May 25, 2024
New Season New Robot
Embarking on a New Season: A New Base Robot Design
Today marked the exciting beginning of our new base robot project. We kicked things off by gathering as a team to align our goals and reflect on valuable lessons from the past season.
Key Highlights of Session:
Inspirational Viewing: We started by watching a video of the VEX Championships, focusing on Ryan Dong's impressive experience and advices. This set a motivating tone for our session and gave us some creative ideas to consider for our design.
Sketching the Future: Next, we delved into the potential of our robot by reviewing sketches of new attachments. These preliminary designs are crucial as they guide the initial phase of our construction process. Team members were very engaging to discuss each other's ideas.
Brainstorming the Base Robot: Our brainstorming session for the base robot design was particularly focused. Everyone brought unique perspectives, combining practical insights from previous builds with innovative new approaches.
Practical Testing: We wrapped up our day with an extended hands-on experience by testing of the base robot. This phase is always thrilling as we begin to see our ideas take physical form, and it provides immediate feedback on our design choices.
This session was just the beginning, but the enthusiasm and creativity on display promise an inspiring season ahead. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to refine our robot and gear up for the challenges that lie ahead!
VEX Inspiration
Our team watched an inspiring video produced by Reina's brother, Ryan Dong. Ryan's team advanced to the world championship in the VEX competition. In the video, he emphasized the significance of introducing coding and engineering to elementary school students, highlighting how crucial these skills are from an early age. This message resonated deeply with us, sparking discussions about incorporating more coding challenges into our projects. It also strengthened our commitment to fostering a love for engineering among younger students in our community, inspiring us to plan outreach activities that could introduce these concepts to local schools.
It all started with a sketch
During our session, the creative quartet—Brandon, Daniel, Reina, and Larry—presented their crafted sketches for the new attachments. Each sketch was unique, showcasing innovative solutions tailored to enhance our robot's functionality. Ideas and questions filled the room as they revealed each design, turning the presentation into a meaningful exchange of ideas that sparked everyone’s imagination.
It's a serious business
The team engaged in a highly focused discussion on redesigning the base robot, which yielded several insightful ideas. Key considerations emerged, such as optimizing the robot's center of gravity, strategically positioning the motor, and ensuring the size and weight are ideally suited for the missions. These discussions were pivotal in shaping our approach to creating a more efficient and effective robot.
Let's test it out
During the hands-on portion of the meeting, the team eagerly dove into testing the base robot, exploring how different codes and attachments could enhance its performance. This practical experimentation helped us identify promising modifications to improve functionality. The session turned into an extended hands-on experience, as everyone was so engaged and focused that nobody wanted to leave.
Summer is officially here! The team is spreading out across the globe, embarking on thrilling adventures to discover the most fun and refreshing water activities! Whether it’s diving, kayaking, or just splashing around, we’re ready to dive into all the aquatic excitement this season has to offer.