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2021-07-08

2021-07-08

Aug 04, 2021

Teams Involved: Science and Mechanical

  • Science Plan 2021  

  • Limited bay access means we do not know what chemicals we still have and will not be able to order new supplied and conduce tests for new experiments in a timely manner 

  • Make improvements to soil and rock testing experiments from 2019/2020 but keep test procedure very similar so that mechanism will be very similar to previous years (focus on making improvements to past systems rather than something entirely new) 

  • Have test procedure and mechanism requirements ready for next week to provide to Mechanical team (set up meeting with leads)  

  • Soil Testing (potential options) 

  • Observe the soil at the station: 

  • -make observations; colour, moisture 

  • Ensure the test tubes are at the correct position 

  • 3 test tubes receive the SAME soil 

  • Research number of tests required at each test site. Currently performing one per site, potential to increase if required 

  • Six test tubes total (three control)  

  •             -Ninhydrin* (most important)  

  •             -pH 

  •             -Nitrogen 

  • Watch SAR videos from previous years to see winning teams' tests and mechanisms and check if there are better options 

  • Auger drills the soil. 

  • Scooping mechanism rather than drill depending on if soil needs to be extracted from the group or from a given bucket 

  • Soil is dispersed into test tubes.   

  • Test tube openings are covered. 

  • Centrifuge for 1 min 

  • Just to mix  

 

  • Rock Testing (potential options) 

  • Real-time camera feed (higher resolution, capability to zoom in) 

  • Look into magnification, if necessary, add microscope 

  • How many cameras (colour, frame rate) 

  • Mechanical team needs to validate existing camera resolution, quality and zooming capabilities 

  • Create rock identification manual (stratigraphy, signs of extinct or extant life)  

  • Research more ways to detect signs of life simply using the real-time camera feed (rocks cannot be altered in competition and other sensors might be too expensive)  

  • Send a complete and detailed list of all tests to be performed to the electrical, mechanical and software team (upload on Confluence) 

  • Sensors (potential options) 

  • Ask electrical team what sensors they already have  

  • Temperature 

  • Moisture 

  • PH 

  • Need to test all of these for functionality. Make a benchmark for all of the different equipment for future purchases.  

  • Mechanism Requirements (2019)  

  • Soil Testing  

  • vertical elevator, a soil collection auger drill  

  • soil mixing spinner 

  • sensor arm 

  • The elevator is lowered to ground level, at which point the auger spins sending soil up its flutes.  

  • The soil then travels to one of twelve test tubes with reaction chemicals prestored in the tubes.  

  • Tubes can then be sealed using the elevator and spun to mix.  

  • A camera is used to detect color change while the sensor arm places temperature, pH, and moisture sensors in the dug hole.  

  • To reduce contamination, drills, and containers holding soil will be sterilized pre-competition.   
     

  • Rock Testing (2019) 

  • Rock samples will be analyzed through a camera feed in real time to determine whether extinct, extant or no life is present 

  • Science Mission Questions  

  • Find science mission questions for 2021 and start answering them (research) 

  • Science Team Members  

  • Introduce Clare to team on Tuesday  

  • Share past Google Drives and Confluence (ask Asha to add her) 

  • Assign tasks and share timeline with her