Getting along

We are currently getting along in many ways. Getting along with the challenge mainly, working out where our strengths are, how we can best use our time and how we can communicate with one another so that everyone can feel heard but we actually reach a decision.

The scale of the challenge is rapidly becoming clear. it has taken forever to get to a stage where we feel we can begin, but we are getting there, making slow but steady progress.

The field table is finally finished so our robot has somewhere to work. We used the pattern from the Inventioneers which is called a stow-and-go table. The whole thing is made from foam rather than wood so it's light enough to carry, and it folds in half so we can store it. this is really important as we are meeting in someone's home so we need to leave as little mark as possible!!

The field kit is also finished but not installed yet. Jadzzy has taken the mat home to put all the sticky pads on that need to be added so the bits of lego don't move and Blood Diamond and Lewis have finished the field kit and it will be added next week.

The programming is a massive challenge, as is getting the programming and robot design to work together. This weeks 'heated debate' and opportunity to learn how to communicate came in the form of wheels v's tracks for the robot. This was (eventually) settled by B.J.P who did some controlled comparisons on speed, manouverability and accuracy. The results are in the two videos below.

http://youtu.be/XlYxhIYhS4o


http://youtu.be/rpV8-0oIfCw

There is a third design possibility we are going to test next week. In the meantime the three programmers have taken home various bits of the field kit and have attempted to programme the robot to complete that particular task. We await the results with bated breath. The three designers are busy coming up with ideas for adaptations to the robot that can be used to solve the tasks in the field.

The project team are also getting along. Q-Man seems to have found some inspiration and is busily script writing and dishing out parts. Our senior partner Julie is coming to talk to us on Monday so we can nail the first two thirds of the presentaiton hopefully by Wednesday. With luck and a bit of hard work the presentation will be finalised in the next couple of weeks so we can practice, practice, practice.

Specialising

One thing that has quickly become clear is that we do not have much time! At the beginning of the process I imagined a lovely gentle home ed scenario where we were super organised and everything just kind of slotted into place. The reality is life gets in the way no matter how committed everybody is, both mine and the rest of the teams. We are not exactly behind, given that the field kit was so late to arrive we really couldn't have got much further with the robot game before now, but we don't have any time to spare either. Which means we are going to have to specialise.

Back in February, I imagined that we would all work wonderfully together towards a common goal, each member of the team taking a role in each stage of the process and learning something about stuff they were not necessarily interested in. While I think we have achieved that to some extent but the nature of the competition means that everyone will have to concentrate on the parts of the challenge they have the most skills to complete and are most willing to give a go to. As a result we have split down into three sub teams.

The project is well underway. We have our Senior partner and have designed a product which we achieved by a process of elimination. Everyone went off to interview someone over 60 about what life was like now and how it was different to say when they were 20 or 40. From this we compiled a list of responses and picked out the common themes. After some discussion, several topics were chosen to take forward for further research which was then reported back to the team and a final decision about the overall subject and shape of the project was made.  LS and Q are taking on the task of more in depth research into the chosen topic and then putting together a presentation that involves the whole team. The first stage will be to do an in depth interview with our Senior partner which we are currently trying to set up.

Meanwhile the rest of the team have been busily constructing. The field kit didn't arrive until the 12th September, which just happens to be a Lego day, which meant that it was nearly a whole week with the kit sat there until the next meeting. we are underway now though and think we will have everything constructed, or very nearly by the end of the next session on Monday. The building instructions are a nuisance as they come on a CD which means only one person can build at once. It would be much easier if they were on paper and then the booklets could be split up and different team members build different things. As it is we had two teams of two and used a split screen on the laptop so we could have two sets of instructions up at once.

On Monday we are going to split down further. LS and Q will carry on with the project. LB, J and JS will begin constructing the robot and BP and JD will finish off the table and hopefully the field kit and then begin the progeramming on wednesday - or maybe next week!

Treasure Hunt Manchester

Six of the ‘Robots @ heart’ team braved the variable Manchester weather a couple of wednesdays ago, to develop their team skills and have FUN. To help build their teamwork I chose to take them on a treasure trail. This activity required them to work together looking for and solving clues, to keep together without losing anyone, and to hopefully crack the code within the two hours allowed.

Within the group there were lots of really positive dynamics, which demonstrates the value of the work they have already put in with their coach. They flagged about halfway round, and some became a bit distracted (If  I say ‘minecraft’ you’ll all know what I mean). But they responded well to me adopting a more proactive style, and pulled together to get the challenge completed in time.

Just as we approached Albert square with the final 3 clues to find, the heaven’s opened, to drop yet more of the torrential rain experienced so often this summer on us poor folk below. Undeterred and to the sound of thunderclaps, the team split up and found the answers they were looking for. Well done…has anyone else cracked the unsolved anagram yet?