Question 1: How did you get involved in the LEGO Robotics Group of Ann Arbor?

My involvement came as a challenge from the other original members of the LEGO Robotics Group of Ann Arbor. Our first challenge was a Sumo Bot match. I was collecting LEGOs again and was inspired to buy the RIS 2.0 set when it was release in July of 2001. I can thank Jona for that!

He had purchased the RIS 1.5 set and was showing me (and Rob) what could be done with it! Very cool!

I had started collecting LEGOs again when I found out that they were making sets with samurais and ninjas! The following year LEGO started the Star Wars line and I've been collecting since! I hadn't ventured into the robotics (or Technic) aspect until Jona bought his set. Now I pretty much buy (when I can afford it!) System, Technic and Mindstorms sets.

Question 2: What do you do for work? How does this work effect your robotics?

My current profession is Computer Programmer. And being such, it helps a great deal with robotics! Since I bought the RIS 2.0 set, programming my creations has been easy. From what I heard, programming in 1.0 or 1.5 was difficult and limited!

Question 3: So far, what has been the most challenging aspect of robotics and why?

By far the stair climbing challenge was the hardest! Originally I had not planned on participating due to the nature of the challenge. Our first matches were Sumo bots and item gathering/sorting. I felt that we were trying to fly when we had just learned to walk!

Question 4: Out of all of your creations, which made you feel the most satisfaction when it was complete and why?

Definitely the stair climbing bot. At first I thought it couldn't be done elegantly or quickly but I was proven wrong!

I had a thought about how it may be done and tested it out (actually I had many thoughts but knew that a multi-legged walker was beyond my current abilities!) I had some good results and refined it. By the end, I was very satisfied with my bot and knew that I wouldn't win but would finish the challenge!

Question 5: What if any inspiration do you use when it comes to starting a new robot?

I tend to think in terms of how to interpret the rules of the challenge to my advantage. I'll also search the Internet to see if other people have tried something similar and build based on that or refine it. I'll also approach the challenges from a different aspect of what might typically be done. For example, the stair climbing bot carried a set of rails that rested between the steps and the body of the bot would "ride" the rails to the next step! Most of the other designs I had seen (and that were used in our challenge!;) ) relied on having a body that was sections so one could "climb" to the next step while the other section stayed on the originating step. Once the front section was on the next step, the rear section would "climb" up. That just looked cumbersome and slow (although Jona made such a bot and won the match with it!)