Developed in collaboration with NASA JPL, this project explores a low-computation method for classifying Martian terrain. The sensorised wheel uses spring-loaded blades and Hall effect sensors to distinguish between sinking and stable surfaces, inspired by the intuitive simplicity of a walking cane.

I designed, prototyped, and tested the system on simulated Martian soils, iterating through nearly 15 wheel concepts. These ranged from designs leveraging magnetism and hydraulic forces to methods detecting terrain vibrations. Through this process, I learned that intelligent design often prioritises simplicity over complexity.