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A global pandemic can become lonely, especially during the holidays. Avoid spreading the disease is make a new friend with the European Space Agency’s ExoMy rover.
The smaller, more animated “brother” of the European rover Rosalind Franklin ExoMars is now available for printing and editing at home. Anyone with $ 600 and access to a 3D printer can make their own ExoMy; find source code, step-by-step assembly guide and tutorials on GitHub.
“We focused on making the design as convenient and accessible as possible,” according to ESA trainee in robotics Miro Voellmy, who supplied equipment such as a Raspberry Pi and standard electronics.
The structural elements take about two weeks to 3D print polylactic acid (PLA), a biodegradable material made from plant starch. Once assembled, the ExoMy stands a whopping 16.5 inches tall, a fraction of Big Sis’ impressive 6.5-foot stature, with a non-functioning replica drill, solar panels and camera shaft.
The “triple bogie” suspension design allows the rover to overcome obstacles as high as its wheels without falling; each tire has its own motor and protruding tread for better traction on rough terrain. If you intend to keep ExoMy indoors only, ESA includes instructions for printing flexible sleeves that slide on wheels for smoother passage (and less damage to your floors). Use a gamepad or mobile device to drive.
“Our goal was to make design as accessible and fun as possible,” agency intern Maximillian Ehrhardt said in a statement. ExoMy began life as a one-time demonstrator at ESA Open Day 2018, where visitors could guide it through the lab’s Mars Yard test facility. “It was a great success, which made us think of a version that people could have built themselves,” added Ehrhardt.
Best of all: It comes with interchangeable eyes, mouths and hats, so you can customize the machine for any occasion. Eat your robotic heart, Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover.
“ExoMy is more than a toy in that it can serve as a low-cost research and prototyping platform for robotics experiments,” added Voellmy. “Our hope is that school or college students will build their own ExoMy, to become familiar with robotics and learn about the full-size ExoMars rover, scheduled to launch in 2022.”
The agency is also working on a mini version of its speed-optimized Sample Fetch Rover, planned as part of ESA’s contribution to the International Mars Sample Return venture.
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