J-Walker

This is the story of J-Walker, our ME 382 project. Yannick, Chris, Jason, Bob, and myself worked on this little robot for several months in the fall of 2003. J-Walker was built for the 2004 ASME Design Contest titled “Mine Madness.” The robot placed 3rd out of about 30 teams at the Oregon State University contest. At the regional contest in Moscow, Idaho, it won first place. Our team went on to place 5th out of 13 teams at the 2004 ASME International Design Challenge in Anaheim, California.

At the contest that Oregon State University held, J-Walker did well. However, J-Walker could have done much better had we had more time to practice driving the robot and thinking of strategy. We finished wiring the robot at 8am, only a few hours before the robot was due to be turned in for judging.

J-Walker standing proud at the international contest.
J-Walker standing proud at the international contest.
Bob and Douglas at work on a milling machine.
Bob and Douglas at work on a milling machine.
The team working on J-Walker's electronics.
The team working on J-Walker’s electronics.
At the Oregon State design contest.
At the Oregon State design contest.
J-Walker delivering the first mine at the OSU contest.
J-Walker delivering the first mine at the OSU contest.

After the Oregon State contest, J-Walker was selected to move on to the regional ASME contest in Pocatello, Idaho. Bob flew in a Cessna to Pocatello with a few other guys who were also going to the contest. Chris and I drove with a friend, Amanda, across the Oregon Outback in the middle of the night to reach Pocatello in time for the contest.

Dawn on I-86 heading east to Pocatello.
Dawn on I-86 heading east to Pocatello.
J-Walker crossing a barrier.
J-Walker crossing a barrier.
Our team at the ASME Regional Design Contest.
Our team at the ASME Regional Design Contest.

Following the regional contest, our team revamped J-Walker and prepared the robot for the ASME International Design Contest in Anaheim, California. The contest was held in November 2004 while I was studying abroad in Tunis, Tunisia. In a bout of what must have been insanity, I flew from North Africa to Los Angles, attended the contest, and flew back to Tunisia in the equivalent of four days. More time was spent flying and in airports than was spent on the ground at the contest.

Teams from across America and around the world represented all of the regions of ASME. It was a real contest between me and the team from Hong Kong over who traveled further to reach the competition. J-Walker performed well at the contest. We placed 5th out of 13 teams. Below are a few photos of the competition.

Chris and Douglas practicing with J-Walker the night before the contest.
Chris and Douglas practicing with J-Walker the night before the contest.
J-Walker picks up a mine during the competition.
J-Walker picks up a mine during the competition.
The team at the International Design Contest.
The team at the International Design Contest.

And with that, I boarded a plane to return to Tunisia and my year spent studying, working, traveling, and living abroad. J-Walker was a good robot. It was well-designed and well-machined. For those who would like to see the robot in person, it is on display in Dearborn 102 at the Undergraduate Advising Office of the School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering at Oregon State University.

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