2025-02-28 - RAS URC Update

Upon convening a 反省 / self-reflection meeting conducted by Alejandro, David, Sergio, JC, and Alec, it has been decided that several improvements in running of the URC sub-project shall be implemented to better align the competition with the Mission of RAS:

• 1. 🦾 Internal Design Competitions shall be held to prototype, refine our designs, and explore the design of each module of the rover and maintain recent positive forward progress.
• 2. 📏 Standardization of key hardware (e.g. 20mm 8020 extrusion, 8x22x7 bearings, M3 screws and bolts, XT60 connectors for batteries), software (e.g. Onshape for CAD, git, ROS2, etc.), and tooling (e.g. 3D printing processes) shall be implemented.
• 3. 🔧 A Chief Engineer shall be appointed and made responsible for representing the needs of the customer (The URC judges)
  • 3a. The Chief Engineer shall create a Unified Front Organization ("UFO") Document of less than 10 pages expressing system requirements and a unified vision for our URC entry to every member of RAS in high-level language.
  • 3b. A Simultaneous Engineer shall be appointed per module of the rover to run a cross-functional team dedicated to the successful implementation of the module.
  • 3c. A weekly Obeya meeting shall be conducted by the Chief Engineer and Simultaneous Engineers to visualize, coordinate, and de-conflict rover modules. The Chief Engineer is responsible for ensuring module designs have correct outcome, correct interoperability, and correct pricing.
• 4. 📚 A Wiki shall be maintained and updated for all RAS tutorials, standards, and guidelines.
  • 4a. Getting-started guides for core skills shall be maintained on the Wiki to rapidly onboard new members while placing less burden on RAS executive leadership, Simultaneous Engineers, and the Chief Engineer.
    • Onshape, ROS2, Git, Linux, Soldering, etc.
  • 4b. All workshops held by RAS shall have a step-by-step accompanying tutorial placed on the Wiki for future use, to provide a reference for members to use after the workshop, and to maintain knowledge for future generations.
  • 4c. Common standards used by our organization shall be recorded and maintained on the Wiki to enable rapid and harmonious design of all components.

We have made a lot of great progress over the past couple of weeks, and we have all leaned a lot from our participation in URC. Even if we did not achieve our goals for the design review video submission this year, we will continue with the original schedule, hosting an internal competition and demoing our URC rover to key individuals at UTSA this summer. In robotics and automation, it is ultimately the skillset of designing and implementing working systems that matters. To that end, we will continue to use URC as a proving ground to build and refine our abilities as engineers so we may one day use our scientific and technological knowledge to benefit humanity.