3D printing a 1/6 scale autonomous vehicle
Problem statement
VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) is the new rover NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is planning to send to the moon in search of ice. Building and sending a rover to the moon costs hundreds of millions of dollars, so it is of the utmost importance to ensure the rover will work once on the moon. As VIPER cannot be tested on the moon before launch, simulations are required. Professor Dan Negrut, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is working to accurately simulate VIPER’s movements using a multi-physics engine called Project Chrono. Currently, Dan’s lab uses a modified remote-control car outfitted with cameras and sensors to verify the results of simulations made in Project Chrono. The current car does not accurately represent VIPER. For Dan’s lab to verify the accuracy of simulations, the new vehicle needs to resemble VIPER and have similar capabilities. Some of these capabilities include modular sensor mounting and independent 4-wheel driving and steering; both are not available on existing solutions. For the sake of future lab members, this vehicle will be inexpensive, manufacturable using technology available on campus, and easy to assemble. With our new vehicle, Dan’s lab will be able to compare core processes of VIPER to simulations made on Project Chrono.
Team members
Cal Schroeder – leader
Joe O’Connell – communicator
Caleb Ravn – accountant
Emre Ustuner – admin
Client
Dan Negrut, UW-Madison