Project Milestones
- Introduction
- Milestone 1 - Frontend app
- Milestone 2 - Communication to SMCE
- Milestone 3 - Telemetry feedback and camera stream
- Milestone 4 - Mission control
- Milestone 5 - Terrain and car model modding
- Milestone 6 - Documentation and release delivery
- Milestone 7 - Good project management practices
- Milestone 8 - User management and data persistence
- Component Diagram
Features define a project. It gives a defined objective. A set of key characteristics. It offers uniqueness. Uniqueness that differentiates each and every product in the ever demanding marketplace. Consequently our vision for the project was to create something unique. Something that would differ our product from every other and most importantly offer tremendous value to the end user. A vision that permeated our entire project life cycle from design to implementation. From seed to fruition.
The basis for the whole project was the frontend application. The idea in milestone 1 was to convey branding and optimise navigation in addition to retaining visitors with a unique interface. The interface was comprised of a structured, clean, well-planned site layout and on top of that impressive graphics.
In milestone 2 we focused our efforts on connecting and establishing a communication gateway through MQTT connection in order to keep bandwidth requirement to minimum, reducing update rates to mere seconds while also maximising bandwidth and establishing remote sensing and control. This so that the user can get continuous and relevant updates in real time from the SmartRovers activities to increase the sense of control in an unpredictable environment like Mars.
Milestone 3 was comprised of integrating a telemetry feedback into the mix. Why? Well, having data displayed for mere seconds then disappearing into the universe without a single leaving a single trace behind is not beneficial to say the least. Here a feedback would come in handy by storing data from the emulator in a sophisticated and multifunctional database system. This will grant users with a fast, reliable and highly accurate access to information that has been transmitted without any spillage along the way. Ensuring and facilitating reliable transmission so that the user is up to date with what is happening and has total control over the SmartRover and the environment. A necessity on planet Mars!
All execution starts at the frontend. So Milestone 4 was crucial in making it possible to assign the SmartRover with mission tasks. Also to construct specialized mission tasks for remote completion. Meaning autonomous. Not only that but also to create and facilitate a gateway where the user is informed of updates regarding related mission tasks. And to top of it all, with the cherry on top we implemented Livestream function which gives users the ability to activate the SmartRover's own unique camera lens. Viewing the Martian terrain from the SmartRover's camera lens. This will grant you the visual feedback you need to navigate on this shimmering planet called Mars.
A martian based project would not be complete without a customised martian terrain and a 3D model vehicle. A thought hard to entertain. So we canalised our efforts in milestone 5 into customising and fine tuning an environment that resembles the environment of planet Mars. Yes, the real one! We derived exclusive images and footages from NASA. Creating an environment unlike no other!
No product is perfect. If so then I would gladly take notes. To solve this we deployed a help menu in Milestone 6 along with other useful things. Those things are code samples delivered as install packages for various operating systems. Also source code repository was made available. Not only that but also documentation that cover installation and deployment instructions for each operating systems. And best of all, the help menu is extensive. Covering a wide range of topics from any type of frontend usage to mission instructions. We've got you covered!
Vital feature of the project was Milestone 7 - Good project management which we specifically made into must-deliver feature of this project, so that this milestone would provide quality and value throughout all other milestones. By abstracting many project management tasks as GitHub issues, this feature served as a single source of project related communication and tasks, so that team members are always aware of their assigned responsibilities and delivery timeframe.
Another important feature was in Milestone 8 where a Database Management System was implemented for storing and retrieving the users data while having security measures intact. So that the whole process of transmitting, adding, updating and sending data is handled in a secure manner. Important when executing important missions that could safe humanity!
