After presenting our ideas and progress to the professors and mentors yesterday, the purple team was ready for the first full work day!

We continued to build on our 2 robots scoring strategy, and began designing and fabricating our prototypes. However, we encountered some difficulty after seeing the final configuration of test field setup in the morning. Today, the final height of the posts holding the foam balls was released to us. The first two days required designing for the game without knowing this information, so the design that we presented yesterday would no longer be possible without receiving a penalty for touching the surface. The morning focused on addressing the necessary design changes.

Communication continues to improve between all of the team members throughout the design process, and the use of more detailed CAD models and sketches has become an increasingly effective method of clarifying and communicating our ideas.  We had a brief Solidworks info session and tutorial within the team last night in the library, and although we all started with varying levels of experience, everyone is gaining valuable experience!

After making our Solidworks parts models, we also began to put the laser cutter and 3D printers to use!  We are all very impressed by the fabrication setup in the shop, including the view overlooking the room with 6 laser cutters:

The main product/accomplishment for the day was the construction of a massive bucket that we hope to use to collect the balls and then dump them into the central earth goal!

In addition to the game progress, we continue to bond as a team and learn about each other’s cultures.  Big thanks to Khaled and his team for the Egyptian Pyramids and Sphinx antiques!!!

Jarrod Smith

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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