Year in Robotics: Portfolio & Reflection

1. Portfolio Highlights

Sentry Bot

Description:
Our first challenge was to build a sentry robot capable of patrolling or guarding a zone. We used two motors for movement and a gear system to balance torque and speed.

What I Learned:

• Gear ratio control
  
  
  

• Stability and weight distribution
  
  
  

• Basic motor control with a remote
  
  
  

• Photos & Video:

•  Robot Frisbee

• Description:
  In this project, we designed a robot capable of launching a frisbee using a motor-driven mechanism. The goal was to fine-tune power and accuracy.

• What I Learned:

• Precision motor control
  
  
  

• Projectile motion & launch angle mechanics
  
  
  

• Coding for repeated actions
  
  
  

• Photos & Video:

•  Robot Olympics

• Description:
  This was the final and biggest challenge: building a robot that could complete at least 3 of 6 Olympic-style robotic events. We competed in Grab and Move (autonomous), The Accurate (ball throw), and the Obstacle Course (autonomous).

• Events & Results:

• Grab and Move: 2nd Place (Autonomous)
  
  
  

• The Accurate: 1st Place
  
  
  

• Obstacle Course: Completed with minor delay (Autonomous – 1 point)
  
  
  

Photos & Videos:
 

Reflection:

This year, I learned so much — from coding logic in VEXcode to physically building mechanisms that actually work. I learned how to:

• Work with gear ratios and weight distribution

• Collaborate and divide tasks effectively

• Coding

• Most Important Problem Solved:
  Designing a grabber arm that could lift and move the mobile goal without tipping the robot over involved trial and error and learning how to shift the robot’s centre of gravity. And that did not work at first, that's why we changed how it grabbed at first, and we scrapped the idea of grabbing the arm

• What I Know Now (That I Wish I Knew Before):

• How to better plan by drawing first (Korn drew it out first)

• That testing and failing are part of the process

• Couldve copied pluem's robot for the whole challenge

3. Skills Showcase

Here are my top skills developed this year:

•  Autonomous Programming 

•  Controller Configuration and Driver Controls

•  Team Coordination Under Time Pressure

•  fixing Code

•  Planning the robot out with drawing

4. Future Goals

Do I want to continue robotics?
Yes, I’m interested in joining robotics again next year, but I have full IB, so possibly not, and possibly even in university. I’ve discovered how creative and challenging robotics can be.

One Skill I Still Want to Learn:
better autonomous without drive control + coding better

How I Plan to Improve Next Year:

Be more organised with planning and documentation

Focus more on stability and testing early

• Get better at writing efficient and flexible code for different events