Project Virtual All Blue - Space Apps Challenge

Project Virtual All Blue| Virtual Planetary Exploration

Virtual Planetary Exploration

Your challenge is to create interactive 3D models of equipment (e.g., planetary geology tools) that future space explorers can use for activities like exploring a planetary surface.

“Follow Me Tool Kit!”

Summary

"Follow me Tool kit!", a visualized automated Tool Kit designed by Team Virtual All Blue to help future space explorers to perform different experiments and other activities on the Martial Surface.The tool kit can carry numerous tools like hammer, tongs, sampling bags, drills, etc inside it depending on the mission. Built with the latest technology to act as a "Jack of all trades” or a " Swiss army knife", which can be utilized to its fullest. Most importantly the future space explorers do not have to carry tools, but simply make them follow the explorer.

How We Addressed This Challenge

Create Challenge: Virtual Planetary Exploration

Our Challenge was to create interactive 3D models of equipment (e.g., planetary geology tools) that future space explorers can use for activities like exploring a planetary surface.

What did we develop?

As a team with enthusiastic learners and explorers, we thought of building a tool kit that could follow the astronaut. We call it the “follow me Tool kit”. Inspired by current rovers but simple models that will help a space explorer carry his/her tools and store samples easily.

Why is it important? What does it do? How does it work? What do we hope to achieve?

The Tool kit carries numerous tools like hammer , tongs , sampling bags , drills and etc inside it.

Approximate dimensions of the Tool kit: 30'' width x 30 '' length x 30 '' height.

It contains an improved version of scoop as Bionic sampling scoop which was inspired from Himalayan Marmot Claw.

It uses Glenn's memory alloy wheels , which is the ultimate solution for the damage caused by Martian surface to the curiosity rover.

The compartments have magnetic claws like holders, which provides a good grasp to the tools through magnets. It also makes the tools get arranged properly and in a systematic manner.

Featured with a mechanized robotic arm , which comprises of drill , a spectrometer featuring both NIR and XFR as used in earlier space exploration to analyze the mineral components of rock and soil, a Mast CamZ which is a stereoscopic camera system and have ability to zoom into interesting targets , and a common holder to hold some tools like hammer , tongs etc.

The rover-like toolkit is covered with a ceramic coating to reduce the weight, reduce the cost and most importantly to survive through the harsh conditions of Mars.

Link to the model: https://chewick2.wixsite.com/teamvirtualallblue-1

Future Development,

Our idea is to connect the model with the space explorer’s suit. Will be using electromagnetic waves to communicate between the toolkit and the explorer. The suit will have a robot glove connected but will be activated through voice.

Explorer says “Hello Tool Kit”, hand will function to give specific commands to the toolbox. I.e. hand gestures will be given a command to the toolbox. Explorer says “Bye Tool Kit” this functionality of the suit will disappear and the tool kit will only follow the explorer until a command is given.

This can be very useful, because at present it is very hard to handle all tools and operate them with the suit. This toolkit will help fill the gap of having trouble in handling tools. This kit has most of the tools used in collecting samples. Have extending arms to support different heights. Have compartments to store collected samples. Also include a camera to capture images if needed. Sensors embedded will create current time seismographs to identify known chemicals and other materials of the collected samples as to provide some real time information.

How We Developed This Project

Inspiration

My team and I were inspired to develop a 3D Model of the toolbox or toolkit rover and also the teleoperated gloves using electromagnetic waves for the astronauts to use in future space exploration and planetary exploration.

Approach

Our approach for this is to give a good setting for us to know more about the tools that astronauts used last time then we modified these tools to be a better one for exploration.

We researched how the tools were taken and what were their dimensions. Then we made our rover to the optimum size so that its neither too big nor too heavy. Also such that it can do some work on its own, we thought to gave it a hand. We even thought to eliminate the sample collecting area from astronaut and put it straight on the robot tool kit.

Resources

We got most of the information and knowledge from the Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 mission. from there we learnt how tools were made to fit in space. We gathered information about the tools like the dimensions, uses and even their multi-use. We then researched on how astronauts actually use those tools on a mission and what problems do they face.

To make the website we used wixsite website embedded 3D Model(with use of Sketchfab) for further website development and modifications of 3D. 3D Modelling Softwares like Blender, Webgl 3D Unity, Onshape, HTML5 and Autocad for modifications. Used Github to host a website made using javascript, Html, and CSS. Used Three.js and GLTFLoader.js but our .gltf file did not function properly.

Challenges and Achievements

The problems we encounter for our projects that the github and making repository for the 3D Modelling crashed or giving a black box in the screen but we don’t mind and dwell for too long because we have resources and that is our achievement being a resourceful person even though we don’t know how to deal with it we find ways to approach the problem and strive to make better solutions.

How We Used Space Agency Data in This Project

Databases

Several times in the past NASA's database were used while making our tool kit . We had used the APOLLO-16 and APOLLO-17 presskits for having a foundational idea about the specific tools used in planatery exploration.

We have referred some catalogue of Apollo lunar surface geology sampling tools and containers.

Data's from Artemis Geology EVA exploration workshop was used to match our tools for its need and functions.

We also collected the results of some experiments like Desert Rats 2010 operations test and also includes some major drawback that the curiosity rover faced on the surface of Mars

All these databases were used in order to revolutionized our tools so that it can evolve and meet the needs of future space explorers.