This semester, the NASA Robotics Team decided to introduce a new learning method for members to learn how to build robots.
NASA Robotics Team Representative Joseph Kusmer, a junior mechatronics engineering technology major, returns to his former glory when the team competed in NASA’s Robotic Mining Competition at Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 2018. He said he wanted to help.
This new change is designed to introduce team members to the basics of robotics and help them learn about the design process itself.
“When I first became president of the team last semester after the previous president graduated, none of us knew what we were doing,” he said. “It was me, a few sophomores, and a few freshmen. Over the summer, I did a lot of planning on how to get the team back to where it was when we competed in the NASA competition.”
NASA holds a robotics competition every May at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Contests will be held in person and streamed online for viewing by viewers. Kent State teams have competed in several of his NASA competitions in the past.
The first few meetings were designed to teach the team the core aspects of robotics through lessons and lectures on an introduction to computer-aided design, circuit wiring, manufacturing methods, and other processes needed to build robots. Kussmar said.
“We’ve had two information sessions so far and then several meetings to discuss computer-aided design and 3D printing,” he said. “Right now my VP is talking about circuit wiring, but next week I’ll be showing more slideshows about different types of manufacturing. After that, I’ll probably have some guest speakers come and talk to you guys. It will be.”
Kussmer, who took over as team president in the spring, wants everyone on the team to be on the same page and learn the basics of building competitive robots together, since there are currently only three seniors. The rest of the team is primarily made up of her first-year students and her second-year students, who have never had an internship or taken a robotics-related class.
“Some of my team went to STEM high schools like myself and have a vague sense of building and manufacturing robots, but the majority don’t have that luxury and don’t know what they’re doing. I’m not sure if there are any yet,” he said. “That’s why we decided the best way to strengthen our team was to teach them the basics of robotics and build from there.”
He pointed out that the team is not made up solely of engineering majors. Other members can bring different strengths to the team depending on their major or specialty.
“Many team members are still new to robotics, but each has a different skill set and brings different things to the team. Anyone can join,” Kasmer said. “My main goal this year is to help my team teach their current skill set and build on that to learn as much as they can about robotics.”
Molly Hoffer is a digital engineer. She can be reached at the following address: [email protected].