Team Tech established its industry partnership with Lenovo, securing sponsorship and setting the direction for the year's project.
Team leads were officially appointed for the new school year.
The concept for SOLARA — Sunlight Oriented Learning and Research Analyzers — took shape. The team defined the rover's mission, scope, and core technical components.
Open recruitment launched within the UCR SWE chapter, bringing in students from a range of engineering disciplines to fill subteam roles.
The full team was assembled. Mechanical, electrical, and software subteams were finalized and work on SOLARA officially began.
Foundational frameworks for the rover control app, live dashboard, and project website were created, setting the technical foundation for all software deliverables.
Complete CAD model of the robot created in Onshape, establishing the foundational design for all mechanical components.
Began working on the simulated robot to understand the ROS2 Framework and lay the groundwork for autonomous operation.
The rover app reached a working build and trained ML models were developed for environmental data analysis and farmer recommendations.
Technical drawings created for individual parts in Onshape, CAD updated with design revisions, and team budget finalized and submitted.
Installed Ubuntu, ROS2, and cloned the repo on the PI5. Programmed and tested each environmental sensor as well the sensors contributing to robot autonomy. Began programming and testing both the claw and chassis motors. Implemented Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) and SLAM using IMU, GPS, and LiDAR sensors for localization and mapping capabilities.
End-to-end data pipeline built and integrated: sensor data capture, processing, analysis, storage, and visualization with actionable insights.
Collaborated with the ME Makerspace to manufacture parts, providing drawings and coordinating production of components.
After finding the ME Makerspace couldn't bend the required pieces, new parts were ordered through SendCutSend using a more manufacturable material. Designed and 3D printed an inner plate for the Raspberry Pi and battery, and a custom LiDAR mount.
Tested a fully working motor and implemented motor logic within the ROS framework. Modified the project architecture to separate the claw system from the main robot.
Metal parts spray painted and the chassis skeleton fully assembled.
The Team Tech project website was developed, bringing together subteam pages, the live data dashboard, and the full project story in one place.
GCAP and SWE logos designed in Onshape for 3D printing. Coordinating with the wiring team to locate sensors on the robot and drilling mounting holes.
Soldered sensors, motors, and troubleshot connection issues. Tested sensors and wheels with the battery, and validated the full claw design with motors.