Hey everyone! Week 4 has been another productive and energizing week for Corbotics as we keep making progress on our Johnson & Johnson Bimanual Wire Manipulation project. Here’s a look at what we’ve been working on and where we’re headed next.

This week we focused a lot on defining and refining our project foundation. We completed a draft of our Product Design Specifications (PDS) document, reviewed it with our coach, and went through two rounds of revisions to make it stronger. We also spent time brainstorming both mechanical and computer systems as potential solutions to the challenges of the project.

Another exciting step was composing a versatile elevator pitch for Corbotics something we can adapt depending on who we’re talking to, whether it’s our liaison engineers, classmates, or sponsors. Alongside that, we discussed team recommendations for strengthening our research and communication skills, how to approach the PDS review process, and even how to navigate travel request logistics.

On the creative side, we established a research and concept sketch library and added our very first system sketch. It’s a small but important milestone as we start building a visual collection of our design ideas.

Looking ahead to next week, we plan to:

• Complete our project roadmap, laying out the timeline from now until our SLDR presentation.
• Finalize and submit the Project First-Month Report.
• Discuss potential travel dates and begin the authorization process.
• Meet with engineering librarian Amy Buhler for research resources and guidance.
• Produce clear diagrams to communicate concept ideas more effectively.

Overall, we’re still right on schedule and feeling confident about where we’re headed.

That’s it for Week 4. Thanks for following along! We’re excited to keep building momentum as we head into Week 5. Stay tuned!