11/30 - Fundamental Folly

     We're nearly done. This week we made our disc mechanism, tweaked our ball picking up mechanism, and finally, today actually, started practicing a bit while tweaking as we go. We're actually learning now instead of being perpetually frustrated at our failure. Engineering is starting to become fun again, largely due to our sideways shooter working and us actually working on the robot. Hopefully we can finish up the midterm, collect or A's, and return to permanently doing well in and enjoying engineering for all it's worth.

Until Tuesday,
Diego.

11/26 - Annoying Alliteration

     We're still attempting to innovate with the sideways shooter, but life is hard. We need fundamentally need a grade, yet we're trying to make something new. Again, the easiest thing in the world is to copy a senior design, and we should, but we'd like to shock the world with a new design. It's hard for us too, with fewer resources and less hoarding than other groups. Hopefully we'll be done by the end of the week and ready to start trying this new midterm challenge. It shouldn't be too bad as long as we can get consistent in every aspect we need.

Until Friday,
Diego.

11/19 - Slingin' It Sideways

     Brandon, Hunter, and I are working on completing the sideways shooter. It'll likely be done by next class, but we still have to do the claw mechanism to pick up discs. Samuel is chilling with another group, but we've decided over the last week that the cost of making him come back is not worth what he contributes to the robot, so we'll operate as a three person team while he's gone. The sideways shooter is like any other engineering project: it seems dumb unless it works. Our problem is we're discouraged to make new, innovative designs because our grade is dependent on our physical progress. We may have the best fundamental understanding of the robot and how every mechanism works, but we're punished via grades for not copying a senior design. Honestly, I would prefer to copy a senior design, as it's more likely the sideways shooter is another waste of time than a crazy success. Hopefully we can beat the odds.

Until Monday,
Diego.

11/15 - Sideways Shooter

     Today we've sorta accomplished our goals. The new plan of adding a sideways shooter is going well, the problem is how the structure of our progress works. We have to do challenges to get grades, which gives us the incentive to copy the best design in the class simply to finish. It hurts our creativity, because we're discouraged to make new things and very encouraged to copy the most effective senior design.
     The overarching idea is we're taking the same risk now that we took first quarter: We're making something new with the very large, looming risk of it failing and our grades tanking again. We;re hoping for the best, as it's looking pretty good today. The idea is that the arm picks up balls and slides them down to the sideways shooter while also having a folding extension that can pick up discs, able to flip them simply by rotating them over the back of the arm. Overall, we're progressing and hoping to reduce the risk of bad grades with a successful design.

Until Monday,
Diego.

11/13 - A Chilling Challenge

     Today we're adding an arm to the end of our shooter, as we learned the challenge isn't only shooting a ball, but picking up the disc at the same time. We're now figuring out the best way to manage that, and hope to have the majority of the work done by the end of next class.

Until Thursday,
Diego.

11/8 - Attempted Action

     Today we're hoping to complete the challenge by the end of class. Our shooter sends the ball with more velocity and force than any other shooter in the class, and we're incredibly accurate with it. The problem is we can't figure out the best way to pick the balls up. The rubber gear method requires an entire motor, which occupies a motor slot on the robot out of the total of twelve and on the cortex, and adds extra weight the the arm, which is already having issues staying stationary when near parallel to the ground. We'll figure it out, and I'll get back to you.

Until Monday,
Diego.

11/5 - Tasty Testing

     Today we're testing our new shooter in hopes of doing the challenge when Mr. Martin gets back. We have a good idea on the time it should take to be ready, we're guessing towards the beginning of next class.

Until Thursday,
Diego.

11/1 - Super Shooter

     We just finished the powerful, compact shooter. Now we're attaching it, afterwards we're going to practice the challenge, and then we'll do it.

Until Monday,
Diego.

10/30 - Fracturing & Failing

     We took our shooter apart, as it wasn't shooting far enough. We're remaking the shooter now, but with significant upgrades (the two motor, compact design that's flying around). We'll likely be doing that this class and next.

Until Thursday,
Diego.