Reflections

Branden Fitzke

Due to lack of prior experience in robotics, each step of the project was a learning experience for me. My primary role on the team was computer vision and that can be split up into two separate steps: observing visual data from the outside environment and understanding that environment to enable the robot to perform some action based on that information. Each step took time and testing to adjust parameters to fulfill the systems needs. My main takeaway from computer vision is that understanding the environment results in understanding the many different variables that can effect the outcome of a decision and taking all those variables into account. This proved to be difficult and required a lot of testing. Even though this aspect of the project did not end up working as intended, it was a learning experience that I intend to build off of in the future.

This project and working with my teammates has allowed me to gain knowledge in each aspect of building a robot and experience working within a multi-disciplinary team to achieve this common goal.

Taylor Apgar

• Always use C++ over python for embedded projects.
• Sometimes it is okay to fix software with hardware.
• Don't plug a noisy voltage supply into the RPI GPIO pins.
• HS225bb Hitec servos are terrible, never use them.

Anthony Le

• Logged over 200 hours of 3D printing...I could've prototyped more efficiently and printed less.
• Even if you don't have any experience in doing something, you can learn how to do that something quickly with enough time and effort (refer to next bullet).
• Learned how to CAD in Autodesk Fusion 360 efficiently (without any prior experience in CAD)
• Learned a little about microcontrollers and how to properly integrate your components
• Learned how to derive DH parameters and robot modeling kinematics
• Takeaways: acquired a new interest in controls and would like to incorporate controls into my research with functional electrical stimulation, never underestimate any part of building a robot even if that part of the robot seems simple to put together, learn by doing is my type of learning strategy, HS225bb Hitec servos are terrible (reinforcing Taylor's last point above)