THIS MONTH:
Mars Needs Motherships
THE LUNAR
ROVER 3-IN-1
PARTS.
This month, we have the pleasure of presenting the 3- in-1 Lunar Rover kit from MINDS-i. The MINDS-i system — invented by Mike Marzetta — is meant to be an
expandable robotics platform that is more robust, powerful,
and interchangeable than current offerings. The Lunar
Rover itself is a large four wheeled radio-controlled vehicle
with rack and pinion steering topped by a sleek solar panel.
The 3-in-1 aspect of the kit is that the instruction manual
suggests three different configurations for the base of the
robot, ranging from a low profile bot suspended on leaf
springs to a flexible bot equipped with colorful shocks.
Having worked with a range of other robotics kits, we were
eager to see what fresh ideas MINDS-i brings to the table.
The Light Side of the Moon
One of the first things you notice about the Lunar
THE MINDS-I CONNECTOR.
70 SERVO 05.2011
Rover kit is the scale. The approximately five inch diameter
wheels are the first indication that you’re dealing with
something truly able to rove over some rough terrain, and
the large kit of parts promises fertile ground for
independent designs. The large solar panel also promises
plenty of power for even large bots. The kit comes with an
instruction manual and the website offers some helpful
instructional videos that we recommend perusing before
proceeding.
One of the numerous innovations of the MINDS-i
system is the design of the connectors that hold the frame
together. The connectors are comprised of an inner shaft
and an outer shell, and operate in a way reminiscent of the
cam bolts one uses to assemble do-it-yourself furniture. The
core must be pressed into the shaft, and after insertion into
the frame the core is turned 60 degrees to lock into the
shell. The connectors come in four different flavors — two
different lengths, and locking or smooth connectors. The
locking connectors constrain the movement of the beams
while the smooth connectors allow the connected beams to
rotate. Unlike many kits, the Lunar Rover comes with its
own set of tools which includes Allen wrenches and a
special slotted screwdriver to use with the connectors. The
screwdriver has a nib at the end of it that allows the cores
of the connectors to be easily removed once pressed in all
the way.
With three configurations to choose from, it was tough
to decide which incarnation of the rover to build first. We
settled on what seemed to be the second configuration.
This appeared to be the one with the highest profile which
we thought would make it easier to go back and add
structural embellishments. The second configuration also
