Mars Terrain Rover

The Project

As part of an educational outreach initiative, I designed and developed an interactive Mars terrain rover aimed at introducing children to both robotics and space exploration. The rover, built on a circular chassis and programmed using Arduino and MATLAB, was integrated into a custom-built Mars themed course, complete with 3D-printed terrain obstacles to simulate the Martian surface. The experience functioned as an interactive quiz, presenting children with questions about Mars and space science and when answered correctly, the rover advanced forward through the course.

This project was for my first year engineering course, which was designed to build the foundation for critical skills that I would need to use for the rest of my career. The main goal was to apply as many concepts as possible with this design. From 3D Printing to circuitry to design, my team and I developed expertise in areas related to mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering.

Goals

Another main goal was teaching students about robotics and space, specifically Mars. The project successfully combined a hands-on robotics demonstration with STEM education, giving young students an exciting and tangible introduction to engineering concepts, programming, and the science behind Mars exploration.