Princeton University Robotics Club

GOLF CART is the next spotlight for our Team Development Series! ?? ??? This year, the Golf Cart team has made huge strides, as we've gotten deeper into the technical aspects of vehicle control. We’ve familiarized ourselves with the CAN protocol and designed circuits to control both throttle and steering, interfacing directly with the onboard motor controller and a repurposed power steering motor. To improve precision, we also implemented a PID feedback loop for steering, as well as created custom 3D-printed mounts and adapters for the steering angle sensor. Looking ahead, we’re focusing on designing PCBs for a more permanent and reliable electrical setup, extracting telemetry data from the MPPT charge controller and battery, and refining the mechanical structure with additional 3D-printed and laser-cut components. We’re also gearing up for the next big step, which is to integrate the NVIDIA Jetson Orin and dive into computer vision to allow for autonomous navigation.

A big THANK YOU to everyone who attended our Open House on Saturday! We had so much fun talking to you all about what we've been up to and we hope you did as well! A special shout-out to the other student organizations at the event: Women in Computer Science (Princeton Women in Computer Science), Society of Women Engineers, Girls Who Code, and Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers! And, of course, thank you to Projects Board for funding! If you liked what you saw, please consider joining one (or more) of our subteams! We have a lot in store for this upcoming semester and we'd love for you all to be a part of our amazing community! ??

This week, for our Team Development Series, we're spotlighting DRONE! ?? During the fall semester, our Drone Team made significant progress on its two projects: the solar charger and the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drone. The solar charger team has researched and designed various power electronics using inductive charging for wireless power transmission, including modeling rectifiers and inverters with magnetic inductor coils in KiCad. Meanwhile, the VTOL team has researched and acquired components for its new 5-foot wingspan drone, built from scratch. The team has manufactured a custom airfoil, programmed software for embedded components, and is currently integrating all elements into a fully functional system!

As we prepare to return back to campus, here's an update on everything PURC got up to this past semester! ? Project Teams and Trainings: All nine of our project teams are off to a great start. Step into StudioLab (Council on Science and Technology-Princeton University), and you’ll see drones preparing to take flight, BB-8 rolling by, and students hard at work wiring circuits, drilling screws, and coding to bring their robots to life. Additionally, we hosted our Training Series for this fall, a chance for students to learn valuable robotics skills from the ground up! Topics included PCB Design, CAD, Python, and more. Stay on the lookout for more trainings in the spring! ?? Speaker Event with Cristina Mancini: This October, we (alongside National Society of Black Engineers and Princeton Society Of Women Engineers) had the honor of welcoming the CEO of Black Girls Code (Black Girls Code), Cristina Mancini (Cristina Mancini), to Richardson Auditorium for a speaker event. This speaker event was the first of PURC's DEI Initiative, our latest contribution to our mission of making the world of STEM and robotics accessible and welcome to members of every community! ?? School Outreach with STEM to Stern and the Ferry Ave Library: Throughout the semester, we collaborated with STEM to Stern (STEM to Stern) to host robotics workshops for kids! Our PacBot, Tinker, and Droid teams walked through a variety of activities, from learning about obstacle avoidance to building working lightsabers. Additionally, we hosted sessions at Ferry Ave Library in Camden, NJ, where we went over topics like building circuits and writing code, as well as led kids through designing their own Lego minifigures that they could take home! ?? Social Events: We had a blast at our WALL-E Movie Night (with free Playa Bowls) and LEGO Night (with massive LEGO sets, boba, and a screening of the Lego Movie)! We can’t wait for even more fun events next semester, and hope to see you there!

???Project Part-Selection Workshop Recap! ?? Two weeks ago, the Princeton University Robotics Club (PURC) had the pleasure of hosting a part-selection workshop featuring McMaster-Carr representatives Hannah Gonzales Ramilo, Schirin Rangnick, and Ben Bollinger (Princeton '21). The workshop was led by PURC officers Maria Heffernen and Alecia Barbieri and covered a comprehensive guide to selecting mechanical components and navigating the McMaster-Carr website ordering process. Check out the highlights and images below! McMaster-Carr is a market-leading e-commerce company helping customers build anything because we offer everything. Our leaders get unparalleled opportunities to help customers by solving problems across tech, merchandising, publishing, distribution, and customer service. We seek bright, curious, and ambitious students to join our two leadership paths: Management Development and Technology Development & Design. For both paths, we value diverse academic backgrounds—from Philosophy to Engineering — knowing fresh perspectives drive innovation. If you enjoy asking “what if” and “why,” tackling challenges, and leading teams, McMaster-Carr is the place for you. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gGgZqQtk #TeamBuilding #Workshop #Fun

??"Celebrating 11 Years of Innovation: Kicking Off the 2024/25 Academic Year with Princeton University Robotics Club (PURC)"?? This academic year marks the 11th anniversary of the Princeton University Robotics Club (PURC). With 4 new teams, expanding school outreach, DEI initiatives, and STEM training workshops for aspiring robotics enthusiasts, we are excited for another year of engaging activities, events, team-building, and developments! ??Teams?? In the past year, many of our teams have made incredible progress: Exoskeleton Team: Having finalized the proof-of-concept interface stages, the team is now transitioning to constructing the upper body and arm designs. Droid Team: After completing the BB-8 infrastructure and aesthetic design, the team is now focused on integrating computer vision (CV) functionality and autonomous movement. Golf Cart Team: The team has successfully revived a wrecked golf cart and is now working on additional modifications and developing self-driving algorithms. PacBot Team: The team is exploring new algorithms and improving upon last year's design while developing new concepts for next year's competition. Drone Team: The team is enhancing completed drones with a quadcopter solar charging station and working on tail-sitter maneuvers. All in all, our club offers beginner-friendly opportunities for both new and experienced members to explore engineering, pursue their passions, and thrive in a supportive, collaborative environment. ??Business Team?? This year marks the launch of PURC's Business team, and we’re excited about the new opportunities it will bring to the club. With more project teams and events than ever, we look forward to discovering innovative ways to fund our initiatives and support the club's growth. We've already secured support from McMaster-Carr and aim to build lasting partnerships across various industries. ??School Outreach & FIRST Robotics?? To make robotics more accessible to younger students, PURC is launching a School Outreach initiative that can spread our knowledge of robotics to our surrounding community. This year, we're partnering with libraries and organizations like STEM to Stern to host opportunities for students around New Jersey to learn robotics using examples from our current projects. In addition, we are also planning to host volunteer trips to FIRST robotics tournaments, mentor local FIRST teams, and coordinate FIRST-related outreach opportunities. ??????Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion?? PURC is currently organizing a speaker event with the CEO of Black Girls Code (Cristina Mancini) to touch on diversity in STEM. The team also hopes to organize other public engagement events and continue collaborating with other technology groups on campus. We are very excited about how this school year will go!

??"Celebrating 11 Years of Innovation: Kicking Off the 2024/25 Academic Year with Princeton University Robotics Club (PURC)"?? This academic year marks the 11th anniversary of the Princeton University Robotics Club (PURC). With 4 new teams, expanding school outreach, DEI initiatives, and STEM training workshops for aspiring robotics enthusiasts, we are excited for another year of engaging activities, events, team-building, and developments! ??Teams?? In the past year, many of our teams have made incredible progress: Exoskeleton Team: Having finalized the proof-of-concept interface stages, the team is now transitioning to constructing the upper body and arm designs. Droid Team: After completing the BB-8 infrastructure and aesthetic design, the team is now focused on integrating computer vision (CV) functionality and autonomous movement. Golf Cart Team: The team has successfully revived a wrecked golf cart and is now working on additional modifications and developing self-driving algorithms. PacBot Team: The team is exploring new algorithms and improving upon last year's design while developing new concepts for next year's competition. Drone Team: The team is enhancing completed drones with a quadcopter solar charging station and working on tail-sitter maneuvers. All in all, our club offers beginner-friendly opportunities for both new and experienced members to explore engineering, pursue their passions, and thrive in a supportive, collaborative environment. ??Business Team?? This year marks the launch of PURC's Business team, and we’re excited about the new opportunities it will bring to the club. With more project teams and events than ever, we look forward to discovering innovative ways to fund our initiatives and support the club's growth. We've already secured support from McMaster-Carr and aim to build lasting partnerships across various industries. ??School Outreach & FIRST Robotics?? To make robotics more accessible to younger students, PURC is launching a School Outreach initiative that can spread our knowledge of robotics to our surrounding community. This year, we're partnering with libraries and organizations like STEM to Stern to host opportunities for students around New Jersey to learn robotics using examples from our current projects. In addition, we are also planning to host volunteer trips to FIRST robotics tournaments, mentor local FIRST teams, and coordinate FIRST-related outreach opportunities. ??????Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion?? PURC is currently organizing a speaker event with the CEO of Black Girls Code (Cristina Mancini) to touch on diversity in STEM. The team also hopes to organize other public engagement events and continue collaborating with other technology groups on campus. We are very excited about how this school year will go!

We at PURC appreciate the Droid Team shoutout Princeton Engineering! Go check out their post and stay tuned for updates with the finished BB-8 droid, which we plan to showcase at the Princeton Activities Fair this fall!