NASA Contest: Design a Command, Data and Power Distribution System (CDPD)

  • Status: Closed
  • Prize: $1500
  • Entries Received: 11
  • Winner: Mecasia

Contest Brief

Design a Command, Data, and Power Distribution System (CDPD)

In this challenge, you are asked to design a Command, Data, and Power Distribution System (CDPD) that will control and power the elements of a separately designed robotic arm. This robotic arm has been designed to grab a handrail on the International Space Station, and move a camera on the “Astrobee” Free Flying robot in two directions. The CDPD receives all power and high-level commands through its electrical interface to Astrobee and uses them to accomplish its primary functions.

How it works:
The CDPD’s primary job is to process electrical signals to and from Astrobee, read sensors in the robotic arm, and drive motors as directed by the robotic arm's high-level motion planning software. For this contest, you will be given a Reference Robotic Arm (RRA) design, with specific sensors and motors to read and control. The RRA design also includes the high-level control software that would run on your CDPD hardware, converting high-level commands from Astrobee into low-level, motor commands. Your CDPD then turns the low-level motor commands into appropriate power profiles to drive the RRA motors. Your CDPD must also be capable of converting raw signals from the sensors and motors into usable data streams for the RRA high-level control software.

Challenge Rules:
1) The prize will be awarded for the most efficient, technically feasible solution that is submitted by the submission deadline. For this contest, efficiency is defined as minimizing mass and power.
2) No working prototype or simulation is required for submission, but the design must be sufficiently detailed to allow experts to assess the feasibility of your design (i.e., comply with all requirements) and the credibility of your mass and power estimates.
3) Only complete submission packages that follow the submission guidelines will be evaluated. This includes providing the Exit Survey Code in your submission.

Recommended Skills

Top entries from this contest

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Public Clarification Board

  • nasacoeci
    Contest Holder
    • 4 years ago

    Please join us in congratulating Seyed Mohammadhadi R. as the winner for this challenge. There were some very good designs and the evaluation took some extra time (so thanks for your patience). Thanks to all of the participants for all of your hard work on this challenge.

    • 4 years ago
  • nasacoeci
    Contest Holder
    • 5 years ago

    This contest is now closed. Thank you all for your submissions and all of the hard work. We will start evaluating the submissions this week and hopefully will select a winner in the next few weeks. Again, thank you for all of your hard work.

    • 5 years ago
  • Mecasia
    Mecasia
    • 5 years ago

    Hi
    Would you please send me a feedback about my submision? I might be able to revise the weak points...

    • 5 years ago
    1. nasacoeci
      Contest Holder
      • 5 years ago

      We are only providing feedback on completeness of the submission prior to the contest close. All technical evaluation will start at the end of the contest. Thanks.

      • 5 years ago
  • nasacoeci
    Contest Holder
    • 5 years ago

    UPDATE: Please note that there has been a correction to the problem description.
    Please review the new version of the attachment: CDPD_ProblemDescription_rev4.pdf There was a little confusion between two tables . Please review this updated Table 3 which reconciles the issue. Sensor 7 is the force sensor (with S7_force as the data stream name) which measures force from the force sensor in Table 5 in Newtons (N) at a rate of 200 Hz. Sensor 8 is a contact sensor (S8_contact as the data stream name) which is measuring contact switch position as an On or Off signal at a rate of 200 Hz and is also described in Table 5.

    • 5 years ago
  • Mecasia
    Mecasia
    • 5 years ago

    I need more details about the volume #2 to suggest the mounting method. Is it a box shape volume? is there andy surroundings that we can mount on it?
    Please answer my second post as well...
    Thanks

    • 5 years ago
    1. nasacoeci
      Contest Holder
      • 5 years ago

      Its a cube shaped volume described C1.2, but it has a flat plastic plate on one side that you may describe how you connect to it. This plate is a few millimeters thick and its up to you how you might want to connect to it. Please describe this as part of your submission guidelines.

      • 5 years ago
  • Mecasia
    Mecasia
    • 5 years ago

    Hi
    Would you please explain how a force sensor is used as a distance measurement device? In file "CDPD_ProblemDescription_rev3" the "Table-3" describes S7 as a distance sensor and S8 as a contact switch, while in "Table-5" the S7 is defined as contact switch and S8 as a Force sensor.
    Would you please make some clarification as well as answering my previous post about Volume #2 details?

    Please explain more about communication between "RRA Control Module" and "CDPD". Would it be as a part of CDPD software which is accessible through some functions or it is completely separate hardware which has a separate communication port?

    • 5 years ago
    1. nasacoeci
      Contest Holder
      • 5 years ago

      "Hi, we have resolved the issue. Please use information from Table 5 with the following changes to Table 3. Sensor 7 is the force sensor (with S7_force as the data stream name) which measures force from the force sensor in Table 5 in Newtons (N) at a rate of 200 Hz. Sensor 8 is a contact sensor (S8_contact as the data stream name) which is measuring contact switch position as an On or Off signal at a rate of 200 Hz and is also described in Table 5. We're sorry for the confusion.

      For Volume #2 , it is a box shaped volume that has a flat plastic plate on one of its sides a few millimeters thick. You may attach to it in any way that you see fit.

      The RRA Control Software is described in C10. You may choose how the RRA Control Software is ran in your CDPD design and how your CDPD design communicates with it. "

      • 5 years ago
  • Mecasia
    Mecasia
    • 5 years ago

    would you please provide more details about Volume #2 . Is there any available threaded hole on it?

    • 5 years ago
    1. nasacoeci
      Contest Holder
      • 5 years ago

      There is no threaded hole, so please describe how you would connect to that volume.

      • 5 years ago
  • nasacoeci
    Contest Holder
    • 5 years ago

    We just extended the submission deadline for this contest by 10 days. Best of luck!!

    • 5 years ago
  • Karakesis
    Karakesis
    • 5 years ago

    How do we contact for questions regarding design?

    • 5 years ago
    1. nasacoeci
      Contest Holder
      • 5 years ago

      All questions should be posted on this Public Clarification Board.

      • 5 years ago
  • nasacoeci
    Contest Holder
    • 5 years ago

    Just a reminder that due to the nature of this contest and the study that it supports, all submissions are screened for completeness only prior to the end of the contest. If the submission is complete, it is rated with 3 stars. Final review of all of the complete submissions to determine the best/selected submission will only occur after the contest closes. Best of luck.

    • 5 years ago
  • abiodunjoda
    abiodunjoda
    • 5 years ago

    Having download fro description tab i need to update my contest to update it to contest files modified specification but unable to download my contest already sealed.

    • 5 years ago
    1. nasacoeci
      Contest Holder
      • 5 years ago

      That is fine. I think you can withdraw it if you would like, but you can also just upload a new submission.

      • 5 years ago
  • nasacoeci
    Contest Holder
    • 5 years ago

    UPDATE: Please note that based on some feedback from you, we discovered some errors in the attached files. Those files have been updated on the contest description tab. Please download the updates and adjust your designs per the modified information. Sorry for any inconvenience. Thank you.

    • 5 years ago

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