Rationale (Group Design)

Desirable

 

The robot will be made to look less intrusive and camouflaged in the environment it will be exploring.  So, aesthetics are an important part of this project.  The robot will have several colors.  It will be primarily sand colored and have touches of light green.  These colors will allow the robot to blend with the plants and sand found in a dune ecosystem.  To make the entire robot waterproof, the circuitry will be covered with a plastic, dome shaped cover.  This will also shade the motors from overexposure to the sun, which could cause overheating.  The appearance of the robot will not only be aesthetically pleasing, but also vital if the robot is going to assimilate into the dune environment.

Useful

 

The robot was created to help alleviate stress that the dune and its ecosystem may undergo when a human walks into the dune for research. The robot, being small, subtle, and less intrusive than a human, will go into the dunes and take samples: sediment, plant, and video.  A single wireless controller will operate the robot, making it easy to run by a researcher or marine biologist.

Usable

 

The robot must be easy to use by the operator.  The operator will control the robot using a wireless remote control that corresponds with different functions on the robot.  Once someone understands the controls, controlling the robot will be easy.  The different buttons on the controller can be calibrated and changed to meet the operator’s standards.  The robot will be powered using a rechargeable battery so that the robot could be used everyday.  Also, the wireless functions will mitigate most distance restrictions so long as the robot stays within operating range.