Luna Joanne
"This is my robot, Luna Joanne, and it converts the moon’s soil, regolith, into oxygen that humans can breathe. Luna Joanne is using the moon’s resources to help humans. It helps because if our species eventually lives on the moon, we can’t have resources from Earth forever. Finding ways to use the moon’s resources will be very beneficial.
This machine works because it uses a form of electrolysis to convert the regolith into oxygen. The regolith contains oxygen, but the oxygen is bound to other elements. Inside of the titanium box, the shovel scoops regolith into a basin of molten calcium chloride, which is a conducting liquid. The anode and cathode send an electric charge through the liquid, which separates the oxygen from the other parts of the regolith. The anode collects the oxygen and sends it through a pipe into an oxygen tank that can connect to spacesuits of humans.
The sensors, a heat sensor and proximity sensor, help make decisions because the proximity sensor is on the shovel and helps to know where the regolith is and if it can be collected. The heat sensor helps make sure the molten calcium chloride is heated enough for the electrolysis to work."