On March 27, 2026, the Robotics Dojo Café Seminar hosted Jabari Designers, a student-led engineering team headed by Japhet Libese Musera. The team presented their Mars Rover project, which competed in the Cars4Mars Competition 2025, where they secured 3rd place overall and won the Best Designed Rover award. The mission objective was to build a Martian Rover capable of autonomously navigating harsh terrain to predefined waypoints using only real-time sensor feedback, without relying on preloaded maps, closely simulating real Martian exploration conditions.
From a mechanical perspective, the team emphasized iterative design and simulation as critical to improving reliability. With support from Ansys, they conducted structural analyses to refine the rover’s durability and eliminate unnecessary moving parts. Collaboration with Proteq Fabricators enabled the fabrication of a robust chassis and provided valuable manufacturing insights.
Software Architecture and ROS2 Integration
During the seminar, Nathan Mwaura Waweru delivered a focused presentation on the system architecture and the web-based interface developed for the rover. He demonstrated how the dashboard integrates real-time telemetry, visualisation, and control functionalities, highlighting the importance of intuitive user interfaces in robotics systems. His presentation underscored how effective system design enhances both operational efficiency and user interaction. The rover’s software architecture is built on Robot Operating System 2, leveraging open-source tools to accelerate development. The system integrates autonomous navigation, sensor fusion, and deep learning for object detection and environmental awareness. A custom user interface dashboard was also developed to enable real-time monitoring and control of the rover.
Agricultural Robotics Application
Following the competition, the team extended their innovation into agricultural robotics by developing a seeder attachment compatible with the rover. This solution is designed to automate seed planting, offering a practical application of robotics in precision agriculture—an area of significant importance to Kenya’s economy.
Beyond technical development, Jabari Designers are actively involved in mentorship and outreach. They have engaged young learners through hands-on sessions, inspiring interest in engineering and robotics. The team has also shared their experiences through seminars and webinars across universities in Kenya and internationally.
Future Applications
The team is currently engaging with the Kenya Wildlife Service to explore the use of mobile robotic systems in tourism and wildlife protection. This initiative highlights the potential of locally developed robotics solutions in addressing real-world challenges across diverse sectors.
Article by: Lenny Ng’ang’a