The team

RSX is a student design team at the University of Toronto, part of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. We design, build and test robots that could one day work on other planets. The team is split into subteams that each own one part of the rover, and everything has to come together into one working machine.

The rover

A competition Mars rover has to do a lot more than drive. The main parts are:

• Drive: the chassis, wheels and suspension that get the rover over rocks, sand and steep slopes.
• Arm: a robotic arm that can pick things up, flip switches and use tools.
• Science: tools to collect and test soil samples, looking for signs of life.
• Autonomy: software that lets the rover find its way to a goal on its own, using cameras and sensors.
• Electrical: power, motor controllers and wiring that keep everything running.
• Communication: the radio link between the rover and the team's base station, often from far away.

The competitions

Rover challenges are set up like a Mars mission. Teams drive their rovers through tasks such as:

• Delivering items across rough ground
• Fixing equipment with the arm
• Finding and testing soil samples
• Driving to marked spots without anyone controlling it

The season

• Fall: set goals, design the rover and order parts
• Winter: build, wire and write the code
• Spring: test outside, fix what breaks and get ready to compete

Follow along

I'll post updates here as the rover comes together: designs, builds, tests and everything that goes wrong along the way.