E122: Week 10 Update

This week, our Design team completed and submitted their Request for Proposal for the project. This comprehensive, 20+ page document serves as a full-scale summary of what the entire project entails, while serving to actively demonstrate the clear advantages the "Retrieval Arm" design has over other Search and Rescue Robots.

The RFP was completed in a timely and effective manner, with all the group members participating by working on individual parts. Phil handled the entire Project Plan section, which covered areas of time management and division of labor. Bismark managed the graphic aspect of the project, creating, most notably, a 3D model and accompanying engineering drawing of the Arm feature using the Dassault SolidWorks engineering supplement. Tom managed the financials for the project, along with a Context Stakeholder analysis and a full flowchart for the LabView program. As the Team Leader, I put the report's components together, along with fabricating a full Conceptual Design Analysis.

Of particular note is the special "logo" Phil created using Photoshop. This appears on the RFP's title page, along with being the header on the Road Map page (table of contents). Combined with our unique design (which takes into consideration environmental, cost and sustainability concerns), and our blog-based publicity machine (groundbreaking for a Stevens Design Lab, as far as we know), this gives Stevens Design Spine a special identity, a sense of character which, in my opinion, makes our group a true standout.

In terms of areas of improvement, there are few places where I can find fault in this project so far. I would have to say the most difficult part may be actually fitting the finished product to the design in the RFP; for example, we have already ruled out using a Styrofoam arch for the "shroud" instead opting for a more stable PVC shield.

This week, we are currently comparing two different "joystick" apparatus, a Logitech PC model and a USB Sony DualShock, as seen in the PlayStation 3. Phil is currently building a LabView program to test each, while Bismark is building the "shroud" of the robot, continuing its construction. For next week, we will continue work on both aspects of the project, as the joystick testing will culminate in two weeks, in the write-up for Experiment 3, due in two weeks. More information on that will be posted soon.

In terms of how our group is doing, we are on a very smooth course with no problems thus far, and I don't see any problems developing anytime soon. As team leader, I can say that I am proud to work with a group of such dedicated, insightful, and resourceful group of engineers.

- Anthony