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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.
This interactive Gentoo showcase is made by RunFox. Find more of their work at runfox.org
In order to complete this mission, it has been designed to be able to withstand extreme conditions. Some numbers:
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300 kg mass
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6 m² of solar panels
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24/7 operation with a mean operating speed of 3 km/h
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Operational down to -40 °C
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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.
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
