Nasa's Novel Bike Motor Awd Electrical Robotic Machine [Video]
The Modular Robotic Vehicle, or MRV, was developed at NASA’s Johnson Space Center inwards social club to advance technologies that guide hold applications for futurity vehicles both inwards infinite as well as on Earth. With seating for ii people, MRV is a fully electrical vehicle well-suited for busy urban environments.
One of NASA’s primal purposes for the projection was to guide hold access to a applied scientific discipline evolution platform. “This move allowed us to prepare some technologies nosotros felt were needed for our futurity rovers,” said Justin Ridley, Johnson Space Flight Center. “These include redundant by-wire systems, liquid cooling, motor technology, advanced vehicle command algorithms. We were able to larn a lot well-nigh these as well as other technologies past times edifice this vehicle.”
Just every bit NASA helped pioneer fly-by-wire applied scientific discipline inwards aircraft inwards the 1970s, MRV is an seek to convey that applied scientific discipline to the reason inwards modern automobiles. With no mechanical linkages to the propulsion, steering, or brake actuators, the driver of an MRV relies completely on command inputs beingness converted to electrical signals as well as thus transmitted past times wires to the vehicle’s motors. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 plough of the steering wheel, for instance, is recorded past times sensors as well as sent to computers at the raise of the vehicle. These computers translate that signal as well as teach motors at 1 or all 4 of the wheels to displace at the appropriate rate, causing the vehicle to plough every bit commanded. Due to a strength feedback organization inwards the steering wheel, the driver feels the same resistance as well as sensations every bit a typical automobile.
Not having a mechanical linkage betwixt the driver as well as the steering cycle introduces novel risks non seen on conventional automobiles. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 failed computer, or cutting wire, could drive a loss of steering as well as the driver to lose control. Because of this, a fully redundant, fail-operational architecture was developed for the MRV. Should the steer-ing motor fail, the figurer organization responds right away past times sending signals to a second, redundant motor. Should that figurer fail, a instant figurer is laid upward to accept over vehicle control. This redundancy is paramount to security operations of a by-wire system.
MRV’s redundant drive-by-wire architecture allows for advanced security as well as dynamic command schemes. These tin last implemented amongst a driver operating either within the vehicle or past times remote interface. In the futurity this organization tin last expanded to allow for autonomous driving
MRV is driven past times 4 independent cycle modules called e-corners. Each e-corner consists of a redundant steering actuator, a passive trailing arm suspension, an in-wheel pro-pulsion motor, as well as a motor-driven friction braking system.
Each e-corner tin last controlled independently as well as rotated ±180 degrees well-nigh its axis. This allows for a suite of driving modes allowing MRV to maneuver dissimilar whatsoever traditional vehicle on the road. In add-on to conventional front end ii cycle steering, the dorsum wheels tin likewise articulate allowing for turning radiuses every bit tight every bit zero. The driving trend tin last switched thus that all 4 wheels betoken as well as displace inwards the same management achieving an omni-directional, crab-like motion. This makes a maneuver such every bit parallel parking every bit slow every bit driving adjacent to an available spot, stopping, as well as thus operating sideways to skid straight inwards betwixt ii cars.
“This two-seater vehicle was designed to run across the growing challenges as well as demands of urban transportation,” said Mason Markee, likewise amongst Johnson. “The MRV would last ideal for daily shipping inwards an urban surroundings amongst a designed top speed of seventy km/hr as well as arrive at of 100 km of metropolis driving on a unmarried accuse of the battery. The size as well as maneuverability of MRV gives it an payoff inwards navigating as well as parking inwards tight quarters.”
The driver controls MRV amongst a conventional looking steering cycle as well as accelerator/brake pedal assembly. Both of these interfaces were particularly designed to mimic the experience of the mechanical/hydraulic systems that people are used to feeling when driving their ain cars. Each device includes its ain redundancy to protect for electrical failures within the systems. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 multi-axis joystick is available to allow additional command inwards some of the to a greater extent than advanced drive modes. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 configurable display allows for changing of drive modes as well as gives the user critical vehicle data as well as wellness as well as condition indicators.
Each propulsion motor is located within the cycle as well as capable of producing 190 ft-lbs of torque. An active thermal command loop maintains temperatures of these high powered motors. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 form out thermal loop cools the avionics, includ-ing custom lithium-ion battery packs.
“While the vehicle every bit a whole is designed roughly oper-ating inwards an urban environment, the substance technologies are advancements used inwards many of our robotic systems as well as rovers,” explained Mason. “Actuators, motor controllers, sensors, batteries, BMS, factor cooling, sealing, as well as software are all examples of technologies that are beingness devel oped as well as tested inwards MRV that volition last used inwards adjacent generation rover systems.”
The technologies developed inwards MRV guide hold direct appli-cation inwards futurity manned vehicles project missions on the surface of Earth’s moon, on Mars, or fifty-fifty an asteroid. Additionally, MRV provides a platform to larn lessons that could drive the adjacent generation of automobiles.