An update to bring you through 1/23

It's been a while since I last updated but thats not to say things haven't been going on. We have been busy.

The Minibot is really coming along. We are on our 4th revision of our original prototype. I've worked with various mechanical sub-teams over the years but I haven't seen a sub-team go through the design process as efficiently as this group has. Our best time, with our 100% legal minibot was around 3.5 seconds. There are still a lot of inefficiencies in our prototype and weight that will bring our time down once we make our final build. Also the design lends itself to a very simple and reliable deployment. We have one student who is a senior and it's his first year on the team and he came up with a great idea for deployment that I think will be quick and it will be easy on the drivers. I wish sometimes you could redshirt students. It was the first idea that really got me giddy with excitement. I love ideas that just make you smile.

Our manipulator group is coming along. They have got 2 designs that they are moving forward with. One is "active" and one isn't but both have their pro's and con's. it will be interesting to see which design finally wins out and make the competition robot.

The arm has been done in concept for a week or so, just waiting on parts and it will assembled onto our completed frame which has also been done for a little over a week. Those SuperShifters are awesome. Can't wait to see what they can do for us at competition.

I've noticed this blog has been very mechanical sided so I figured I give some insight into some other things that are going on.

Our marketing team is working hard on our 2011 Chairman's award presentation. From what I've seen it's really going to be awesome. We have some new blood in there this season and it's really showing. I don't want to say we're throwing out the old playbook completely but we are making some changes and it has the team really excited. I'll give some more details when I think it's appropriate.

I witnessed that group cutting up some Styrofoam Triangles Circles and Squares, I think you might see them in the stands this year.

I hope you all are enjoying your Logomotion build season.

-Justin