Team Members: Leila Jawad, Alex Montano, Sara Jawad ENG1935: ECE ADVENTURES Team Minority Robot Suave

LEILA JAWAD Class: Freshman Major: Exploratory, Health Sciences I developed a better understanding of the Electrical/Computer engineering fields. This course has inspired me to further explore the engineering field. My UF plans and goals are to sample different fields of study and widen my horizons in order to become a well rounded professional. I have yet to decide on a specific career, however this course has allowed me to explore my options.

LEILA JAWAD (CONTINUED) My words of wisdom for the next class are to keep an open mind about different fields of study- you might be surprised where your interests lie.

ALEX MONTANO Class: Freshman Major: Electrical Engineering I learned that anything is possible with robots and that it takes patience to program. This course has made me realize that in the future I may be interested in working with robots. My UF plans and goals are to graduate with a degree in engineering and to be more involved in the engineering department. I want to eventually own an engineering firm.

ALEX MONTANO (CONTINUED) My words of wisdom are for the new class to take their first semester seriously and know your strengths so that you may study something you like.

SARA JAWAD Class: Freshman Major: Exploratory, Engineering I learned what factors to consider when programming. This course has allowed me to get a glimpse into a possible career path- one I didn’t realize I had any interest in pursuing. My UF plans and goals are to venture further into areas that interest me, and to be academically successful in my endeavors.

SARA JAWAD (CONTINUED) My words of wisdom are to take time to study and really learn material while it’s being taught. If you wait until later down the road, you’re just making it more difficult for yourself.

THEY SEE ME ROLLIN’, THEY HATIN’: THE TALE OF A ROBOT NAMED SUAVE The Minorities imported a prematurely born robot from San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is rumored that the song Suavemente was playing in the lab when he was originally constructed, hence his name, Suave. The Minorities were eager to begin programming the robot, however they were met with many obstacles, as a result of deficiencies due to his premature birth. In their concern, The Minorities rushed Suave to the nearest lab, where he was diagnosed with a learning disability, which in hindsight, explains why his system rejected the programming on several occasions. In spite of it all, The Minorities refused to give up on the little robot that they knew could.

THEY SEE ME ROLLIN’, THEY HATIN’: THE TALE OF A ROBOT NAMED SUAVE With every step forward, it seemed like three steps back. On top of the programming being rejected, Suave also suffered from spontaneous dismemberment. In one particularly devastating week, his left wheel popped off at just the mention of a test run. He was handicapped for almost an entire week, (the equivalent of a year in robot time), and was subjected to watch all the other robots play from his stationary position on a dusty shelf. Eventually, with much nurturing and rehabilitation, Suave was back on his wheels.

THEY SEE ME ROLLIN’, THEY HATIN’: THE TALE OF A ROBOT NAMED SUAVE When the time came to prove himself in front of a worldwide audience, Suave became so overwhelmed with excitement that his bolts and screws trembled uncontrollably and he broke into a Salsa dance mid run, which some say resembled a seizure. All of the twists and turns of the maze symbolized all the hardships Suave overcame, and he handled them with ease. Although Suave eventually finished strong, completing the course in just 24.1 seconds, he is reminded daily of the struggles he endured. Even to this day, he rolls with a slight tilt.

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WORDS OF WISDOM FROM THE MINORITIES Patience is key when venturing into a new subject area, and programming is no exception. Work with your robots needs or tendencies and encourage the little fellow every step of the way. You’d be surprised what you can accomplish with an open mind and some team work. Good luck!