Alabama Astrobotics Sample Return 2016 |
For the first time, Alabama Astrobotics is competing in NASA's Sample Return Robot Challenge! We hope to bring our innovative ideas and best design to this competition so that we can show how important it is to further robotics technology and autonomous control. The given objective of the Sample Return Robot Challenge is "to develop new technologies or apply existing technologies in unique ways to create robots that can autonomously seek out samples and return to a designated point in a set time period. Robots will be required to navigate over unknown terrain, around obstacles, and in varied lighting conditions to identify, retrieve, and return these samples." -WPI Challenge Rules
Sample Return Level 1 Complete! |
Sample Return Level 2- September 1-6, 2016We traveled to Worcester Polytechnic Institute to compete in Level 2 of the Sample Return Robot Centennial Challenge. Level 2 of this challenge tasked teams to navigate Institute Park at Worcester Polytechnic Institute to find and collect 10 samples. The ten samples included purple rocks, red rocks, metallic shapes, and a white cylinder with a hook. We also got to meet Administrator Bolden and show him our rover.
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Sample Return Level 1- June 6-12, 2016We traveled to Worcester Polytechnic Institute and successfully completed Level 1 of the challenge! Level 1 requires teams to autonomously find, pick up, and store two samples within a 30 minute period and return to the starting platform. Due to our success, we are invited to compete in Level 2 the first week of September.
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Sample Return Testing Day- April 8, 2016With the recently finished starting platform, we were able to test drive our Sample Return robot on the quad and shoot our required operational video!
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SR Starting Platform- April 2, 2016After several weeks of construction, team members finished our sample return starting platform! The platform is built precisely according to the specifications of the competition platform given by NASA.
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Sample Return Drive Test with NEW BASE- February 27, 2016We took our redesigned 2016 Sample Return drive base out on the University of Alabama's beautiful quad and up the stairs of Gorgas Library at UA.
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First Sample Return Test- January 29, 2016Fabrication of the Sample Return Base is well on its way. The Mechanical Subsystem tested its initial base design. Outfitted with a temporary electronics box, we tested how the robot responded in many conditions on the quad similar conditions to those that we will see at competition. Overall, the test was very positive and we now have feedback on things we can work on and improve.
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NASA's Sample Return Robot Challenge in the News:
For information on this challenge, check out wp.wpi.edu/challenge !
2016 Sponsors
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