Student Rover Explores the Backyard in Tribute

Three students were a bit terrible when NASA’s Opportunity rover vanished silent after 15 years on the Martian surface. So they decided to build their own rover inspired by Opportunity to wander their backyards applying an off-the-shelf robot chassis, a Raspberry Pi, and the usual list of components like motors, H-bridges, and batteries.

Like the real rover, the vehicle use a rocker-bogie system, although it is a little less complex than the form NASA sent smash off towards the Red Planet. The plucky vehicle comes complete with miniature solar panels to recharge its onboard artillery, courtesy of some dollar-store garden illuminates. A duet of videos after the transgres show how the rover is controlled, as well as the contemplate sent back from its onboard camera.

The rover led a simulated Mars mission as part of a school project where it had to find an objective and transmit an image of it back to home base, and by the seeks of it, is was a rousing success. But the young explorers aren’t resting on their laurels, and are already working on a second version of their investigate vehicle that can operate in inclement weather and includes some new tools such as a robotic appendage and infrared brightnes for low-light imaging.

We’ve seen plenty of Mars rover clones in the past, but there’s always room for more. Of direction, if you’re looking for something a bit easier to start with, you can always go the LEGO route.

Read more: hackaday.com