Mars Rover, Oregon Style

[Bill Harsey]

The Oregon State University Engineering Dept. has a Mars Land Rover build going on.
This is a group of engineering students that is doing this on their own for the international competition this June and held somewhere in Utah.

The reason I'm know about this is my son is a member of this group and some of the components have been built here by him on the milling machine. The only thing I've done is to stand by and make sure he doesn't break expensive carbide cutters.
Chris Reeve has most kindly donated both titanium and a high-tec plastic called ultem. This has been to keep weight down as there is a stated limit.
Thank you Chris.

Check out the link: http://oregonstate.edu/groups/osurc/urc-rover/index.php

The concept , design, machining and building is all by the students but they are not as smart as some might think, A couple months ago they let me drive it. :D

OSU mascot is the Beaver and they do not want to be confused with Duck-U (U of O)

[Tatonka316]

Congratulations to your son, Bill! Hope they blow away the competition!!!:D:D:D

molon labe:lifter

[Gypsy]

The concept , design, machining and building is all by the students but they are not as smart as some might think, A couple months ago they let me drive it. :D



Have they finished the repairs yet? :D

Very cool stuff, keep us updated!

[JJ_BPK]

Chris Reeve has most kindly donated both titanium and a high-tec plastic called ultem. This has been to keep weight down as there is a stated limit. Thank you Chris.
Check out the link: http://oregonstate.edu/groups/osurc/urc-rover/index.php

The concept , design, machining and building is all by the students but they are not as smart as some might think,

A couple months ago they let me drive it.


Congratulation to the team and Chris & you for helping..

We need pictures.
Of Bill driving..

:D:lifter:D:lifter

[Kit Carson]

Bill, we are both lucky to have sons that are 10X smarter than we ever thought of being..:)

Thanks for sharing.

If they need anymore hi-tech material, let me know. Got stuff in the shop that I don't have a clue what it is. Jody asked me to keep it in case he needed it for a project..:confused:

[Richard]

Geek Squad athletics - robotics, solar powered vehicles, Mars rovers...cool. :lifter

Richard

[x SF med]

I thought I saw a Harsey Kid...

Congrats to the boy and his team.

[The Reaper]

Mars Rover, Oregon Style

Where's the chainsaw arm, cap crimper, and beer cooler?:munchin

TR

[x SF med]

Where's the chainsaw arm, cap crimper, and beer cooler?:munchin

TR

The grinder, power anvil and shootin irons seem to be missing too.... oh, yeah and the car stereo with the big woofers... and there do not appear to be hydraulics for the suspension, how does it 'jump'?

[The Reaper]

....oh, yeah and the car stereo with the big woofers... and there do not appear to be hydraulics for the suspension, how does it 'jump'?

Doesn't sound very Harsey-like or Oregon style to me.

Would you add 22s and spinners as well?

TR

[x SF med]

Doesn't sound very Harsey-like or Oregon style to me.

Would you add 22s and spinners as well?

TR

True about the stereo and tires, it should be an old boom-box with blown woofers a missing dial knob and one of the tuning lights out duct taped to the roll bar, and mis-matched mud runners on blown shocks with reinforced spring sets .... my bad... although the engine would have to be a turbo-diesel 're-tuned' by a logger.:D

We all have to agree, the rover is missing the 3000lb power takeoff on the front end.:eek:

[Bill Harsey]

Thanks for all the kind words and design improvement ideas.

What I find interesting is the drive motors are all inside the wheels and this machine can turn 360 degrees in place (or very close to it) These students have developed some possible proprietary software to make the whole thing work by wireless remote.

For those who haven't clicked the link yet, here is a design view: http://oregonstate.edu/groups/osurc/urc/design.php

I have no idea what the electronic stuff means.

Be sure to watch the video where they are running over a bunch of people. :D

[x SF med]

Thanks for all the kind words and design improvement ideas.

What I find interesting is the drive motors are all inside the wheels and this machine can turn 360 degrees in place (or very close to it) These students have developed some possible proprietary software to make the whole thing work by wireless remote.

For those who haven't clicked the link yet, here is a design view: http://oregonstate.edu/groups/osurc/urc/design.php

I have no idea what the electronic stuff means.

Be sure to watch the video where they are running over a bunch of people. :D

Damn Bill... your kid is smarter than you! Be careful, he might just take over your shop with a platoon of Rovers... Set your perimeter defenses and stock up on beer, NOW!!!:munchin

[Razor]

The only thing I've done is to stand by and make sure he doesn't break expensive carbide cutters.

Providing experiential-based advice? :D

[Sacamuelas]

I saw the video Bill. Very cool. For the final testing , they need to get a few "big eaters" instead of those skinny kids to test that sucker. :D

The overally design and especially the actuators on the front and rear wheels is a great concept. Allowing the vehicle to rotate on its axis instead of only forward or reverse in a "sticky" situation should be a great benefit. FWIW, I would NEVER have been stuck mud riding as a kid if I had the ability to rotate my vehicle 90 degrees and drive out through the side of a rut. :D Nice concept by those brilliant young adults. :cool:

[Bill Harsey]

Saca,
Speaking of big eaters, the OSU Mars land Rover robot runs over the entire OSU Football Team for a touchdown here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-WgFz6ayFw

Full 100 yd. run, watch for the touchdown celebration at the end. :D

[echoes]

Saca,
Speaking of big eaters, the OSU Mars land Rover robot runs over the entire OSU Football Team for a touchdown here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-WgFz6ayFw

Full 100 yd. run, watch for the touchdown celebration at the end. :D

Condradulations Mr. Harsey! You have got to be one proud papa!:lifter;)

Holly

[Bill Harsey]

Condradulations Mr. Harsey! You have got to be one proud papa!:lifter;)

Holly

Holly,
I'm proud of the entire group of young engineers at Oregon State who have designed and built this project in their spare time away from full time engineering classes.

This is not for any class credit that I am aware of.

[echoes]

Holly,
I'm proud of the entire group of young engineers at Oregon State who have designed and built this project in their spare time away from full time engineering classes.

This is not for any class credit that I am aware of.

That is incredible motivation Mr. Harsey.:) Wish there were more like them.

Holly

[HOLLiS]

That is really something special Bill, Congratulations on your son's team. Very impressive.

[Snaquebite]

Congrats..... and
thanks for the call today...

[Bill Harsey]

The OSU Engineering Team is home from the International Mars Rover competition in Utah.
They did ok,http://oregonstate.edu/groups/osurc/urc-rover/index.php see link:

Well done! :lifter


***one small comment, the water thing I mentioned several times to my son before they took off, guys you have to stinkin' hydrate when your exposed all day in a desert with temps above the 100 degree F mark. Do better next year because heat problems are nothing to be screwed with***

[Bill Harsey]

for those that don't click on links...the Oregon State Team won.

[wch84]

Very cool. Congratulations to your son and his team! :)

[Green Light]

Great job! Now I need a contact so I can get those tires and suspension for my Expedition. That'll make NVa/DC parking a snap! :D

Those are some smart kids.

[Richard]

FWIW - there are many 'geek athletics' programs and competitions which take place throughout the US - most don't garner much news and seem to get lost amongst the more popular cacaphony that our educational system is failing.

Here's the program for solar powered vehicle competition we had at my school:

http://www.winstonsolar.org/team/2009/index.html

And so it goes...;)

Richard's $.02 :munchin

[greenberetTFS]

Bill and Richard,Congrats to both of you........... :D Cool,very cool indeed.........;)

Big Teddy :munchin

[x SF med]

Bill... have you gotten your rover to bring beer out to the shop? Not beer, sorry, micarta and blade blanks... yeah, that's what it transfers, micarta and blade blanks... ;)