Thursday, May 3, 2012
log 33
On Monday, I contacted the four e-mail addresses at the end of the article. I received six different responses from different people. Two merely sent us the link to the VEX robotics website, while the others provided with great information. One was even great enough to provide the packet given to the participants of the AIM challenge. This was the most valuable piece of information we have ever received. We are now on the right track.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
log 32
Yesterday, we tried to switch to only the land challenge, but we failed. We must complete the water challenge. We tossed around ideas on how to change it, and then DA discovered the Coast Guard AIM challenge article. We decided to base our robot off of the one on the cover.
Monday, April 16, 2012
log 32
Today, DA is absent from class; therefore we cannot go down to the lab. Instead, we will work on thinking about what is still left to do. My partner and I still have three major things to do: propellers, floatation, and water proofing.
For propellers, my partner and I need to make another trip to Hobby Masters. By now, they should have received the shipment of the larger propellers. We need to attatch the propellers to the designated drive shafts.
For floataion, we have already aquired very buoyant foam that will be able to easily support our VEX kit. It has 55pounds of buoyant force, and our entire kit weighs 5 pounds. The foam needs to be attatched to the kit by VEX screws. It will extend past the claw on the forward part of the kit and two inches on either side. This is done in order that the VEX robot may ensure stability.
For waterproofing, we need to do some tests, and we have two different ideas. For the PIC microcontroller, we can wrap it in shrink plastic wrap and use a hair drier to shrink the plastic and create a water proof seal. We can test this by wrapping a piece of paper in the plastic wrap and submerging it in water. If it is dry, it worked. If it is wet, the it did not work. For motors, balloons will be put around and super glued together. This will have the same test as the plastic shrink wrap.
For propellers, my partner and I need to make another trip to Hobby Masters. By now, they should have received the shipment of the larger propellers. We need to attatch the propellers to the designated drive shafts.
For floataion, we have already aquired very buoyant foam that will be able to easily support our VEX kit. It has 55pounds of buoyant force, and our entire kit weighs 5 pounds. The foam needs to be attatched to the kit by VEX screws. It will extend past the claw on the forward part of the kit and two inches on either side. This is done in order that the VEX robot may ensure stability.
For waterproofing, we need to do some tests, and we have two different ideas. For the PIC microcontroller, we can wrap it in shrink plastic wrap and use a hair drier to shrink the plastic and create a water proof seal. We can test this by wrapping a piece of paper in the plastic wrap and submerging it in water. If it is dry, it worked. If it is wet, the it did not work. For motors, balloons will be put around and super glued together. This will have the same test as the plastic shrink wrap.
Friday, March 23, 2012
log 31
Today, I worked on my press release document. This was written as a newspaper article would have been written. it describres what we have done over the past year.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Press Release
A VEXciting New Experiment
Contact Information:
This article is written about the young Dustin Brandl, 17, a senior at the Marine Academy of Science and Technology. He hails from the Farmingdale, NJ, which is a part of the Freehold Regional Sending District. He is partnered with CJ Bzozowski, 17, on the VEX Robotics senior project.
Introduction:
The Systems and Engineering II class offered at the Marine Academy of Science and Technology, Sandy Hook , NJ
Body:
Project Description:
The VEX Robotics system is designed to create an interesting opportunity for students learn about science, technology, engineering, and math, STEM. The VEX Robotics system not only encourages STEM skills, but it also encourages more personable skills such as teamwork, problem solving, and leadership. Brandl’s individual design brief is to design and construct all of the electrical components in order to successfully meet the criteria for each challenge.
The first terrestrial challenge for the VEX Robotics to complete is safely move the eggs of the endangered piping plover. The second set of challenges for the VEX Robotics teams was designed from the Coast Guard Academy STEM challenge. Another member of a different VEX team constructed a challenge course to test the groups’ ability to solve problems and work together to achieve a goal. The set of challenges include placing a ball through a hoop, tugging a friendly vessel, planting a buoy, and sinking an enemy vessel.
The most important STEM calculation, by far, was the buoyancy and stability. If the final product is not able to float or stay stable in the water, the team then has just wasted a lot of the school’s money and must pay it back to the school. Buoyancy is found with three factors that were available to these students. These are mass of the robot, density of the robot, and density of the surrounding liquid. If the liquid’s density is greater than the robot’s density, then it floats; if not, it sinks.
The final product is expected to be shown at building 77 on May 10, 2012. The final product should be able to complete all of the challenges listed above as efficiently as possible. The challenge being displayed will be the water challenge; the viewers of the presentation should expect the final product to place a ball through a hoop, tug a friendly vessel, plant a buoy, and sink an enemy vessel. Also, one can expect a presentation recapitulating the work, time, and effort that was put into this project.
Brandl and Brzozowski had a few professionals to help them along the way of construction. These people helped the VEX duo throughout the way of construction by answering any questions that they had. Some of the things they needed to know were the types of propellers to use, how to calculate buoyancy, and how exactly gear-ratios work. Another important issue that the mentors addressed was the waterproofing of the electronics. Brandl decided to test out balloons and plastic wrap.
Summary:
Brandl and Brzozowski have dedicated their senior year to this project. They researched VEX robotics and robotics in general. They created different ideas using VEX pieces and their own ingenuity in order to complete the tasks set before them; these included moving the eggs of the endangered piping plover, placing a ball through a hoop, tugging a friendly vessel, planting a buoy, and sinking an enemy vessel. The final presentation of the robot will truly a VEXperience one would not to miss.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Mentor Contacts MP3
Mentor Name: Michael John Badger
Contact 1: July 15, 2011
Phone meeting with Michael John Badger. This meeting was a 3 way call that lasted about 30 minutes. CJ’s mother introduced Mr. Badger to CJ and me and we further introduced ourselves later in the meeting. We discussed our expectations for the class and upcoming project. Christopher Brzozowski and Dustin Brandl
Contact 2: July 20, 2011
Sent:Good afternoon,
Attached is our systems engineering project/presentation. We look forward to working with you.
Thanks,
CJ and Dustin
Contact 2: July 20, 2011
RecievedCJ and Dustin,
You were very active during the last school year. Your newsletter was informative and interesting. Based on evidence of your creativity, enthusiasm, and introduction to the engineering disciplines, you appear poised for a memorable and productive senior year.
Request your thoughts on what value to a customer your robotics project will provide. Does the robot help her in some way? Does it retreive items underwater and bring them to the surface? Does it clean pools? Does it retrieve lost items which have a Bluetooth or other unique transmitting device enabled (e.g., lost cell in the house, car keys, or garage door opener)?
Mike
Contact 3: September 9, 2011
Sent:
Contact 1: July 15, 2011
Phone meeting with Michael John Badger. This meeting was a 3 way call that lasted about 30 minutes. CJ’s mother introduced Mr. Badger to CJ and me and we further introduced ourselves later in the meeting. We discussed our expectations for the class and upcoming project. Christopher Brzozowski and Dustin Brandl
Contact 2: July 20, 2011
Sent:Good afternoon,
Attached is our systems engineering project/presentation. We look forward to working with you.
Thanks,
CJ and Dustin
Contact 2: July 20, 2011
RecievedCJ and Dustin,
You were very active during the last school year. Your newsletter was informative and interesting. Based on evidence of your creativity, enthusiasm, and introduction to the engineering disciplines, you appear poised for a memorable and productive senior year.
Request your thoughts on what value to a customer your robotics project will provide. Does the robot help her in some way? Does it retreive items underwater and bring them to the surface? Does it clean pools? Does it retrieve lost items which have a Bluetooth or other unique transmitting device enabled (e.g., lost cell in the house, car keys, or garage door opener)?
Mike
Contact 3: September 9, 2011
Sent:
Hello Mr. Badger,I hope you had a great summer. We just got back into school and we are required to have your phone number, email, employer, position and job description for our mentor fact sheet. The sooner you can send me these the better, hope to hear back from you soon. Thank you for your time. - CJ and Dustin |
Contact 3: September 9, 2011Recieved:
CJ and Dustin,
Name: Michael J. Badger, P.E., MBA
Phone: 732-737-4414
email: michael.john.badger@verizon.net
Employer: Program Executive Office Integration (PEO I), US Army
Position: Deputy, Executive Director, System of Systems Engineering and Integration
Job description: The lead for overall execution of the combined engineering, business management, acquisition and pricing approach to development and acquisition of PEO Integration systems under development. Supervisor of personnel to meet program priorities and ensure those efforts are properly integrated. Overseer of reviews and approver of the associated execution plans and schedules, ensuring the optimal mix of in-house and contract work, and ensure appropriate collaboration with external organizations (Office of the SECDEF/Department of the Army, user requirements community, testing community, Army laboratories) to meet or exceed all goals.
Regards,
MJB
Contact 4: September 29, 2011
CJ and Dustin,
Name: Michael J. Badger, P.E., MBA
Phone: 732-737-4414
email: michael.john.badger@verizon.net
Employer: Program Executive Office Integration (PEO I), US Army
Position: Deputy, Executive Director, System of Systems Engineering and Integration
Job description: The lead for overall execution of the combined engineering, business management, acquisition and pricing approach to development and acquisition of PEO Integration systems under development. Supervisor of personnel to meet program priorities and ensure those efforts are properly integrated. Overseer of reviews and approver of the associated execution plans and schedules, ensuring the optimal mix of in-house and contract work, and ensure appropriate collaboration with external organizations (Office of the SECDEF/Department of the Army, user requirements community, testing community, Army laboratories) to meet or exceed all goals.
Regards,
MJB
Contact 4: September 29, 2011
michael.john.badger@verizon.net writes: >Chris and Dustin, > > What is the status of your project? Have you developed the inital >concept and specifications? > > Regards, > Mike Badger > > |
Contact 4: September 30, 2011Sent:
Hello Mr. Badger,
So far we have taken inventory of our VEX robotics sets and have been working on our project blogs. The Blogs contain information on the Specifications, Limitations, project status, Background Information, and much more on the project. We will send you the links to these blogs as soon as we get approval from our instructor. Our project now is to design an aquatic vehicle that accomplishes certain challenges and a terrestrial vehicle that will gather endangered Piping Plover eggs without breaking them or disturbing the surrounding environment. We will keep you updated as we move along. Thank you very much for your time.
- CJ and Dustin
Contact 5: Contact: October 19, 2011
SentHello,
Here is the link for the blogs we have been working on in class http://brzozowskivex.blogspot.com/
Right now we are working on our alternative solutions and will have images of what we want the product to look like up soon.
Thank you for your time
- CJ and Dustin
Contact: October 19, 2011
Recieved:CJ and Dustin,
I looked through the postings on your blogspot. Interesting. It will be good to see which design you settle upon.
Mike Badger
Mentor Name: Naga Kunduru
Contact 6: September 11, 2011Sent:
>On Sun, Sep 11, 2011 at 2:01 PM, Christopher Brzozowski <[
>mailto:christopher_brzozowski@mast.mcvsd.org
>]christopher_brzozowski@mast.mcvsd.org> wrote:
>
>
>
>Hello Mr. Naga,
>
>Thank you very much for volunteering to mentor us during this school
>year.
>We would like to speak to you soon about our project. Please let us
>know
>when we can reach you. In the meantime, our school requires your email,
>phone number, employer, position, and job description for our mentor
>fact
>sheet. We look forward to hearing back from you. Thank you for your
>time.
>
>- CJ and Dustin
Contact 6: September 13, 2011Recieved:
Naga Kunduru <nkunduru@gmail.com> writes:
>Hi CJ, you can call me on my cell (848-702-7021) between 6-9pm in the
>evenings.
>Here is my info for your school's mentor fact sheet:
>[ mailto:nkunduru@us.ibm.com ]nkunduru@us.ibm.com
>201-266-7658
>IBM
>Technical Business Analyst
>Job Description:
>Identify and define requirements for the use of technology to improve
>Mortgage processes and systems. Analyze and document technical
>requirements of client’s unique lending/servicing enterprise and map
>those requirements within the context of IBM's Impact Lending Suite
>software solution. Act as the liaison between the business and
>development and provide a business and systems analysis service to
>clients. Balance technology and business issues as well as communicate
>appropriately with both technology and business experts.
>
>- Naga
Contact 7: September 29, 2011
Sent:Hello Mr. Naga,
Thank you very much for sending us the information for our mentor fact sheet. Please note, any phone calls or personal contact must be approved by our teacher ahead of time. We will be in touch with you soon. Thank you very much for your time.
-CJ and Dustin
Email :
Contact 9: November 1, 2011
BarBaros@aim.com
Discussed the background of the project, sent our blog information, and the mechanical and electrical aspects of the project.
Contact 1: November 14, 2011 Face to Face for about half of an hour
Discussed the mechanical and electrical aspects of our project with Mr. Barrall. We also went over the basic idea of our project, and the tasks we hope to accomplish in the near future. We discussed what we have finished already and what we will soon be working on. He described what he did before he was retired and expressed his intrest in robotics.
Discussed the mechanical and electrical aspects of our project with Mr. Barrall. We also went over the basic idea of our project, and the tasks we hope to accomplish in the near future. We discussed what we have finished already and what we will soon be working on. He described what he did before he was retired and expressed his intrest in robotics.
Contact 11: November 22, 2011 Face to Face for the class period
Mr. Rubiano, an alumni from this school, returned here to this class. He discused with my partner and me different techniques he used to construct his VEX robot last year. He mainly focused on the hull aspect of the VEX robot. He instructed us on how to make the hull as light as possible. We tossed around ideas of how to
Contact 12: November 30, 2011 Face to Face for the class period
He showed us how exactly the different motors and servos connected to not only the framework but also to the drive shafts which then in turn spin each different apparatus. He discussed with us different ideas on how we could create propellers out of pieces of the VEX kit.
Contact 13: December 3, 2011 Face to Face with Mr. Heller (from Hobby Masters in Red Bank)
He showed us differenet propellers, which he had in his shop, but none of them seemed large enough to move the VEX robot. We bought one propeller in order that we may test it on our VEX robot, and see how well it performs. He suggested a propeller with a radius of three inches, but they did not have any in stock. We will return when they do.
Mr. Rubiano, an alumni from this school, returned here to this class. He discused with my partner and me different techniques he used to construct his VEX robot last year. He mainly focused on the hull aspect of the VEX robot. He instructed us on how to make the hull as light as possible. We tossed around ideas of how to
Contact 12: November 30, 2011 Face to Face for the class period
He showed us how exactly the different motors and servos connected to not only the framework but also to the drive shafts which then in turn spin each different apparatus. He discussed with us different ideas on how we could create propellers out of pieces of the VEX kit.
Contact 13: December 3, 2011 Face to Face with Mr. Heller (from Hobby Masters in Red Bank)
He showed us differenet propellers, which he had in his shop, but none of them seemed large enough to move the VEX robot. We bought one propeller in order that we may test it on our VEX robot, and see how well it performs. He suggested a propeller with a radius of three inches, but they did not have any in stock. We will return when they do.
Contact 14: February 12, 2012
Received: from Mr. Barrall
From your picture it looks like a small gear on the motor is driving a large gear on your claw arm. If you put a large gear on motor and small gear on claw arm, the arm should move faster.
Sent:
Hello Mr. Barrall,
We have encountered a minor problem with our robot. One challenge is we have to throw a ball through a hoop, but the claw will not move fast enough to actually "throw" the ball; it merely drops. We were wondering if you had any ideas that would allow us to throw the ball. Attatched is a current image of our robot.
Thank you,
CJ and Dustin
Received:
CJ and Dustin,
Some things to think about:
1. The farther the claw is from the pivot point the faster it will travel
2. Gears can be used to speed up the output of a motor
3. A slow motion can be used to store energy in something like a rubber band or spring and then suddenly released
Contact 16: February 26, 2012
Sent via facebook:
Peter Arriaza,
We are having some trouble because we do not know how to safely use the motors in an aquatic location without altering the motor itself. Do you have any suggestions for us?
Thank you,
CJ and Dustin
Received via facebook:
Hey guys,
I didn't have to do an aquatic challenge last year, but I may have an idea. Try using balloons to cover each motor and use super glue to seal the ends. This should make a watertight seal. Let me know how it works.
Peter.
Contact 17: Date: February 10, 2012
SENT
Hello Mr. Badger,
We have been moving along with our VEX Robot. We are creating propellers for the back of our VEX Vehicle. What type do you recommend? The Vehicle is about 10 by 14 inches and is no more than 5 pounds. We also have to be able to maneuver around corners. Thank you for your time.
CJ and Dustin
Contact18: Mr. Kunduru
Date: February 10, 2012
SENT
We have been moving along with our VEX Robot. We are creating propellers for the back of our VEX Vehicle. What type do you recommend? The Vehicle is about 10 by 14 inches and is no more than 5 pounds. We also have to be able to maneuver around corners. Thank you for your time.
CJ and Dustin
Contact 19: Mr. Rubiano
Date: February 12, 2012
SENT
Hello Rob,
We are moving along with our VEX Robot but we now need to add propellers to the back. Is there any type/size you recommend? Thank you for your time.
Contact: Mr. Rubiano
Date: February 14, 2012
Hey Guys,
Any size between 3 and 5 inches should work. You might also want to consider using the wheels that come with the kit as propellers. You can spread clay through the gaps of the wheels and angle it to get a propeller like motion. Good Luck.
- Rob
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