Our Projects

Cornell Cup Robotics works on multiple projects during the school year. Each project/subteam within Cornell Cup has a team lead and members with diverse academic backgrounds. The two main subteams this year are C1C0 and Minibot.

Above: Image of our mini pod-racer simulator at the National Maker Faire in 2017

C1C0

MechE Leads: Zack Ginesin, Keegan Lewick

ECE Lead: Liam Kain

CS Lead: Mohammad Khan

The original R2D2 project focused upon creating a semi-autonomous lab assistant that could navigate and map out its surrounding environment. We have since renamed that project to C1C0 and given it the ability to interact with its surroundings. This allows the droid to complete tasks such as getting food from a fridge, opening a door, recognizing and greeting individual people, and even firing a nerf dart at a target! To generate excitement and interest in robotics and engineering, the team aims to advertise the C1C0 project and generate interest in its design process through a Kickstarter campaign.

Facial Recognition

The goal is to recognize the faces of Cornell Cup members and then check in for attendance. We are currently working on having faster transmission between the programs, creating a better facial recognition algorithm, and testing for Google Docs auto-fill API for check-in.

Strong Arm

We are designing a durable robotic arm intended for performing operations requiring more strength for C1C0. This arm will be used for more higher-force operations, such as holding open doors and picking up heavy objects.

Object Detection

The goal of this project is to be able to classify and locate objects around the lab from an image capture and successfully grasp target objects based on user commands. This project works closely with computer vision and machine learning, and implements kinematics to carry out C1C0’s precision arm tasks.

Speech & Sentiment Analysis

The purpose of this project is to make C1C0 able to react to sentiment in the user’s speech. C1C0 reacts either negatively, by playing a sad noise on its speaker, or positively, by playing a happy sound on its speaker, based on the sentiment of the user’s speech.

c1c0
Head

The team is working on integrating the nerf blaster, a periscope, a lens aperture winking mechanism, and the head structure. We are also designing the new head and additional internal and external features on C1C0.

Precision Arm

We are designing a high precision robotic arm for use on C1C0. This arm has 5 degrees of freedom and will allow C1C0 to perform various tasks, including waving hello, opening a door, and picking up a pen.

Chatbot

The goal of Chatbot is to enable C1C0 to respond intelligently to a spectrum of different questions and commands. This project utilizes a ton of machine learning and natural language processing, and is the central hub for communication between the user and C1C0 and its other computing processes.

Locomotion

We are designing the new head and additional internal and external features on C1C0. This includes a head nodding mechanism and features like the nerf blaster attachment in C1C0's drawer.

Path Planning

The team is working on enabling C1C0 to traverse across different terrains and avoid obstacles. This project requires the integration of many different sensors, including LIDAR, Indoor GPS, Gyroscope, and Indoor GPS, as well as work with algorithms and optimization.

Minibot

MechE Leads: Keegan Lewick, Zack Ginesin

ECE Lead: Anne Liu

CS Lead: Sanjana Nandi

The MiniBot project aims to create a cost effective and intuitive learning platform for undergraduate and high school students to learn about the basics of robotics. The MiniBot is modular and easy to assemble so students can create anything from line followers and sumo bots to race cars with the system. The base will be compatible with both Vex and Lego pieces and will include custom electronics and modular assembly pieces. Additionally, there will be a simple user interface with a coding platform where student can quickly upload commands and code to the robot. Students will be able to do everything for the robotic design including electronics, assembly, and the coding commands.

AppDev

A mobile android app that controls the Buddybot. Functionalities include video streaming from the Minibot camera, overhead coordinate detection, and simple object detection using April tags.

Buddybot

BuddyBot is a mini-project, which increases Minibot’s usability and acts as a miniature companion robot to our R2 robot. BuddyBot is not meant to be approached as a project that will be licensed for educational purposes, but rather as a project that tests the limits of the Minibot technology by incorporating more advanced, novel features and technologies that novices may not be able to use freely. We hope to inspire young inventors to be able to participate in robotics through Buddybot.

Minibot
Vision

Overhead vision uses 6 cameras that calibrate and detect the location of the Minibot in the map and sends this information to the mobile app.

Laser Tag

Minibot features a laser tag game, with an automated laser turret mounted onto the bot.

LCD Touchscreen

Our LCD screen on Minibot currently features a smiley face. We aim to add additional features, such as a weather display, a simple game, music player, and an alarm clock.

General Improvements

The subteam is working on housing for motors and wires, a soccer ball kicking mechanism, a M&M candy dispenser, and a claw to grab objects.

Past Projects

Over the years Cornell Cup Robotics has successfully created numerous projects. These projects range from a humanoid robot that is able to play RockBand with 98% accuracy, to an autonomous omni-directional rover named DuneBot, and even functional droids inspired by C3PO.