{"id":436829,"date":"2023-02-14T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-14T05:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationorigins.com\/?p=436829"},"modified":"2023-02-14T06:30:00","modified_gmt":"2023-02-14T05:30:00","slug":"it-will-be-a-while-before-team-polar-s-research-robot-drives-through-the-snow-of-antarctica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/it-will-be-a-while-before-team-polar-s-research-robot-drives-through-the-snow-of-antarctica\/","title":{"rendered":"It will be a while before Team Polar’s research robot drives through the snow of Antarctica"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

He can talk about it for hours and hours. Laurenz Edelmann has been working around the clock for Team Polar for the past year. Of its own accord, of course. \u201cI prefer to spend my time on Team Polar<\/a>, which is why I have reduced my studies a bit,\u201d says Edelmann, who is the team leader of the TU Eindhoven<\/a> student team this year. Team Polar is developing a research robot that can still conduct research in the harsh conditions of the polar regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working prototype<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After several years of research, the team unveiled its first working prototype on January 20. Edelmann talks about a \u201cMinimal Viable Product\u201d (MVP), a term often used in the tech world for a prototype that can roughly do what it’s supposed to do. “But it’s important to mention that it\u2019s definitely not ready for Antarctica,” says Edelmann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can it do? \u201cWell, it works in snow, cold and uneven terrain,\u201d explains Edelmann. He and his team extensively tested the robot, which they call \u201cIce Cube\u201d, in Norway at the end of December. \u201cIt can drive about 10 kilometers through the snow on a single battery charge at a temperature of -10 degrees Celsius. Probably two to three times as long on more accessible surfaces. Snow is very difficult terrain,\u201d Edelmann explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In total, Ice Cube can be active for four hours a day. It is then recharged in less than a day by the solar panels that clad the rover. \u201cEspecially in the summers of Antarctica, where it is light 24 hours a day, it is not a problem to charge within a day. We then follow a schedule where the robot does four hours of research and charges for the rest of the day,\u201d says Edelmann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steering<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ice Cube can steer as well. This sounds quite logical, but with the steering method that Team Polar chose, it was anything but certain. \u201cWe went for a system without a steering column. We did this because we felt that normal handlebars are less suitable for these conditions. You would rather not drive your car through the snow,\u201d says Edelmann. So Team Polar opted for a tank-like steering system. The wheels on each side can rotate in the opposite direction of each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were many researchers who were skeptical about the amount of engine power required for this type of steering. \u201cWe received reports from other scientists that this method of steering would be unsuitable due to the lack of power. Our own calculations indicated that it was possible. But it was still exciting during testing,\u201d says Edelmann. In the end, it turned out that this way of steering works well.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>
<\/div><\/div>
Polar vehicle Venturi upgrades for its second year in operation – Innovation Origins<\/div>
The Venturi Antarctica is world\u2019s first electrically-powered polar exploration vehicle. Before it could start its second year of operation on Antartica, a series of technical upgrades have been made.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Issues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are also issues. In particular, the amount of ice that forms on the solar panels under cold conditions is a major problem. Edelmann explains: \u201cIf there is ice on the panel, the cell won\u2019t work as well. A short circuit can also occur, causing the cell to self-destruct.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A hydrophobic coating on the solar panels could be a solution. \u201cWith a hydrophobic coating, you give the panels a kind of raincoat, so to speak. Then ice cannot form on the panels. Unfortunately, such a coating does not work together with other coatings needed to make the panels work,\u201d says Edelmann. That is why he and his team are now researching how they can make the two different coatings work together. \u201cThat would also be a breakthrough for all solar panels in the world,\u201d says Edelmann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Development and future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For further development of Ice Cube, it is important to focus on one research project. There are big differences in the research locations in Antarctica. Along the coast, there is often a strong wind and there are more slopes and cracks. \u201cSuch a crack is especially difficult when the rover is driving autonomously. It must then measure the crack and see if it can drive over it or around it. This takes a lot of time,\u201d says Edelmann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the plateau, there are lower wind speeds and it is relatively flat. But that\u2019s far from the research stations, which should intervene if something goes wrong. \u201cSince circumstances are so different, the next step is to commit to a research goal. Of course, this decision is not taken lightly. We have to look at what feels best for us and what the rover is best suited for,\u201d says Edelmann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the composition of Team Polar changes constantly, the students do work towards one goal. In 2027, the Ice Cube is due to go to Antarctica. Edelmann believes that despite the changes in the team, this goal can be achieved. Edelmann says: \u201cTesting in Svalbard is the next step. That should certainly be achieved within three years. Antarctica is a different story, both in terms of conditions and obtaining permission. But we will certainly succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

He can talk about it for hours and hours. Laurenz Edelmann has been working around the clock for Team Polar for the past year. Of its own accord, of course. \u201cI prefer to spend my time on Team Polar, which is why I have reduced my studies a bit,\u201d says Edelmann, who is the team […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2482,"featured_media":493020,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[31452,75874,75755],"location":[6763],"article_type":[6758],"serie":[],"archives":[],"internal_archives":[],"reboot-archive":[],"class_list":["post-436829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sustainability-nl","tag-antarctica-en","tag-rover","tag-team-polar","location-netherlands","article_type-interview"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":{"subtitle":"Team Polar has presented a working prototype of their rover. What does team leader Laurenz Edelmann think about the project?","text_display_homepage":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"Rik Durkstra","author_link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/author\/rikdurkstra\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/polar.jpg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Sustainability<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Sustainability<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["Antarctica<\/a>","Rover<\/a>","Team Polar<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Antarctica<\/span>","Rover<\/span>","Team Polar<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 3 years ago","modified":"Updated 3 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on February 14, 2023","modified":"Updated on February 14, 2023"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on February 14, 2023 6:30 am","modified":"Updated on February 14, 2023 6:30 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2482"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=436829"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436829\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/493020"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=436829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=436829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=436829"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=436829"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=436829"},{"taxonomy":"serie","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/serie?post=436829"},{"taxonomy":"archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/archives?post=436829"},{"taxonomy":"internal_archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal_archives?post=436829"},{"taxonomy":"reboot-archive","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reboot-archive?post=436829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}