Modular Mechatronics Infrastructure for robotic planetary exploration assets in a field operation scenario

Prince, Andre Fonseca; Vodermayer, Bernhard; Pleintinger, Benedikt; Kolb, Alexander; Franchini, Giacomo; Staudinger, Emanuel; Dietz, Enrico; Schröder, Susanne; Frohmann, Sven; Seel, Fabian; Wedler, Armin

doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.07.037

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…The execution of the LIBS measurement task followed the modular approach presented in [30]. With several hardware and software modular components integrated into both the LRU and the payload module, this strategy provided versatility and robustness to the ARCHES scientific mission.…”

Section: Arches Libs Module As Lru2 Payloadmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the framework of the Helmholtz Future Project ARCHES ("Autonomous Robotic Networks to Help Modern Societies"), a heterogeneous team of robots was prepared to cooperate and autonomously deploy tools and sensors for the exploration of an unknown terrain [19,[27][28][29][30]. In addition to performing scientific measurements, the mission scenario also includes the collection of samples.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Instrument for In-Situ Exploration with the DLR Lightweight Rover Unit (LRU)

Schröder,

Seel,

Dietz

et al. 2024

Applied Sciences

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In the framework of the Helmholtz ARCHES project, a multitude of robots, including rovers and drones, were prepared for the autonomous exploration of a test site at the foothills of Mt. Etna, Sicily—a terrain resembling extraterrestrial locations such as the Moon. To expand the suite of tools and sensors available for the exploration and investigation of the test site, we developed a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument for the geochemical analysis of local geological samples. In alignment with the mission scenario, this instrument is housed in a modular payload box that can be attached to the robotic arm of the Lightweight Rover Unit 2 (LRU2), allowing the rover to use the instrument autonomously in the field. A compact Nd:YAG laser is utilized for material ablation, generating a micro-plasma that is subsequently analyzed with a small fiber-coupled spectrometer. A single-board computer controls the LIBS hardware components for data acquisition. In this study, we provide details of the ARCHES LIBS instrument implementation, report on preceding laboratory tests where the LRU2 operated the LIBS module for the first time, and showcase the results obtained during the successful ARCHES space analogue demonstration mission campaign in summer 2022 in Sicily.

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Section: Arches Libs Module As Lru2 Payloadmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Instrument for In-Situ Exploration with the DLR Lightweight Rover Unit (LRU)

Schröder,

Seel,

Dietz

et al. 2024

Applied Sciences

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“…The concept of light weight rovers for planetary exploration, specialized in navigating in harsh environments and manipulating with different tools and payloads, can be an economic approach for future planetary missions. A part of this concept foresees modular and standardized docking interfaces between the rover and different tools or payload systems [25]. This enables the rover to become a versatile multi-role asset.…”

Section: Modular Payload Boxesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobile Manipulation of a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectrometer for Planetary Exploration

Lehner,

Sakagami,

Boerdijk

et al. 2023

2023 IEEE Aerospace Conference

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Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is an established analytical technique to measure the elemental composition of rocks and other matter on the Martian surface. We propose an autonomous in-contact sampling method based on an attachable LIBS instrument, designed to measure the composition of samples on the surface of planets and moons. The spectrometer module is picked up by our Lightweight Rover Unit (LRU) at the landing site and transported to the sampling location, where the manipulator establishes a solid contact between the instrument and the sample. The rover commands the instrument to trigger the measurement, which in turn releases a laser-pulse and captures the spectrum of the resulting plasma. The in-contact deployment ensures a suitable focus distance for the spectrometer, without a focusing system that would add to the instrument's volume and weight, and allows for flexible deployment of the instrument. The autonomous software computes all necessary manipulation operations on-board the rover and requires almost no supervision from mission control. We tested the LRU and the LIBS instrument at the moon analogue test site on Mt. Etna, Sicily and successfully demonstrated multiple LIBS measurements, in which the rover automatically deployed the instrument on a rock sample, recorded a measurement and sent the data to mission control, with sufficient quality to distinguish the major elements of the recorded sample.

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“…Contemporary equipment and systems dedicated to research, manufacturing, visualization, and free space communication rely on high-precision mechatronic motion and manipulation devices and their components. These systems control the position and orientation of optical devices by focusing, pointing, and intensely modulating devices associated with laser beams [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Therefore, mechatronic systems must provide high-resolution motion, good repeatability, and optimal performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low Profile Triangle-Shaped Piezoelectric Rotary Motor

Čeponis,

Jūrėnas,

Mažeika

2024

Micromachines

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In this paper, we present research on a novel low-profile piezoelectric rotary motor with a triangle-shaped stator. The stator of the motor comprises three interconnected piezoelectric bimorph plates forming an equilateral triangle. Bimorph plates consist of a passive layer fabricated from stainless steel and four piezo ceramic plates glued to the upper and lower surfaces. Furthermore, spherical contacts are positioned on each bimorph plate at an offset from the plate’s center. Vibrations from the stator are induced by a single sawtooth-type electric signal while the frequency of the excitation signal is close to the resonant frequency of the second out-of-plane bending mode of the bimorph plate. The offset of the spherical contacts allows for a half-elliptical motion trajectory. By contrast, the forward and backward motion velocities of the contacts differ due to the asymmetrical excitation signal. The inertial principle of the motor and the angular motion of the rotor were obtained. Numerical and experimental investigations showed that the motor operates at a frequency of 21.18 kHz and achieves a maximum angular speed of 118 RPM at a voltage of 200 Vp-p. Additionally, an output torque of 18.3 mN·mm was obtained under the same voltage. The ratio between motor torque and weight is 36 mN·mm/g, while the ratio of angular speed and weight is 28.09 RPM/g.

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Modular Mechatronics Infrastructure for robotic planetary exploration assets in a field operation scenario

Cited by 4 publications

References 23 publications

A Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Instrument for In-Situ Exploration with the DLR Lightweight Rover Unit (LRU)

A Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) Instrument for In-Situ Exploration with the DLR Lightweight Rover Unit (LRU)

Mobile Manipulation of a Laser-induced Breakdown Spectrometer for Planetary Exploration

Low Profile Triangle-Shaped Piezoelectric Rotary Motor

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