Greetings!

In our weekly recap, we’re excited to share our progress and experiences over the past week as we continue our journey to develop an iterative prototype CoPilot for JAWS.

Prototype Enhancement and Vector Embedding Evaluation

We dedicated our focus to enhancing Prototype 1 by evaluating various vector embedding options. After careful consideration, we made the decision to finalize one of the options, paving the way for a more efficient and accurate chatbot. To accommodate these changes, we meticulously restructured our codebase in Github.

To ensure the robustness of our chatbot, we initiated automated testing for the prototype. This involved creating a comprehensive testing suite, complete with a list of queries that users may pose to JAWS. These tests are pivotal in helping us determine the optimal model parameters for the final product.

In our pursuit of enhancing the chatbot prototype, we also delved into experimenting with different embedding models. This exploration allowed us to gauge how these models impact the accuracy and performance of our Prototype 1. Through extensive discussions, we weighed the pros and cons of continuing to use an embedding service versus transitioning to an on-device operation. This decision will be instrumental in shaping the final prototype.

Professional Exposure

In addition to our technical work, we invested in our personal and professional growth. We attended two enlightening workshops during the week:

1. A Thorough Introduction to the Scrum Framework. Dr. Manuel Bermudez, from UF CISE, guided us through the fundamentals of the Scrum framework. The team recalled the importance of Scrum’s adaptability for development teams facing evolving requirements and dynamic priorities. The iterative and incremental approach, with its short sprints, resonated with the team as a way to improve project outcomes.

2. From College to Career – Success Tips for the New Engineer. We gained valuable insights from Mark Sanders of RTX, who shared tips on transitioning from college to a full-time engineering role. The workshop provided guidance on navigating real-world scenarios and encouraged us to adopt a proactive and adaptable mindset.

As the week drew to a close, we proudly delivered our PDR presentation to our Freedom Scientific liaisons. Their feedback will be invaluable as we refine our presentation for the next stage of our project.

We’re making great strides in both technical development and personal growth, setting the stage for an exciting journey ahead. Keep up the fantastic work, team!