“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.”
― Aristotle
Robotics has captured my imagination for the last seven years. For the FRC FIRST Robotics competition, my team had to build robots to complete timed tasks. For me, robotics combines hands on creativity, ingenuity, and skill to do something remarkable.
2019 Competition - Destination: Deep Space
Task: secure hatches, collect items, shoot balls into target bins; timed task
The 2019 FIRST Robotics competition was the first season our Robotics team used Autodesk Inventor to design our hardware (non-software components) prior to building the robot. The design included the major chassis structure, the onboard electronics, and the bumper. Since it was our first year of CAD, I was the sole Autodesk designer for our team.
2020 FIRST Robotics Competition - Infinite Recharge
Task: collect and shoot maximum number of balls through a hexagonal target; timed task
After the success of using CAD in the 2019 season, we decided to expand the CAD team. I taught a group of five people how to design for the robotics season. As a result, more testing occurred virtually than with physical materials. The development and rapid redevelopment of our robot design would have been strenuous and costly without the new CAD team.
Above: An early design for our robot in the 2020 season.
Right: The final chassis design for our robot in the 2020 season, evolved from our earlier designs