DEMO20 - ExploROB

Extreme environmental conditions during exploration missions on planetary surfaces place the highest demands on the mobile capabilities of robotic systems. They must operate robustly, flexibly autonomously. As part of an interdisciplinary student project, participants will address the challenges in developing such mobility systems for environmental exploration. The goal is to apply learned study content, engage in cross-disciplinary collaboration and test innovative solutions. Additionally, the systems developed during the project will serve as demonstrator platforms at events promoting STEM education, inspiring pupils for science and technology.

Aim

Students from different disciplines and course levels are working on an interdisciplinary project to develop and operate a mobile robotic rover system that will be used in field trials.

The core aspects of the development include the areas of mobility (chassis) and sensors for environmental detection (perception). The aim is to create several rover platforms that can initially be manually controlled, and later, if possible, autonomously. These platforms, equipped with numerous sensors, will illustrate the basics of sensor-based environmental perception.

The project work is to be further consolidated through the close partnership between KSat e.V. and the IRS, enabling outreach to a wide range of students from interdisciplinary study programs, as well as school groups.

Approach

• Development of a mobile rover chassis demonstrator and various characteristic steering and operating modes that can be operated in rough terrain.

• Setting up a sensor experiment to demonstrate the aspects of sensor-supported environmental detection by robotic systems.

• Carrying out an interdisciplinary student project with evaluation milestones, as part of which the students develop the robotic demonstrator systems.

• Smaller workshops at various events to promote STEM studies (visits by school groups, etc.)

Benefit

The development of the robotic systems intends to foster enthusiasm for STEM courses and study programs. Students from different disciplines and grades should work on and experience the theoretical and practical content and challenges in the development of mobility concepts for robotic systems.

The interdisciplinary exchange not only improves the understanding of the course content, but also supports personal focus development and the identification of self-learning processes.

By using and demonstrating the systems and experiments developed by the students at events to promote young STEM talents, pupils should also be enthusiastic about STEM topics.