Teaching Peter (Promet engineer) how to drive the robot while Jackie answers questions

We met with Peter Kadoulka and the engineers at Promet Optics to show them our robot and how much we’ve grown since our previous demo in 2019. The demo started with us giving an overview of the FTC program as well as what we do as a robotics team. We then showed the engineers this year’s game and what our robot can do. The engineers took turns driving our robot and we answered questions about the program such as how their kids can get involved, and many others. They took turns talking about their college experience and what they do at the company. Overall we had a lot of fun being able to see the company again and we look forward to seeing them at the State Championship.

Showing Dr. Julie our shell prototype 

We met with Dr. Juile Hui to show her our robot CAD. We walked her through this year’s season and the objectives our robot was built around. She liked what we had so far and gave us tips to enhance the design like stripes. It was suggested that we look to automobiles for design inspiration. It was interesting to learn about Julie’s career path, her studies, and how she’s an assistant professor at the University of Michigan. With the help of Julie, we learned about different places to get design inspiration from as well as design tips.

Seeing the history of the pacemaker (left) and learning about the pugh matrix (right)

Our team met with Boston Scientific engineers and learned about the medical devices they manufacture as well as the processes they use when creating new technology. We had a Q&A session with the engineers asking them questions about their careers, what they studied in college, and the ways they tackle challenges in their jobs. It was really interesting to learn that some of the elements we are learning in FTC can be found in the real world. They also gave us important strategy advice like using integration events, where we put everything together to see how it works. While talking with the experts they introduced us to the concept of a pugh matrix. This is a way to evaluate systems and rate them to see the best options. We also learned about the role of a Systems Engineer and their importance in managing the timeline of different systems before becoming the final product. Later on, Mr. Taher, an electrical engineer, gave us a tour of their huge facility. He showed us how the pacemaker was developed over the decades and how each iteration surpassed the previous. Overall, we learned a lot about the medical technologies field and how their engineering teams work. We look forward to incorporating methodologies like the integration events, the Pugh Matrix, and Systems Engineer role into our team’s season.

Two of our members participated in a prosthetics workshop hosted by the company Form5 from Ohio. Our members were there to learn about the creation process of prosthetics. We got the chance to share what FIRST is and educate the volunteers on what we do as a robotics team. This workshop was spread across 3 days. On the first day, we learned about different limb injuries, the many kinds of prosthetics, and the history of prosthetics. The next 2 days were spent designing and prototyping a custom limb. Throughout the workshop we learned the process of creating a prosthetic limb for a client, rigging the movement of prosthetic parts, and advanced CAD techniques. It was really fun being able to work with other students from the FIRST community and we plan to reach out to Form5 to learn more about Fusion 360.