Sulf| The Memory-Maker

Project Details

The Challenge | The Memory-Maker

Traditional electronics do not work well on Venus, and memory is one of the biggest challenges. Your challenge is to develop mechanical approaches to accomplishing tasks normally done electronically within the context of space exploration.

Venus CoDec

Venus Codec stores information using the electrochromatic effect in a re-writable and re-readable fashion and also change the power distribution of the rover.

Sulf

Background

We were inspired by the Turing Machine and the electrochromatic effect. There are materials (e.g. TgO3) that are super resistant to high temperature.

What it does

a) We store date based on the electrochromatic effect by making an array of AlLi alloy with cells coated with TgO3 (which is an electrochromatic material). By supplying an electrical charge about 5-7V we change the oxidation state of the compound and make it change its color. To read the stored data, we use 8 infrared sensors based on GaN (which it can keep the properties of semiconductor at high temperatures). To be more efficient we use allow the tape to be written/read in a single operation with 2 bytes of data.

b) To change the rotation of the shaft we use a combination of gears and clutches which were design to resist high torque.

NASA Resources

Videos and talk on AREE

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/automaton-rover-for-e...

Built With

To do all of this we used Inventor and Fusion from AutoDesk.

Future Plans

We could extend the memory capacity be refining the design and switching to more precise sensors as well as lowering the cell surface.