Virtual Mars Yard Simulation System for Internet-Based STEM Education

This paper presents the architecture and applications of the web-based Virtual Mars Yard (VMY) software application suite focused at the simulation of the teleoperation of the Experimental Mars Rover (EMR)-Mawson. The EMR-Mawson is a robotic platform being operated at the Mars Yard in Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia. EMR-Mawson is a six wheeled platform with a highly flexible mobility subsystem. It also provides a comprehensive set of teleoperatable sensor payload. Researchers and students can operate the EMR-Mawson by using an internet-based teleoperation system. The VMY simulation software captures an accurate 3D representation of EMR-Mawson, with realistic kinematic and physic-based dynamic model interacting with an accurate 3D Mars yard terrain. Furthermore, it provides users with a similar graphical user interface of the real teleoperation system. The chief benefits of VMY for internet-based STEM education is that VMY facilitates hands-on skill scaffolding anytime and anywhere. By practicing with the VMY, potential teleoperation users can enhance and test their skills before using the real system at Mars Yard. Hence, reduces the risk of damaging the actual system for long term operation. Furthermore, VMY extends the learning experience of Mars Yard users beyond the allocated online time for their experiments. User can perform and experiments with as many missions on VMY as they want prior to running their mission on the real environment. In this paper, VMY-based teaching and learning practices and its deployment on National Broadband Network (NBN)-connected Mars Lab are also discussed.