Coyote Bots - V Pet

Hi, we are the CVCS Coyote Bots and we'd love to share our 2018/2019 FLL solution to the problem of long duration space travel. We made a fun video about our solution to two problems: a V PET!

Fit and Fun with V-Pet

V-Pet is a virtual reality game to help astronauts combat loneliness and to stay fit in space.

Design your own pet

• Fictional or realistic, big or small, even replicate your pet back home

Choose your environment

• Park, beach, mountains, your own home!

Connect with Friends and Family

• Play in real-time with friends and family, walking and playing together with your pets
• Have the pet deliver messages during long missions when the signals would be delayed

Exercise your pet

• Stay fit by walking your pet in the virtual environment (using an omnidirectional treadmill)
• Make interactions with your pet feel realistic with haptic feedback suits and gloves
• Monitor the astronaut’s health while they are playing the game using the haptic suit

Is it Possible?

• NASA is already exploring using VR in space
• We got feedback from a VR researcher, a former NASA astronaut, and a current astrobiologist at NASA that combining VR with exercise sounded like an interesting idea, and they didn’t know of any systems currently in use.
• ⦁ VR equipment is improving quickly and a suit, treadmill, gloves and goggles cost less than $3,000
• ⦁ VR exercise games are starting to be developed

Sources

• Omnidirectional Treadmills: www.katvr.com  www.infinadeck.com www.virtuix.com
• Suits and Gloves:    www.teslasuit.com  www.vrgluv.com  www.haptx.com
• Mental Health:    www.funteambuildingactivities.com   www.parorobots.com
• General Research: www.mars-one.com www.nasa.gov www.youtube.com (AR Dragon, SmarterEveryDay)
• New Mexico Museum of Space History   Space Center Houston
• Interpersonal   Dr. Penelope Boston, NASA Ames
• Communication Jay Buckey, Dartmouth VR researcher, former NASA astronaut