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Issue
4 of BrickVista takes us past the one year mark – Happy
birthday BrickVista. When I fist started gathering content
and documenting my LEGO® Rovers I had little idea of the
people, ideas and international interest it would generate.
In the same sprit that launched the BrickVista site, this
issue contains a technical description of the M.O.P Rover,
its various configurations, and takes a look at the Rover
used by the Planetary Society in California. BrickVista’s
content has been slightly re-jigged to make it easier getting
to the information you want, and we take a sneak look at
what’s on the testing Bench at the moment.
I hope you enjoy Issue 4 of BrickVista.
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M.O.P
Rover Technical Notes
Originally Developed for The 2nd Build A Better Rover competition,
the aim of the M.O.P concept was to develop a workable testing
platform using LEGO® and the LEGO Mindstorms® building
systems. The M.O.P rovers presented here are the result of this
ongoing study of LEGO Rovers, along with supportive notes, technical
descriptions and related links.
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The
Modular Ordinance Platform (M.O.P) concept allows for
customization and re-configuration of many common Rover
Sub-systems. The M.O.P chassis isolates individual systems
into zones which allows for easy re-configuration and
alteration. Learn
more about the M.O.P Chassis and Mechanical, Thermal,
and Mobility (MTM) System here.
The Yellow and Red zones
house the drive motors and drive assembly. Many different
configurations are possible which will effect the Steering
and operational speed of the Rover. Learn
more about the M.O.P’s Drive Assembly, Steering
and MTM System here.
The Blue zone, of the M.O.P
Rover is where scientific tools, manipulators, sensors
and payloads are located. Payload configurations are
as varied as the sensors used within them. Learn more
about the M.O.P’s Payload and Scientific Payload
system here.
The
M.O.P Rover is operated via Journeyman (a PC application)
which interacts and controls the Rover in real time.
The screen based interface allows you to operate, monitor,
and collect data from the M.O.P remotely. Learn
More about Journeyman and the Control and Navigation
System here.
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 4
Sites, 4 Times The Fun
Due to the increasing
volume of content at BrickVista we decided to split
the site into four separate areas to make it easier
to navigate through and find information.
BrickVista remains
the core site for all LEGO Rover creations, technical documentation
and images.
DIY
MOC contains illustrated Building Instructions (BI’s)
for a selection of Models featured at BrickVista. When
ever you see the DIY MOC logo besides a Model on BrickVista
you know it has its own BI. All BI's have a complete parts
list, stepped LDraw file and Bill of Material (BOM) image
for download.
The
Test Bench is a less formal inventory of ideas and
models which are either under construction, started and
not finished, or just concept proofs for larger models
. Hosted on BrickShelf, The Test Bench is updated more
frequently than the BrickVista site, but contains no technical
notes, or descriptions.
TechNotes contains
information about real world Rovers and their Sub-systems.
Information is derived form many sources (mainly NASA and
the ESA) and forms the background context for many of the
Rovers built and discussed at BrickVista.
We hope these changes improve
your visit to BrickVista
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Future
Builds – Preview from The Test Bench
It started with YogiCub, YogiScout and YogiExplorer are on the Test
Bench as we speak and we thought a small peek wouldn't hurt. The
images below illustrate YogiExplorer’s left side mobility system.
It has a working ‘rocker-bogie’ suspension, Individual
wheel motors and pneumatic assisted steering. At over 500mm in length
this Rover isn’t small. Lets hope we have enough parts to complete
the other side.
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BrickVista
continues to grow each issue with additional features and models
coming on line so come back often and take a look around. I
hope you enjoy BrickVista as much as I have in putting it together.
Such effort inventively stems from my creative desire to understand
a little more about how things work, and the effect this has
towards the world in which we all share.
So remember to BrickVista
and invent the future!
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| YOGICUB
AND NASA |
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The YogiCub Rover and BrickVista have won NASA’s Space
Telerobotics Program, Cool Robot of the week.
The honor of being listed as "Cool Robot Of The Week" is
bestowed upon those robotics-related web sites which portray
highly innovative solutions to robotics problems, describe
unique approaches to implementing robotics system, or present
exciting interfaces for the dissemination of robotics-related
information or promoting robotics technology.
Check out other Cool Robotic Sites here
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| WILD
ABOUT M.O.P |
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 The
M.O.P Rover was awarded one of two Runner-Up Prizes in
The Planetary Society’s second “Build a better
Rover” competition.
The Discovery Configuration M.O.P is used at the
Carl Sagan Memorial Station which simulates the
Pathfinder landing site. This Rover configuration
was also used at The Planetary Society’s "Wild
About Mars" event held at NASA’s JPL
in California.
Visit The Planetary Society’s Red Rover
Goes to Mars Site
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| DO
YOU BRICKVISTA? |
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BrickVista is a way of looking at things, a way of describing
things through LEGO®. Whether it is a design for
a imaginary moon base, adding machine or operational
crane, the LEGO® building system provides a common
framework in which all creations can be made and understood.
BrickVista’s aim is to present the results of
inquiry – scientific, technological, creative,
and artistic - in a manner which makes it understandable
and accessible to those wishing to further their understanding
of the world around them.
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| BUILDING
BRICKVISTA |
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BrickVista as a free resource
available to all the on-line community (whether it
is the AFOL, K-12 Student, University Graduate, or
anyone who is generally interested). All content
has been developed with a strong educational bias,
and is done so in the sprit of sharing and learning.
We are always open to content
suggestions and contributions, so if you are interested
in contributing to BrickVista in any way send us
an email outlining
your idea. We would love to hear from you.
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