Mobile

We are mobile!  Our last bit of time will be spent on our arm.  If we have to we will ship it in pieces to the event and finish it there.  We have mounted the IR component and programmed it to use our Demo TV remote.  Wish us luck everyone.  We wish all the best for every team participating in this year's event in Philly.  Go FIRST Teams!

                                                    Stephen Kew-Goodale
                                                    Executive Director
                                                    The Weatherly Institute for Robotics and Engineering

Down to the WIRE

It's down to the wire, it looks like a robot and is behaving "like" a robot.  To many bugs and not enough bug spray.  Still it will ship out on the 19th all the same.

                                                    Stephen Kew-Goodale
                                                    Executive Director
                                                    The Weatherly Institute for Robotics and Engineering.

Real Deal

The "Real Deal" is under construction.  By having our template built we were able to snap off copies of the frame and put it together in one meeting!   Programming on the prototype will begin at our next meeting.  The drive train for the competition bot will be installed as well.

                                                    Stephen Kew-Goodale
                                                    Executive Director
                                                    The Weatherly Institute for Robotics and Engineering

Construction

Things are still moving apace.  The drive train is together, the electronics done, we have begun setting up the pneumatics and the physical arm is under construction.  With two more days we should be finished with the prototype and started on the real "bot" for this year's competition.

                                                    Stephen Kew-Goodale
                                                    Executive Director
                                                    The Weatherly Institute for Robotics and Engineering

Mentoring

Our "Prototype" continues to evolve.  We hope to be nearly finished by the end of this week.  The electronics are being done by Thomas Russell and Tom Kew-Goodale.  This is the scenario that I had envisioned when starting this program.  Thomas Russell is a graduate of the program and now is an Engineering Student with Penn State.  He is teaching a Sophomore the tricks that he learned over three years at FIRST.  The ideal Mentorship scenario.

                                                    Stephen Kew-Goodale
                                                    Executive Director
                                                    The Weatherly Institute for Robotics and Engineering

Prototype

We are now two weeks into the competition and our prototype is taking shape quite nicely.  I told the team that I wanted something different this year and so far they have surprised me in their design and togetherness.  It seems too smooth!

                                                    Stephen Kew-Goodale
                                                    Executive Director
                                                    The Weatherly Institute for Robotics and Engineering

2008 Game

I had my robotics class watch the Live NASA feed in the lab as our team participated in Upper Darby.  I am pleased by the change in tactics in this year's game.  The lack of defensive play, allows our kids to concentrate more on the tasks at hand.   Hopefully the new twist in technology will provide an incentive for them to develop a more complex robotics system.  I am also encourage by the fact that one of my key team members who graduated in June of 2007, has decided to come back to the team to help mentor this year's event.  So welcome back Thomas Russell!

                                                    Stephen Kew-Goodale
                                                    Executive Director
                                                    The Weatherly Institute for Robotics and Engineering