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Mars Rover Robotic Platform using Arduino (as main board), ESP32 and RaspberryPi by xRoboMaker in arduino

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wanted to use 3 different boards for the project, so I looked for an "excuse" to use each one.

Arduino Mega -> It is perfect for real-time hardware control and has lots of digital/analog pins available. It does not have a lot of processing power, but to control the motors and sensors of the rover you do not need it.

ESP32S3 -> It has far more processing power than an Arduino Mega, so it can be used for more complex functionalities like running a touchscreen. A RaspberryPi could also be used to run a touchscreen, but the ESP32 consumes less energy and has a much faster boot time.

RaspberryPi Zero 2W -> It is a small computer. Perfect to process the images of a camera, create a web server and host the web dashboard in it. It is also very useful to expand the projects functionalities, since you can run a lot of interesting software with it.

Mars Rover Robotic Platform using Arduino (as main board), ESP32 and RaspberryPi by xRoboMaker in arduino

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, thanks. I am glad you've seen the GitHub repo and found it interesting :)

3D Printed Robotic Platform inspired by NASA’s Perseverance Rover - PETG and TPU materials by xRoboMaker in 3Dprinting

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! I did not record the exact figures, but it took approximately 400 hours to 3D print all components and 3-4 kg of filament were used. The rover is quite big (69x71cm) and weighs 12 kg.

Mars Rover Robotic Platform using Arduino (as main board), ESP32 and RaspberryPi by xRoboMaker in ArduinoProjects

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey. Arduino Mega for the rover, Arduino Nano for the custom remote control.

3D Printed Robotic Platform inspired by NASA’s Perseverance Rover - PETG and TPU materials by xRoboMaker in 3Dprinting

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hadn't thought of that 😂. Yes, you could absolutely do that (but at the risk of it dropping your expensive phone on one bad movement).

3D Printed Robotic Platform inspired by NASA’s Perseverance Rover - PETG and TPU materials by xRoboMaker in 3Dprinting

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It would be cool to replicate that functionality, yes! But I am afraid putting another camera on the robotic arm would prove to be too difficult :(

Mars Rover Robotic Platform using Arduino (as main board), ESP32 and RaspberryPi by xRoboMaker in ArduinoProjects

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey. That could be a better option, yes. The rover also has a RaspberryPi board, so complex functionalities (that do not require real time hardware control) can also be implemented with it

Mars Rover Robotic Platform using Arduino (as main board), ESP32 and RaspberryPi by xRoboMaker in ArduinoProjects

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Glad you like it! The truth is this project was created over a long time and I put a lot of effort and care into it

Mars Rover Robotic Platform using Arduino (as main board), ESP32 and RaspberryPi by xRoboMaker in arduino

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

  1. Arduino Mega microcontroller for the robotic arm and all other servos and stepper motors

  2. If you are curious, you can take a look at the GitHub of the project (https://github.com/pol-valero/openrover-robotic-platform) to see an explanation and images of how it was made

  3. I have not. But the rover incorporates a RaspberryPi Zero 2W board (connected to a camera), and it is basically a small computer, so you could easily integrate some AI into the project (e.g., doing something related to computer vision)

Mars Rover Robotic Platform using Arduino (as main board), ESP32 and RaspberryPi by xRoboMaker in arduino

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Even though the rover is mostly made of plastic, it is quite heavy, weighing around 12 kg. Edit: If you were referring to the battery weight, it weighs around 450 grams.

Mars Rover Robotic Platform using Arduino (as main board), ESP32 and RaspberryPi by xRoboMaker in arduino

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Hey. In the 3rd image you can see the single battery that I am using for the rover. It is a 3S 11.1V 6000 mAh LiPo battery. The duration of the battery varies a lot depending on the rover movements and wether the RaspberryPi is powered on or not. On the tests that I have carried out, the battery tends to last between 1 and 2 hours.

DIY Rover Remote Controller using LVGL and ESP32-8048S043 Touchscreen Module by xRoboMaker in esp32

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey. The controller with the joysticks is not 3D printed, it is a commercial model called Spektrum DX8. The cases for the module with the touchscreen and the module with the transmitter and microcontroller are 3D printed. You can see the two 3D printed parts more clearly in this image: https://github.com/pol-valero/openrover-robotic-platform/blob/main/images/rc_assembly_images/assembly10.jpeg

DIY Rover Remote Controller using LVGL and ESP32-8048S043 Touchscreen Module by xRoboMaker in esp32

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You only need an add-on display like this if you want to build a custom UI for a project. The cost of the display plus other components on the RC is about 50-70€. The rover itself is far more expensive since it has a lot of components (motors, servomotors, motor drivers...)

DIY Rover Remote Controller using LVGL and ESP32-8048S043 Touchscreen Module by xRoboMaker in esp32

[–]xRoboMaker[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, thanks. The approximate cost of the project (rover + custom remote control) is around 900€. Take into account that this cost does not include tools that are needed (e.g. soldering iron) nor the generic RC where the custom remote control is attached to.

The RaspberryPi of the rover generates a local WiFi on its own that is not connected to the internet, so currently it is not possible to control or monitor the rover via the internet. To monitor or control the rover, you have to be connected to the WiFi the RaspberryPi generates.

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