MAARCO – Multi-terrain Amphibious ARCtic ExplOrer

这笔赠款通过在两栖和多地形自主机器人领域的进步来促进科学进步和国家繁荣，用于探索地球极地地区。这项研究通过增加对机器人推进的知识和理解，以及在北极地形条件下的性能，为社会做出了重要贡献。因此，它将有助于消除在危险和不适合居住的地区执行人类任务的需要，并使这些地区的科学数据收集成为可能。当前一代的自主极地机器人仅限于相对平坦和干旱的地区，如南极洲中央高原。这些机器人不太适合探索在快速变化的北极发现的泥雪、融化的冰、潮湿的土壤、冰盖的湖泊和漂浮的海冰。该项目开发了基础知识，以创造一种新的机器人，可以使用基于螺旋驱动的单一多功能推进系统在不同的北极地形中无缝移动-带有螺旋形叶片的旋转气缸。新的月球车将能够在积雪、融化的冰和潮湿的土壤上移动，使用空心驱动圆柱体浮力在水上漂浮和移动，并通过像螺旋桨一样注入圆柱体和旋转螺旋驱动装置在水下游泳。除了北极探险外，该机器人还可以协助人类执行搜救或灾难应对任务。该项目包括通过外展和教育项目，向学生展示如何利用工程学来改善他们的生活和社会上每个人的生活，让未被充分代表的群体更广泛地参与工程学。北极高度多变和更潮湿的条件给移动、能源预算和自主性带来了挑战，这是目前任何漫游车技术都无法满足的。为了解决这个问题，这个项目解决了基本的机器人挑战，即了解可变的表面和地形条件如何与基于多地形螺旋驱动的推进系统的动力学、能量学、优化设计和控制策略相耦合。这项研究的目的是：(1)了解在北极地形条件下运行的螺旋传动的运动动力学和能量学；(2)创建和演示能够根据任务要求和运行环境确定最佳月球车配置和控制策略的优化框架；以及(3)验证和演示集成火星车系统在野外条件下的运动动力学、控制性能和能量学。这项研究揭示了一辆真正的多地形两栖漫游车的控制、设计、能量参数和所需运动之间的基本关系。优化框架和运动动力学模型将使工程师和科学家能够更好地理解和设计可用于陆地或外星探索的自主漫游车。该项目由跨部门机器人基础研究计划支持，该计划由工程总监(ENG)和计算机和信息科学与工程(CEISE)共同管理和资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This grant promotes the progress of science and national prosperity through advancement in the field of amphibious and multi-terrain autonomous robots for exploring Earth’s polar regions. The research makes an important contribution to society by increasing the knowledge and understanding of robotic propulsion and performance on terrain conditions found in the Arctic. As a result, it will help to eliminate the need for human missions in dangerous and uninhabitable areas, and enable scientific data collection in these regions. The current generation of autonomous polar robots have been limited to relatively flat and arid areas such as the central plateau of Antarctica. These robots are poorly suited for exploring the slushy snow, melting ice, wet soil, ice-covered lakes, and floating sea ice found in the rapidly changing Arctic. This project develops the fundamental knowledge to create a new robot that can move seamlessly through diverse Arctic terrains using a single multi-functional propulsion system based on helical drives - rotating cylinders with helix-shaped blades. The new rover will be able to move on snow, melting ice, and wet soil, float and move on water using the hollow drive cylinders for buoyancy, and swim underwater by flooding the cylinders and rotating the helical drives like propellers. In addition to Arctic exploration, this robot could assist humans in search and rescue or disaster response missions. The project involves engaging and encouraging broader participation by underrepresented groups in engineering through outreach and education programs that show students how engineering can be used to improve their lives and the lives of everyone in society. The highly variable and wetter conditions of the Arctic pose challenges to locomotion, energy budgeting, and autonomy that are not met by any current rover technology. To solve this problem, this project addresses the fundamental robotics challenge of understanding how variable surface and terrain conditions couple to the dynamics, energetics, optimal design, and control strategy of a multi-terrain helical drive-based propulsion system. The goals of this research are to: (1) understand the locomotion dynamics and energetics of helical drives operating on terrain conditions found in the Arctic; (2) create and demonstrate an optimization framework capable of determining an optimal rover configuration and control strategy based on mission requirements and environments of operation; and (3) validate and demonstrate locomotion dynamics, control performance, and energetics of an integrated rover system in field conditions. This research unravels the fundamental relationships between control, design, energetics parameters and the desired locomotion of a truly multi-terrain and amphibious rover. The optimization framework along with the locomotion dynamics models will enable engineers and scientists to better understand and design autonomous rovers that may be used for terrestrial or extra-terrestrial exploration.This project is supported by the cross-directorate Foundational Research in Robotics program, jointly managed and funded by the Directorates for Engineering (ENG) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.