About Us
CLAWS is the University of Michigan's student astronautics systems development team. We design, build, and test the systems that support human and robotic work in space: the augmented reality interfaces astronauts wear, the software infrastructure that supports them, and the hardware that makes both possible.
Our projects are student-led end to end. Members scope the problem, own the design, build it, and test it with the people who would actually use it. Our NASA SUITS application was evaluated at NASA Johnson Space Center, where our team presented directly to astronaut Anne McClain.
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
CLAWS is led by a President and an Executive Board that is composed of Vice Presidents (VPs), who oversee the organization’s strategic direction, operations, and technical initiatives. Working closely with the subteam leads, the board coordinates project planning, resource management, and collaboration across the organization to ensure mission success. Each subteam lead is responsible for mentoring members and guiding the work of their respective team.
Collaboration is central to CLAWS. While each subteam specializes in a different aspect of the project, members work together through regular meetings, worksessions, shared planning, and coordinated development to deliver solutions. This interdisciplinary approach allows students to learn from one another while contributing to ambitious projects that advance space exploration.
CLAWS is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for students of all backgrounds and disciplines. Beyond project work, members build lasting connections through social events, retreats, tailgates, friendsgiving, and other community activities. The organization also shares its work through conference presentations and outreach events, inspiring K-12 and college students to explore science, technology, engineering, and space exploration.
Collaboration is central to CLAWS. While each subteam specializes in a different aspect of the project, members work together through regular meetings, shared planning, and coordinated development to deliver integrated solutions. This interdisciplinary approach allows students to learn from one another while contributing to ambitious projects that advance space exploration.
CLAWS is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for students of all backgrounds and disciplines. Beyond project work, members build lasting connections through social events, retreats, tailgates, friendsgiving, CLAWS Olympics, and other community activities. The organization also shares its work through conference presentations and outreach events, inspiring K-12 and college students to explore science, technology, engineering, and space exploration.
CLAWS is led by a President and an Executive Board that is composed of Vice Presidents (VPs), who oversee the organization’s strategic direction, operations, and technical initiatives. Working closely with the subteam leads, the board coordinates project planning, resource management, and collaboration across the organization to ensure mission success. Each subteam lead is responsible for mentoring members and guiding the work of their respective team: Development, Hardware, UX, Research, and Business.
SUITS
As NASA launches the Artemis program for sustained human presence on the moon and ultimately, Mars, engineers are considering what technology will best aid astronauts to safely and successfully complete their missions. Today, the Mission Control Center at NASA relays all pertinent information to the crew via a voice loop. In the future, communication delays upwards of 20 minutes to the surface of Mars will require crew members to have more autonomy.
CLAWS is led by a President and an Executive Board that is composed of Vice Presidents (VPs), who oversee the organization’s strategic direction, operations, and technical initiatives. Working closely with the subteam leads, the board coordinates project planning, resource management, and collaboration across the organization to ensure mission success. Each subteam lead is responsible for mentoring members and guiding the work of their respective team: Development, Hardware, UX, Research, and Business.
As NASA launches the Artemis program for sustained human presence on the moon and ultimately, Mars, engineers are considering what technology will best aid astronauts to safely and successfully complete their missions. Today, the Mission Control Center at NASA relays all pertinent information to the crew via a voice loop. In the future, communication delays upwards of 20 minutes to the surface of Mars will require crew members to have more autonomy.
Stemming from NASA’s foundational Joint-AR project, the NASA SUITS Challenge tasks university teams with developing AR interfaces for lunar astronauts, and pressurized rovers for assisting them. The helmet display is designed to support astronauts with navigation, task management, vitals tracking, geological sample logging, and communication between mission control and another universities rover.
At the end of each year, 10 university teams are selected as finalists from their written proposals. NASA scientists, engineers, designers, and astronauts evaluate the student-built projects, providing feedback. Past presenters have included teams from Stanford, Duke, USC, UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, UT-Austin, Northeastern University, Purdue University, Columbia University, Boise State University, and many more.
Stemming from NASA’s foundational Joint-AR project, the NASA SUITS Challenge tasks university teams with developing AR interfaces for lunar astronauts, and pressurized rovers for assisting them. The helmet display is designed to support astronauts with navigation, task management, vitals tracking, geological sample logging, and communication between mission control and another universities rover.
At the end of each year, 10 university teams are selected as finalists from their written proposals. NASA scientists, engineers, designers, and astronauts evaluate the student-built projects, providing feedback. Past presenters have included teams from Stanford, Duke, USC, UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, UT-Austin, Northeastern University, Purdue University, Columbia University, Boise State University, and many more.
SUBTEAMS
PROJECTS
SUBTEAMS
PROJECTS
Collaboration is central to CLAWS. While each subteam specializes in a different aspect of the project, members work together through regular meetings, shared planning, and coordinated development to deliver integrated solutions. This interdisciplinary approach allows students to learn from one another while contributing to ambitious projects that advance space exploration.
Software
Develop AR and Mission Control Systems
Hardware
Develop Robotic and Electrical Components
UX Design
Design User Interfaces and Interaction Systems
Research
Investigate Mission Concepts
and Emerging Technologies
Business
Manage Team Operations, Events, and Outreach
CLAWS is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for students of all backgrounds and disciplines. Beyond project work, members build lasting connections through social events, retreats, tailgates, friendsgiving, CLAWS Olympics, and other community activities. The organization also shares its work through conference presentations and outreach events, inspiring K-12 and college students to explore science, technology, engineering, and space exploration.
CLAWS is led by a President and an Executive Board that is composed of Vice Presidents (VPs), who oversee the organization’s strategic direction, operations, and technical initiatives. Working closely with the subteam leads, the board coordinates project planning, resource management, and collaboration across the organization to ensure mission success. Each subteam lead is responsible for mentoring members and guiding the work of their respective team: Development, Hardware, UX, Research, and Business.
Collaboration is central to CLAWS. While each subteam specializes in a different aspect of the project, members work together through regular meetings, shared planning, and coordinated development to deliver integrated solutions. This interdisciplinary approach allows students to learn from one another while contributing to ambitious projects that advance space exploration.
CLAWS is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for students of all backgrounds and disciplines. Beyond project work, members build lasting connections through social events, retreats, tailgates, friendsgiving, CLAWS Olympics, and other community activities. The organization also shares its work through conference presentations and outreach events, inspiring K-12 and college students to explore science, technology, engineering, and space exploration.
SUBTEAMS
PROJECTS
About Us
About Us
CLAWS is an interdisciplinary organization at the University of Michigan dedicated to advancing human and robotic space exploration through ambitious, student-driven engineering and research projects. Our 5 core teams—Development, Hardware, UX, Research, and Business—collaborate to design and deliver engineering and technical projects that advance human and robotic exploration in space. The Development Team works on software applications and technical solutions that power our projects and support research initiatives. The Hardware Team designs, prototypes, and tests physical systems that integrate with software to create human-centered technologies. The UX team conducts user research and designs intuitive XR experiences with a focus on human factors, usability, and astronaut performance. The Research Team conducts scientific research, user studies, and data analysis to evaluate technologies and contribute new knowledge in the field. The Business Team supports organizational growth, partnerships, project management, grants, outreach, technical documentation, and operational planning.