05.
VOLCANO ROVER
This multidisciplinary collaboration with University of Bristol volcanologists aimed to design a lightweight, modular rover capable of collecting environmental data and 4K imagery within the challenging conditions of Fuego, an active Guatemalan volcano.
Year: 2020
Status: Complete, Final
The Problem
Collect
Environmental data collected from the crater of a volcano can provide volcanologists with valuable insights into it’s behaviour.
Capture
Capturing imagery from within a volcano’s crater and monitoring how its topology changes with time can indicate the nature of its eruptions.
Predict
Fuego, an extremely active volcano in Guatemala, is very difficult to access and therefore difficult to monitor via conventional methods.
Inform
Volcanologists use information collected from it’s crater to better inform local populations. Fuego’s eruption in 2018 was unforeseen and killed around 1,400 people.
Design Process
The rover’s six-wheel suspension system was refined through simulations, prototyping, and volcanic terrain testing to ensure optimal mobility and manoeuvrability. Each wheel’s pivot-mounted motor casing allowed independent tilting for enhanced adaptability. A flame-retardant GFRP monocoque shell was chosen for its durability, thermal resistance, and lightweight properties, providing robust protection for internal mechanisms while maintaining a low profile for deployment in extreme volcanic environments.
The Solution
The Rover is to be deployed by the UoB’s Volcanologist team during a mission aimed at better understanding the behaviour of Fuego. The mission was to be filmed by the BBC. The team were scheduled to fly out to Guatemala in March 2020, but the mission was delayed following the outbreak of Covid-19.
