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GENTOO

The Gentoo rover, also named after the Antarctic penguin species, is Team Polar's second-generation autonomous vehicle designed for polar exploration. The aim of this rover is to traverse Antarctica between two scientific stations.

Exploded Diagram of Gentoo.png

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In order to complete this mission, it has been designed to be able to withstand extreme conditions. Some numbers:

  • 300 kg mass

  • 6 m² of solar panels

  • 24/7 operation with a mean operating speed of 3 km/h

  • Operational down to -40 °C

  • Withstanding 35 m/s katabatic winds

Energy Autonomy

Equipped with 6 m² of high-efficiency solar panels, Gentoo harnesses solar energy to power its core functions: propulsion, communications, thermal management, and environmental sensing. The rover's battery operates on a complete daily charge-discharge cycle, enabling continuous operation.

Autonomous Navigation

Gentoo utilizes a software stack common to autonomous road cars, and training our algorithms and artificial intelligence not to recognize pedestrians and traffic, but the snowy elements of Antarctica.

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Environmental mapping is done using both LiDAR and camera.

Environmental Resilience

Refined cuboid design ensuring aerodynamic stability with consistent performance in polar wind and light.

Custom-designed airless 3D-printed TPU wheels prevent punctures and optimize snow contact. The electronics and battery are housed in properly insulated and controlled environments.​​​​

216 cm

192 cm

166 cm

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