With all our components finally delivered, we spent the week transitioning from planning to active integration. Steven focused on the electrical subsystem, successfully verifying the power path from the rocker switch and PSU through to the motor control. Having the physical parts in hand has been important for Kendric, as he can now finalize the mechanical layout with exact dimensions, while Andrew has been balancing software development on the Jetson and Pi with the physical design. Our most significant risk currently involves several mechanical parts that don’t fit perfectly within our original chassis design. We are managing this by 3D printing custom adapters and using high-strength adhesives. If these adjustments don’t address our issues, we plan to find alternative mounting hardware locally to keep us on track.
There have been no changes to our system design, requirements, or block diagrams this week. While we are officially back on schedule, the “mid-semester” reality is setting in, and the final deadline feels much closer than it did before Spring Break. Although we haven’t needed to alter our technical specs, there is definitely a shared sense of urgency within the team to maintain this momentum. Now that the hardware is stable and being assembled, we’re in a good position to move into the final stages of integration without further delays.