1. The Penn State Mars Society Rover Assistant Project

2. We are…. International Organization Comprised of 146 Chapters Worldwide PSU Student Chapter 24 Student Members Generally Engineering and Science Majors Delegation in Design Among Members Outreach Initiative Proliferation of Knowledge about Mars and Robotics to the Community

3. Use of a Robotic Assistant An Astronaut’s Limited Mobility Hauling Capacity Fine Motor Control Efficiency in the Field Astronaut Safety Traverse Difficult Territory Remote Assistance Mission Control from Remote Location

4. Construction The Learning Factory at Penn State Fully Equipped Machine Shop CNC Machinery Welding Equipment

5. Concepts in Development Glove Control Ease of Use Range of Commands Modularity Versatility Simplicity

6. Mechanical Design Static Analysis Finite Element Analysis using CAD Materials Selection 6061 Aluminum C Channel Cold Rolled Carbon-Steel Bar Stock Construction Techniques Machining Precision Parts TIG Welding for Aluminum and Steel

7. Electrical Design Power Transmission Battery Considerations Voltage Regulation Control Systems Motor Control Pulse Width Modulation Microcontroller Use Motorola HC12 BASIC Stamp, BasicATOM, PIC

8. Software Design On-Board Computer Linux Wireless Communications HC12 Peripheral Control Virtual Reality Gloves

9. Future Plans Mechanical Eliminating Steel and Replacing with Extruded Aluminum Active Suspension Electrical Gel Cell Battery Implementation Current Limiting Safety Circuitry Software Signal Delay Reduction

10. Questions? For more information, visit http://www.psums.org