At one point, there was hardly a seat left in the theatre on Oude Markt. More than a hundred attendees turned up for the very first ‘rover reveal’ by student team RoboTeam Twente.
New competition
This academic year, the team decided to take a completely different direction. Ten years ago, a Twente team of robot footballers was founded. After years of competing in the RoboCup, it was time for ‘a new competition, a new challenge’, as team leader Marijn Grashoff told the audience.
Several subteams within the 28-member student team then explained what goes into building a Mars rover. From mechanics and software to embedded systems and electronics, the past months were dedicated to constructing a robot capable of navigating difficult terrain autonomously, taking soil samples, and performing various tasks, such as flipping a switch.
Cydonia
The students worked on 3D-printed wheels, each with its own motor, a four-jawed robotic arm, a container for soil samples, control systems to ensure smooth and stable movement, and software that enables the rover to make sound decisions.
The process was far from straightforward, Grashoff explained. He pointed to supply issues involving crucial components, the difficulty of integrating all systems, and the challenge of balancing time pressure with studies and personal lives. ‘Building a Mars rover is fucking hard,’ he told the audience.
Nevertheless, the robot eventually drove onto the stage autonomously. The name of this first Twente Mars rover: Cydonia (a region on Mars).
Ponytail spared
One key question remained: had the team qualified for the European Rover Challenge, scheduled for September in Kraków, Poland? The team made a late attempt to secure a spot, even though participation had not initially been part of this year’s plan. The competition is known to be particularly selective when awarding wildcards.
Grashoff had both good and bad news: he would get to keep his ponytail. Shaving his head had been his promise if the team qualified for the competition. The bad news spoke for itself.
‘After long nights and kilos of fast food and pizza, even though we didn’t qualify, this is a new beginning. The foundation for the next ten years of RoboTeam Twente.’
