Battlebot
Every year, UB's Engineering Club Council hosts an Engineers Week competition. Engineering clubs host various events in which all of the other clubs compete in. This week is capped off by the Battlebot competition at the end of the week. During my junior year, I got involved with ESW's Battlebot team.
On the Battlebot team, I gained a real breadth of experience. From brainstorming ideas to working in the machine shop to learning about the control system, I had the opportunity to really work with others in different engineering disciplines. Below is ESW's Battlebot team from 2011.
On the Battlebot team, I gained a real breadth of experience. From brainstorming ideas to working in the machine shop to learning about the control system, I had the opportunity to really work with others in different engineering disciplines. Below is ESW's Battlebot team from 2011.
The Battlebot project differs from most other experiences I've had in that it is an annual project with the same goal, but (usually) with different implementations. In 2012, my contributions to the Battlebot team were lessened (as I was VP and Project Coordinator that year), but I was still able to use my experience from the previous year to help the new bot. Below you can see the 2012 bot (in progress). While budget contraints prevented us from upgrading all of the previous year's issue, my major contribution can be seen in the photo: new wheels. In years past, we've used and re-used wheels with no rubber tire. In 2011 our bot's mobility was severely limited by its wheels' (lack of) grip of the plywood flooring. Many Battlebot brainstorming sessions found me screaming out "NEW WHEELS!"
Sadly, the construction of this bot had some key failures that really disabled the entire drivetrain from functioning. I do, however, look forward to hearing how the 2013 team's bot moves!
