Sunday, September 9, 2012

Group 7: Engineering Notebook

Group 7: Engineering Notebook
  • Progress
  • Problem
  • Plan

43 comments:

  1. Progress:We have found numerous links and websites pertaining to Social Robots. We also created a google doc to share new information and start our power point.
    Problem:None so far.
    Plan:Tonight we will gather our information and chose the most important points to add to our concept map.

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  2. Progress: We began to create the Bubbl account and started working on our concept map. We also researched more facts about social robots and are adding stuff to our Google doc.

    Problem: Luckily we have no problems yet!

    Plan: WE plan to use our Google doc to finish our concept map and gather our survey information together. We also plan to become more educated on social robots!

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    Replies
    1. 1) It's a great idea to use Google Doc to do the literature survey. It facilitates the writing and communication at the same time.

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  3. Progress:We have added multiple bubbles to our concept map.
    Problems:None :)
    Plan: Many of the bubbles we added connect to our presentation requirements, this will enable us to start the presentation. We have divided the slide among each other as well.

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    Replies
    1. Link the presentation and concept map together is a great strategy. It means that you need to extract all the important info from various literature and put them into the proper category. It is a rewarding learning experience.

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  4. Progress: We have completed our concept map.
    Problems: We had to reorganize our concept map because it wasn't clear.
    Plan: To organize our literary survey and to transfer our information into our presentation.

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    Replies
    1. It will take some practice to perfect the skills of concept map. However, once you master it, it can become a powerful tool to organize your information/knowledge clearly, and make your learning process efficiently.

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  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  6. (For September 20, 2012)

    Progress: We presented the topic of Social Robots to the class and learned about other types of robots (i.e. Autonomous Robots) as well.
    Problems: We weren't completely prepared to present our project to the class-- we didn't know which member presented each slide and when.
    Plan: We plan to practice presenting projects to the class in a more organized and prepared way.

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  7. (For September 21, 2012)

    Progress: We took notes on and learned more about Biologically Inspired and Surgical Robots.
    Problems: Because the time was limited, the presentations were fast-paced and it was a bit difficult to write down important facts.
    Plan: To use the good presentations as models for how we present next time.

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  8. (For September 24, 2012)

    Progress: The class finished up with presentations and we began to watch a video about the Great Race.
    Problems: Yay, no problems today!
    Plan: To continue watching the video tomorrow.

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  9. (For September 25, 2012)

    Progress: We finished watching the video and learned that the Blue Team's robot, Stanley, won the race! Also, we learned about how this race was conducive for safer technological use in war.

    Problems: Luckily, we had no problems.

    Plan: We plan to choose the robot we'll be building over the next several days. We have begun to study each option's handbook and use our strengths to decide which robot is the best fit for the group.

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  10. Progress: We chose to build the Tumbler robot. This robot seems simple and easiest for beginners to use and will hopefully lead us to building more complex robots in the future. The Tumbler has a compact shape and looks fun to make. We also shopped for our parts for the robot.

    Problems: We had a little confusion with shopping for the parts.

    Plan: We plan to consistently build the Tumbler robot and make sure we've created a robot that works perfectly by October 2. We will work hard in class and if we have to we will stay late after school.

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  11. (For September 28,2012)

    Progress:We continued to make the Tumbler robot and decided to split up the work, and connect the different assembled parts at the end. This is primarily to save time.

    Problems:We were missing a few parts which made it difficult to continue building our robot. We also noticed that we forgot to add a part, which made us have to go back and fix the mistake.

    Plan:To carefully examine the directions to avoid making the same problem.

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    Replies
    1. Great! Learning from mistakes is a way to success.

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  12. Progress: We are almost done building our Tumbler robot, Toby! Today, we attached the wheels to the frame and finished the whole build of the robot, and it's almost ready for rolling.

    Problems: At first, we couldn't find a few parts so there was a delay in us building the robot, but we thankfully found the pieces. Now, we cannot figure out where to put the wires so each wheel will correctly respond to the remote control. For some reason, only one motor is working at a time. We assumed that the battery was dead so we plugged it in.

    Plan: We will see if charging the battery worked for the wheels. If not, we will try different combinations of wiring of the motors and hopefully all wheels will work. We plan on rolling around Toby tomorrow!

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    Replies
    1. Great progress! I'd like to see your robot in class.

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  13. (for September 2nd)
    Progress: We have completed our robot! We worked really hard in trying to complete it and although there were some parts missing and we used the wrong battery, we were still able to complete it and be satisfied with the results.

    Problems: At first we were using the wrong battery for our robot and when we first turned on our robot we couldn't control it, but after asking for help we were able to get the correct battery and other needed parts to complete our robot.

    Plan: We plan on coming back and making sure we can control our robot and that there are no complicated problems and that our robot is complete and successful.

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  14. (For October 3rd)
    Progress: We are done and satisfied with our robot. We didn't have class today so we went after school to test out our robot and to see if there were any problems or issues with our robot. We also wanted to see if we can control our robot and so far everything has been successful.

    Problems: There were some screws that were very loose and coming off but we were able to take our time and fix any small adjustments and made sure that we treat our robot with care.

    Plan: To have our robot fully charged and working and to show off our hard work to the class and not have our robot come apart while also being happy with our robot.

    **The note above is for October 2nd not September 2nd**

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  15. (For October 4th)

    Progress: We presented Toby our Tumblerbot to the class. We displayed his ability to move forward and backward, as well turn in both directions. The night before Thursday we brainstormed five things we gained from the lab/project and presented those after the execution. Also, we watched other groups present their robots to the class and learned about the experiences they gained while building their bots.

    Problems: Luckily, our execution of Toby's abilities ran smoothly.

    Plan: We plan to learn about the different types of locomotion a robot can have and eventually choose one to base our robot's qualities on.

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  16. (For October 5th)

    Progress: We learned more about the different types of locomotion which included sites with facts and videos providing examples. Some of the locomotion robots we took interest in were hopping robots, flying robots, and swimming robots.

    Problems: We tried to accept the fact that we had to take apart Toby ):

    Plan: We plan to choose the robot we'll be building over the next few weeks. We hope we learned a lot from our first build and that we can challenge ourselves to build beyond our limitations.

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    Replies
    1. Once you decide, can you post the topic and rationals of your choice here?

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  17. Make sure your group doing the blog everyday such that I can follow your progress.

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  18. Progress: We got our robot (locomotion = walking) to move a little bit more stable. We also obtained the necessary materials to put on the robot's feet. Today, we worked on tightening up our robot and we also figured out a way to fix our problems.

    Problems: Our robot can't really walk, but it can dance. We need to figure out a way to make it walk, with the front legs moving first and then the back legs. Also, our gears move one way and our screws move the opposite way so the screws loosen after a few seconds and the leg falls off. We also need to work on figuring out which direction on the remote control controls which movement of the robot.

    Plan: Tomorrow, we plan on paying close attention to the robot and figuring out which way it moves. Also, we are replacing the threaded beams with shafts so that can spin and in turn will not move the screw. We will also put a space there so the collar will be able to fit. We also plan on touching up our report and finishing the robot tomorrow.

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  19. For October 22:

    Progress: We presented our robot on the 19th and put together the report on the Google doc. We learned about the other groups robots as well, and found many aspect that we want to add to our grabber robot.

    Problems: During presentation, we had problems controlling the robot, but overall we are happy with its performance, and effort.

    Plan: We have opened a Google doc for our next project, and have begun brainstorming ideas, and researching about robotics claws.

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  20. For October 23:

    Progress: We have taken apart our walking robot, and said good bye to Humphrey Grey Walker the walking robot :(. We have also deiced on the number of claws, the way we want our claw to move/ rotate and the type of wheels we want.

    Problems: In making our decision we are still deliberating how possible our idea is with the materials given.

    Plan: By Tomorrow we want to have a list of materials that we will need. We want to have our robot constructed by Friday. Monday will be a day devoted to control, making adjustments/ improvements and practicing.

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  21. For October 25:

    Progress: We have selected all the necessary parts, and We have begun to build our robot!

    Problems: We had some problems when we were discussing how we were going construct the claw and its arm. We had trouble figuring out how to make the claw rotate 360 degrees.

    Plan: We have decided to use gears to fix our problem and we have decided to meet tomorrow after school, before Parent Teacher Conferences to finish our robot, so that on Monday all we will have to do is figure out the controls.

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  22. For October 26:

    Progress: We have finished most of the base and contemplated ideas on alternating the structure so that the bot fits our expectations. We started to work on the arm.

    Problems: There weren't many threatening problems, but we had to make sure we followed some instructions correctly and placed the motors in their exact locations. Other than that we did fine.

    Plan: After we build what our given manual provided us, we'll formulate ideas on how to add arms and have the claw rotate without coinciding with the robot's center of gravity. All fingers crossed!



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  23. (For November 5)

    Progress: We got a lot done on our robot. The arm is almost completed and we are figuring out how to attach the claw so it can spin 360º. The structure of the robot and how it's able to move is down pat.

    Problems: We didn't know which motors went where, or where they would be best balanced. Also, we spent a lot of time figuring out how to attach the claw, and we're still not sure how to attach it so it can work the way we planned.

    Plan: Tomorrow, we are going to work on attaching the claw and tightening all the collars. We are making a specific plan on how to attach the claw to the arm so it spins all the way around, allowing it to pick up cans lying down or standing up.

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  24. (For November 6)

    Progress: Today was a somewhat successful day. The arm is fully completed and we figured out how to control it with the remote. Everything is screwed in and is in place.

    Problems: Many frustrating problems faced us today. Collars and screws were loose so they kept on falling out. Wires were tangled. And we still don't know how to place the claw--that's the most challenging part!

    Plan: We continue to plan on working meticulously and figure out how to attach the claw so that it is able to spin 360º.

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  25. (For November 8)

    Progress: Yesterday, we figured out how to attach the claw so it can rotate! Instead of trying to stuff the claw with cotton balls so the shaft could tightly fit into the robot (like we tried doing before), we straightened the flat aluminum strips and the shaft did not have any wiggle room, and the claw could finally balance on the arm. We also added weights to balance out the robot.

    Problems: The robot is very heavy and long and can tip over if we extend the arm too much. The wires also keep on wrapping around the arm when the claw spins, therefore unplugging the wires from the motors and causing a sudden stop in the robot.

    Plan: We plan to tape down the wires, add more weights to the side of the robot that does not have a claw, and learn how to better control it.

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  26. (For November 9)

    Progress: Today, we just worked on tightening all loose screws and worked on making it more efficient by replacing loose gears and motor shafts. We also made sure that all the motors were plugged into their correct ports.

    Problems: We didn't face many problems today. Our only concern is that we need to control the robot better: when we attempt to spin the claw, the claw does spin correctly, but it does very quickly and strangely moves the entire arm up and down. We cannot move the arm and rotate the claw separately.

    Plan: To figure out how to move the arm so the claw doesn't spin, and vice versa.

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  27. (For November 12)

    Progress: We learned how to control the robot fairly smoothly and picked up a couple of cans! Kate switched which ports the motors were plugged into, and it fixed the problem of the claw moving at the same time as the arm.

    Problems: There were no concerning problems today.

    Plan: To figure out how to better control the robot and to have everything tightened so pieces won't fall out.

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  28. (For November 19)

    Progress: We adjusted the parts so that they were more secured, specifically the shafts in the ports. Also, we finally did the claw test and got three cans in the box!

    Problems: We learned that the claw was heavily covered in soda- its gears were sticky which prevented easy movement.

    Plan: To come up with ideas for the next robot project.

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  29. (For November 20)

    Progress: Referring to the mistakes we made with our clawbot, we decided to come up with ways to maintain our future robot's center of gravity, motor stability, and proper functioning.

    Problems: Chloe was absent so it was really sad.

    Plan: To have a balance between an intricate robot and a well-functioning one. If our design is too complicated, more problems will be harder to resolve like our clawbot.

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    Replies
    1. You have a great group! You have learned lessons from the previous projects, and that's is engineering.

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  30. (For November 27)
    Progress: After discussing pros and cons of multiple ideas, We have finally decided on a unique but simple way to complete the tennis ball task.In class today we looked at materials that we could use, and decided the aluminum parts would be the best way to balance the robot so that it does not tip over, like our claw robot did.

    Problems: None so far.

    Plan: We need to adjust our building schedule so that we have enough time before the due date to work on control, so that we do not rush, since control is one of the most important aspects of the robot. Time management is everything!

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  31. For November 29th:

    Progress: After carefully planning, we were able to build the base and the arm of the robot.
    Problems: We are having some issues with the gears for the arm. We also are insecure about how we should attach the basket that is going to be used to pick up the tennis balls onto the arm.
    Plan: we plan on figuring out what to do with the arm in class and are willing to stay after school. We also plan to start working on our presentation for class over the weekend.

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  32. For November 30th:
    Progress: We have completed all parts of the robot, now all we have to do is put all the parts together and to finish our presentation and report.
    Problems: Having trouble planning how we are going to attach the basket to the arm.
    Plan: We plan on staying after school and figuring everything out and making sure that it all works out.

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  33. (December 3rd)

    Progress: We attached the arms to the leveled surfaces of the base.

    Problems: With the limited time we have left, we're trying to manage our time and the components we need to finish.

    Plan: Today, we plan on finishing all the presentation slides and the reports. We expect to finish the robot sometime between today and tomorrow.

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