Introduction

Contents

1. Welcome
2. Teams
3. Benefits of Joining a Team
4. FAQ

1. Welcome

Welcome to the UVic Robotics Club wiki! This is a place where team members can contribute and learn about the different systems that come together to make our rover.

2. Teams

UVic Robotics is lead by Steven and is split up into several different teams:

• The business team, (still looking for a lead), manages club funds, reaches out to sponsors, creates graphics, and creates a strong social media presence.
• The electrical team, lead by Cam, designs, constructs, and tests the electrical hardware that allows our rover to run. Some current projects involve the rover's battery, microcontroller communications, and motor control.
• The mechanical team, lead by Bryce, designs and builds the body, arm, and drivetrain of the rover. This can range from designing and 3D printing parts, to building them in the machine shop.
• The science team, lead by Elise, designs a game plan for the CIRC Land Speculation task which involves surveying an area of land to evaluate it for temporary or long-term settlements. This will be done through detecting mineral resources, analyzing the soil for water and nutrients, and looking for anything else with scientific potential. After these results are collected, a development plan is created with recommendations for evacuation, resettlement, and long-term development.
• The software team, lead by Josh, writes and tests the software that controls the rover's movements. Some current projects involve working with a scheduler for multiple rover tasks, using image recognition to detect QR codes, creating databases to store sensor data, and retrieving GPS data from a smartphone. This team also works with the electrical team to program the microcontrollers that are responsible for controlling the rover's arm and drivetrain.

3. Benefits of Joining a Team

University engineering teams might sound like work, but they also offer many benefits:

• Develop important skills in things that your classes may not cover
• Work in a team of people who share the same interest and are working towards a common goal
• Learn from upper-level students
• Improve soft skills
• Have an opportunity to lead projects and teams
• Work on projects that you can show-off to future employers

4. FAQ

I am only in my first year of university. Will I be able to contribute anything meaningful to the club?

Yes! The most important factors are time, interest, and a willingness to learn. Prior knowledge isn't necessary.

Do I need to be in the Faculty of Engineering in order to join?

Nope! Everyone is welcome.

I attended a meeting and I didn't understand any of the material. Should I hold off on joining the club until my final year?

No! Everyone is lost when starting out. The sooner you join, the sooner you will have a better grasp on things. Keep coming to meetings and asking questions and you will be an expert in no time.

I am interested in joining multiple teams to figure out what I am interested in. Can I do this?

Yes, although you may want to reconsider. Contributing to a single team is a commitment, so if you join two teams then you may not get the full experience. Instead, you may want to work on a project for one team, and then when that is complete you can take on a project in another team. Also, even if you are only on one team, you will still have ample opportunity to collaborate with the other teams. Talk to the team leads to learn more.

I am really interested in adding ______ to the rover. Can I work on this?

Maybe! Send your idea to your team lead and they will discuss it with you.