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Faculty Advisor: Melvin Rafi

Industry Mentor: General Atomics

Summary: The ARES (Autonomous Rover Exploration System) project involves developing and prototyping a network of rovers that can function autonomously and cooperatively. When deployed within an area of interest, the successful rover network will be able to communicate and make decisions amongst themselves to navigate within the area, avoid obstacles, locate a target of interest, and move towards the target of interest.

Key Requirements:

1. TheÌýrover network shall include at leastÌýthree rovers and at most five rovers.
2. TheÌýroverÌýplatformÌýmayÌýbeÌýcustom-builtÌýorÌýobtainedÌýasÌýaÌýCommercial-off-the-shelfÌý(COTS) unit. For COTS units, teams should anticipate the need to modify the rover platform and integrate additional hardware (eg. Sensors, communications equipment, miscellaneous electronics).
3. EachÌýroverÌýshallÌýhaveÌýaÌývolumetricÌýfootprintÌýofÌýatÌýmostÌý30ÌýcmÌýlengthÌýxÌý30ÌýcmÌýwidthÌýxÌý30Ìýcm height.
4. Each rover shall have an endurance of at least 60 minutes.
5. EachÌýrover shall be able to function and operate in temperatures ranging fromÌý15°C to 25°°ä.
6. Each rover shall be able to sense and record systemÌýstates (including but not limited to position,Ìývelocity,Ìýacceleration,ÌýbatteryÌýstates,ÌýtimeÌýstates,ÌýandÌýotherÌýtbdÌýstatesÌýasÌýdeemed appropriate).
7. EachÌýroverÌýshallÌýbeÌýableÌýtoÌýwirelesslyÌýcommunicateÌýnecessaryÌýâ€Èٳٲ¹³Ù±ð’ÌýinformationÌýtoÌýother rovers within the rover network in real-time.
8. TheÌýroversÌýshallÌýbeÌýableÌýtoÌýautonomouslyÌýandÌýcooperativelyÌýnavigateÌýwithinÌýanÌý‘a°ù±ð²¹Ìýof ¾±²Ô³Ù±ð°ù±ð²õ³Ù’.
9. TheÌýroversÌýshallÌýbeÌýableÌýtoÌýautonomouslyÌýnavigateÌýaroundÌý‘o²ú²õ³Ù²¹³¦±ô±ð²õ’ÌýwithinÌýtheÌýareaÌýof interest.
10. TheÌýroversÌýshallÌýbeÌýableÌýtoÌýautonomouslyÌýnavigateÌýoverÌý‘t±ð°ù°ù²¹¾±²ÔÌý´Ú±ð²¹³Ù³Ü°ù±ð²õ’ÌýwithoutÌýhavingÌýits movement impeded.
11. TheÌýroversÌýshallÌýbeÌýableÌýtoÌýautonomouslyÌýandÌýcooperativelyÌýsearchÌýfor,Ìýlocate,ÌýandÌýnavigate towardÌýaÌý‘t²¹°ù²µ±ð³ÙÌýofÌý¾±²Ô³Ù±ð°ù±ð²õ³Ù’ÌýwithinÌýtheÌýareaÌýofÌýinterestÌýwithinÌýaÌýpredeterminedÌýamountÌýofÌýtime.