This rover was designed and built to compete in the University Rover Challenge where it placed 4th out of 23 university teams and received the judge's award for Most Innovative Design. More teams compete every year with more than thirty teams from the United States, Europe, and Asia expected to compete this coming year. (Image courtesy of Chris Mabey)

This custom designed gripper allows the rover to articulate objects of interest weighing up to 10 lb. (Image courtesy of Chris Mabey)

Detailed finite element stress analysis was conducted using ANSYS to validate the design capabilities. 

The arm and gripper utilize 7 degrees of freedom to dexterously manipulate samples, service equipment, and lift other payloads of interest.

The open wheel design allowed the team to go to a more agile six wheeled design while still reducing the aggregate weight of the wheels. Rock climbing rubber and paddle inserts to create a high coefficient of friction on solid surfaces like rock, while still maintaining excellent traction on loose soil and sand. (Image courtesy of Chris Mabey)

Kevlar leaf springs provide a compliant, yet ultra-light suspension system. Additionally, rocker joints allow the wheels to articulate across rocky terrain without losing contact. (Image courtesy of Chris Mabey)

Longer leaf springs use additional reinforcement to achieve the required stiffness. (Image courtesy of Chris Mabey)

Custom made turret and gear boxes for the robotic arm deliver the torque necessary to lift and deliver payloads. Even at full extension the arm lifts objects over 10 lb in weight. (Image courtesy of Chris Mabey)

Soil collection mechanism attaches an auger and collection bin to the end of the arm. Samples from beneath the surface of the ground is collected in the bin and then analyzed for signs of life. (Image Courtesy of Chris Mabey)

The unique six-wheeled design allows the rover to traverse rough terrain of varying compositions.