Support of autonomous research in Antarctica

Support of autonomous research in Antarctica

Tyro Remotes is a manufacturer of high quality industrial remote controls and makes the world a little more sustainable. Not only do we consider this theme in the development of our products, we also support various projects in this area.

One example is Team Polar. An ambitious student team from Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). Their goal is to make dangerous expeditions to Antarctica more sustainable, safer and affordable. To this end, they are developing a special vehicle that will be equipped with our unique wireless emergency stop; the Indus 1S/Gemini.

Challenging conditions

At the moment, conducting climate research in Antarctica is especially adventurous and costly. The cost of fuel supply is enormous. In addition, the cold climate and the rugged terrain of Antarctica limit the radius of action within the research area enormously.

Pushing the boundaries autonomously

In order to push the current limits, Team Polar is developing an autonomous vehicle that runs on solar energy. This will make the expedition safer and more sustainable. Because the vehicle must be able to drive without a physical driver and runs on solar energy, the action radius is theoretically infinite! Because of this, boundaries can be shifted. What was not physically possible before, is made possible by this special vehicle!

Proof of concept

To realise this, a prototype is being built with the help of various partners such as Tyro. This vehicle is based on an ATV (Quad), to demonstrate the possibilities of autonomous steering and solar energy. When this concept is successful, a winter and snow test will be carried out in Norway, after which the final version will be built for Antarctica.

Wireless emergency stop

To safely test the self-propelled capabilities, the vehicle will be equipped with a Tyro Remotes wireless emergency braking system, consisting of an Indus 1S transmitter and Gemini receiver.

With this smart safety solution with extremely fast reaction time, the emergency stop button is always ready, and precious seconds can be saved. This is necessary to guarantee the safety of the team and to prevent damage to the vehicle.

Want to know more about Team Polar or our wireless emergency stop?

www.teampolar.org / www.wireless-emergency-stop.com

Indus/Gemini 1S set