Mechanical engineering graduate student David Walker watches his partner Jamie
McChesney
input data into the autonomous robot. At right, a close-up view of the robot.
UTSA engineering researchers help NASA with robot project
(July 1, 2002)--University of Texas at San Antonio electrical engineering students are working with NASA on a robotic project that could help sustain agricultural production on Mars.
The goal of the project is to build a robot that would retrieve and harvest agricultural products on Mars, eliminating the need for a human presence on the planet. NASA officials are working to establish a greenhouse on Mars, and the efforts of the robot would help limit the number of astronauts needed to live on the planet.
The university's involvement started three years ago when NASA accepted a technical proposal from Jagannathan Sarangapani, assistant professor of electrical engineering, which set up grant funding to help conduct the research on the project.
Over the years, Sarangapani and his graduate students called on A.C. Rogers, professor of mechanical engineering, to help with the project.
"I think it is a great project and one day when it is roving around on Mars I will be able to tell my grandkids that I helped with its design," said David Walker, graduate student in mechanical engineering.
The robot on wheels, with its wires and circuitry visible, resembles R2-D2, the robot from the "Star Wars" motion picture epics, minus the body cover and head.
Most recently, the students conducted a live demonstration at the spring meeting of the Texas Space Grant Consortium in which the robot stole the show by picking a muffin out of the hand of the master of ceremonies.
According to Rogers, the next phase in the project is to add a pair of eyes so the robot can contrast color and discern what it is viewing, and then directional "feelers," hopefully in time for the consortium's fall meeting.
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© The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2002