Tumbler Vs. Protobot

Creating an inventory for the tumbler was stressful. I myself made a few mistakes, and had to redo the part I did. The protobot with its more lax inventory rules made it much easier. Since we have already gotten the hang of it, it was much better. When building the tumbler, we had a few problems with the placement of some of the screws and we ended up having to take it apart to move a couple things. When we got around to the protobot though, we made sure we were much more accurate. The tumbler had a very stable, easy to repair/tighten structure. For some reason on the protobot, the pieces kept falling off, even though we tightened them as much as we could. The build is also more complex so it takes a bit longer to find what is broken/loose and repair it. I don't think there is much we could have done differently to make the bot better.

Building the Tumbler: Day 2

If I could go back and change our inventory, there would be some changes I would make. I would make sure I got the motor extenders. We also took the wrong pieces. I'd also make sure to check all the pieces over again to see if I got the right ones.

Building theTumbler: Day 1

Today we finished collecting all of our parts for the build (Yet we still forgot/mistakenly grabbed around 4 pieces). After a few errors like this, things finally started rolling. Cyrus and I started the construction of the left half of the car, while Andre and Jenny worked on the right half. Some of the picture steps were at a confusing angle, but we still figured it out. The team is doing well. Tomorrow we hope to finish the robot.

Robotics in Careers

What career paths are you looking into?: I am interested in a few careers. One career I am interested is being an artst. I like to draw and create stuff that I find interesting. Although this is more of a hobby. The second career I am interested in is getting into crime scene investigation. I find it interesting on how you can find so much data and narrow down the possiblities just by thin traces of oil on a random object in the room.- How might you see robotics in your career?: For artists there may be automatic paint fillers so you don't have to worry about refilling the paint pallet if you are busy. Another thing for artists is machines that clean brushes and sharpen and refine pencils. It'd be useful to not have to worry about cleaning up. You would need to know how to use the buttons on the machine, and it would be good to know what part needs to be fixed or replaced. For crime scene investigation, you could have an on-the-scene machine that would automatically test multiple samples, to save time. How might you interact with robotics/automation in your career?: You would need to push the buttons/ pull the levers of the machines. It would be much easier for artists to not get paint over everything, and keep things clean. For the investigators, it would save a lot of time and be easier for everyone.

History of Robots

1495: Leonardo made complex sketches of human-like robots.- 1913: Henry Ford made a conveyor belt assembly line for building cars.- 1930's: The development of toy robots like the wind-up started.- 1957: Sputnik was launched by Russia.- 1964: IBM mass-produced the first computer- 1997: IBM created a computer that won against world chess champion Garry Kasparov.- 2008: The Roomba vacuum robot became a huge success.- Today: iPhones and other smart phones sit in the bottom of the pocket of almost every obese American, used for 2 dollar games and texting friends, and not for an actual, productive use.

Robotic Job Opportunities

Robotic Technician: A 2-year associate degrees in robot technology is required for this job. Usually engineers and technicians work together, with the technician being an assistant. Many robotic engineers work in the electronic robotics field.*** Robotic Engineer: A bachelor's degree is required for this job. Usually engineers and technicians work together, with the technician being an assistant. Engineers are responsible for creating and designing, testing, and fixing glitches or problems with their robots. Many robotic engineers work in the electronic robotics field.*** Both robotic engineers and technicians make robots that help with weapons, mass production, surgeries, and safety. Also, both engineers and technicians are responsible for maintenance, testing, welding, and programming.

What is a Robot?

I think that robots are machines that automatically perform repetitive tasks. An example of this could be a car-building machine. A robot could also be something as simple as a blender, or a calculator. Robots do not need to be electronic to be classified as a robot.

Profile Assignment

I interviewed Andre James Harder. He was born in Omaha Nebraska. His hobbies are writing and video games. He has 2 dogs. One day, Andre wishes to major as a business manager, to manage an Asian company that makes clothes. I interviewed Derick Zanger. He was born October 25th, 1996, in Detriot. His hobbies are Tae Kwon Do and boyscouts. He is a senior. He is more mechanical, or he would rather make robots than design robots, when it comes to building robots. I interviewed Gabe Lacki. He was born in Texas. His favourite colour is blue. He is a Junior. His hobbies are board games, reading, and walking. I interviewed myself, Asa Pierce. I am a sophmore. I was born on September 7th, 1998, in Michigan. My hobbies are drawing and video games. My favorite colour is purple.