Purpose:

The students will learn the challenges of operating a planetary rover and problem solve solutions by using a hands-on simulation.

Brief Description:

The rover driver will design and execute a series of commands that will guide a human rover through a simulated Martian surface, allowing the rover team to experience some of the challenges of teleoperating a robotic vehicle on another planet.

The teams will all start at the same time, with the timers starting the team stopwatches when the teacher indicates. The driver may stand near their team to give the command sequences, but may not physically touch their rover to help guide it (this is, after all, teleoperations!). They must guide their rover by voice only. The rover driver may not deviate from the commands that have been written in their previous trip through the course, even if the rover is going off course.

Where you can find complete description:

CD: Mars Education Program, "Mars Activities, Teacher Resources and Classroom Activities"

http://msip.asu.edu/p_source/pages/curr.php

Background Information:

"Many students think that robotic vehicles (like the Mars Pathfinder Sojourner Truth rover) can be driven much like they drive their toy radio-controlled cars. They imagine a rover driver watching a computer screen showing the rover on Mars and moving a joystick to make it go. The reality is not so! The time it takes for a command to reach the surface of another planet (such as Mars) varies with the distance between the planets involved. This prevents any "joy-stick" driving in real time."