built-in screen, router, and DC outputs, simplifying testing and deployment.

Q & A

What is the primary feature of New Haven Robotics' URC 2025 Mars Rover, Tenacity?

The primary feature of Tenacity is its six-degree-of-freedom arm, which has undergone a major redesign for better performance, using an 80:1 strain wave gearbox in each joint for reduced backlash, along with rectangular tubing for enhanced strength and stability.

How does the Mars Rover's arm improve its ability to interact with objects?

The Rover's arm uses two specialized grippers designed for different tasks. The extreme delivery gripper uses lead screw actuation and silicone surfaces for high clamping force, while the equipment surfacing gripper features a hinging top jaw to interface with the Lander's control surfaces.

What software has been implemented for the Mars Rover's autonomous typing functionality?

The Rover uses a trained YOLO V8 model to detect keyboard keys, coupled with OpenCV and a lookup table to calculate key coordinates, which are then passed to an inverse kinematics model for autonomous typing.

How is the Rover’s power system designed for safety and efficiency?

The power system includes a 48V and 24V rail to separate high and low power systems, with each circuit protected by fuses and relays. The CPU units are resettable remotely via a managed PoE network switch to ensure continuous operations.

What innovation does the Rover’s suspension system offer?

The Rover's suspension system features a set of horizontal springs that allow the bottom pulleys to comply freely with uneven terrain and large obstacles, improving mobility. Additionally, the 3D-printed TPU treads now have taller teeth for increased traction and reduced vibrations.

How does the Rover detect potential signs of life on Mars?

The Rover's science assay uses two systems: a bioluminescence test that detects ATP through a Luciferin oxidation reaction and a pyrolysis test that burns samples to detect organic materials using induction heating.

What communication systems does the Rover use to ensure reliable operation?

The Rover operates on multiple frequency bands, including 5.8 GHz, 2.4 GHz, 900 MHz, and 433 MHz. The 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz systems are aggregated through a network switch for high-speed transmission, while the 433 MHz band ensures basic communication in case of signal failure.

How is the Rover’s camera system designed for reliability and expandability?

The camera system uses OIS cameras powered by dedicated Radza 03E computers, which handle image processing, including ArUco detection and manipulation. This decentralized system allows for continuous operation, as the failure of one camera does not affect the others.

What role does the Jetson NX computer play in the Rover's autonomy?

The Jetson NX computer powers the Rover’s autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance systems, processing data from cameras and sensors to provide 3D vision, object recognition, and pathfinding using a custom spiral search algorithm.

How does the Rover handle real-time navigation and obstacle avoidance?

The Rover uses in-house software that combines point clouds, differential GNSS, and multiple sensors for real-time navigation. It can autonomously calculate and follow a path to various waypoints while avoiding obstacles, using detailed environmental data.