Competition Robots
Eclipse (URC 2023)
Eclipse is our first competition robot in four years. Building on previous designs, Eclipse houses innovations and upgrades such as Kevlar-epoxy composite tires, high-torque brushless drive motors, and a completely redesigned robotic arm. Lots of improvement was made during this season and many new people joined the effort. Eclipse competed in Utah at the Mars Desert Research Station. Over the course of the three day competition the rover was bombarded by the harsh Utah dust and scorching heat, as well as a rainstorm or two. Even after these trials and tribulations, Eclipse earned a respectable 21st out of the 104 total applicant teams.
Horizon was Wisconsin Robotics' competition rover for the 2019 University Rover Challenge. New key features included a universal mounting point to improve compatibility among the three possible drive configurations: Arm and Manipulation, Science Cache and Autonomous Traversal. The team focused on improving successful features such as active ride-height and Kevlar-shell wheels. This robot features an all-new arm and manipulator optimized for the implementation of Inverse Kinematics. Horizon was accepted to compete at the 2019 URC, which took place at the Mars Desert Research Station, near Hanksville, UT. Horizon placed 16th out of 84 eligible rover designs in the competition.
Prime (BotShot 2019)
Prime was Wisconsin Robotics' entrant into the Land O' Lakes Bot Shot Competition in 2019. This robot was given the challenge of shooting NCAA basketballs in a game of HORSE against 3 other colleges. Prime tied for first place with the robot from South Dakota State University and both teams were awarded the grand prize as a result.
Ascent MkII was Wisconsin Robotics' competition rover for the 2018 University Rover Challenge, named after its predecessor, Ascent. The team decided to revamp Ascent's design and introduce some unique features in a Mars rover such as active ride-hight and a sliding arm rack. Our improved and redesigned rover was accepted to compete at the 2018 URC, which takes place at the Mars Desert Research Station, near Hanksville, UT. Ascent MkII ranked 16th out of 95 eligible rover designs in the competition.
Ascent was Wisconsin Robotics' competition rover for the 2017 University Rover Challenge. Operated at a competition site at the Mars Desert Research Station outside Hanksville, UT, Ascent performed on-board scientific analysis of mined samples, navigated harsh terrain, and competed in tasks designed to assist an astronaut, service equipment, and autonomously navigate from point to point. Ascent placed in the top third of all URC competitors.
Insomnia, named for the long hours members invested in the project, is the robot that the team developed during the 2015-2016 academic year. Wisconsin Robotics designed Insomnia to compete in the University Rover Challenge in June 2016, a competition designed to simulate tasks that a rover would be required to do in Mars terrain. Operated at a competition site at the Mars Desert Research Station outside Hanksville, UT, Insomnia was able to perform on-board chemical analysis of mined samples, navigate harsh terrain. The rover competed in tasks designed to simulate assisting an astronaut as well as servicing equipment. Insomnia placed fourth in the Phobos final of the competition.
Designed during the 2013-2014 academic year, for the RASC-AL Exploration Robo-Ops Competition in Houston, TX, Scorpio boasted the ability to be fully operated from over 1000 miles by our drive team in Madison, WI. The competition asked that Scorpio collect colored rocks, navigate rugged terrain, and stream video back to the operators. Wisconsin Robotics was one of the few teams to survive for the entire competition length, placing fourth overall.
Singularity (IGVC 2013)
Singularity, a large, autonomous robot with an omnidirectional drive system, was a multi-year project for Wisconsin Robotics . The four wheels on Singularity were connected to rotatable drive pods, allowing any of the four wheels to turn any direction. This unique drive system presented challenges, but the team was able to place within the top third of teams at the Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition in 2013.
Singularity at IGVC, 2013.
Outreach Robots
Bumblebot
Bumblebot is a bee-themed robot designed to buzz around at fast speeds. With simple controls, it is easy for young children to drive Bumblebot around and get excited about robots.
Bumblebot being operated to navigate through a maze.
TankBot (Retired)
Tankbot was designed as an interactive robot for use at outreach events. Armed with a laser cannon, this robot shoots targets and other laser equipped robots. This robot can be easily controlled by anyone, young and old, to learn and get excited about robots
Tankbot at one of Wisconsin Robotics yearly outreach event, Wisconsin Science Festival.
Atlas (Retired)
Atlas was a robot designed to eventually become a fully autonomous tour-guide for the Wisconsin Institute of Discovery(WID). Featuring mecanum wheels, Atlas is able to move in any direction without having to turn the robots' body. We demonstrated Atlas at most of our outreach events.
Wisconsin Robotics team member (pictured, kneeling) explains some of Atlas' functions while the robot was being demonstrated at the Wisconsin Institute of Discovery.
Turtlebot And Rocket (Retired)
Originally a roomba, Turtlebot was used as a testing platform for the AI team, allowing them to use an extremely simple robot to test functions such as pathfinding, object recognition, and collision detection. Turtlebot was also used at outreach events, as one of Wisconsin Robotics' drivable by the public' robots.
Rocket was used primarily for outreach because it's the perfect robot for the public to have fun seeing one up close while also being able to look at its inner workings, hopefully inspiring younger K-12 students to pursue a career in STEM. Made of a carbon fiber body and two belt driven wheels, Rocket is small and extremely speedy, yet safe for children to operate.
Turtlebot (left) and Rocket (right) at one of Wisconsin Robotics' outreach events.
