University Rover Challenge is a yearly event that takes place across a variety of locations, where a group of primarily college students can put their skills to the test designing and controlling rovers to beat a set of difficult challenges/obstacles.
I personally went to URC 2024 for the Utah section of the challenge, where these rovers had to beat these challenges in what is considered to be one of the most hostile environments for robots to work in - The Great Salt Lake Desert.
This location was chosen for its similarity to Mars, but this also included a set of extra challenges that teams had to prepare for, namely extreme heat, dust, and bright sunlight.
But beyond all that, URC provided an opportunity for people with a passion for robotics and computer science to put themselves to the test, and have a great deal of fun in the process!
While I was not a contestant this year(if only my university could form a team…), I had a great deal of fun seeing all the really cool rovers and bright minds working on them. This kind of thing has always been my passion, and this was easily one of the highlights of my Summer!
Me(left) and the rest of the URC volunteer staff!