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Week 02 — Sept 14-20, 2025

Overview

Based on volleyball knowledge, training insight, and captured gameplay, the criteria, constraints, and objectives were finalized as a group.

Began to discuss implementation methods, specifically launching mechanisms, that would target the functional requirements defined. The initial calculations targeted no spin and full court coverage.

Needs Statement:

Elite volleyball players need a cost-effective, robotic setter that reliably replicates the precision, tempo, arc, and positional variation of a top-tier human setter, filling a critical gap left by current training equipment.

Individual Updates

Austin

  • Helped team setup Github's education license for free Copilot Pro access
  • Researching other similar devices and patents that exist on the market
  • Began drafting application form for the engineer future fund
  • Discussed constraints, criteria, and objectives

Grace

  • Performed motor torque calculations for rotational and linear launching mechanisms
    • Found initial dimensions of lever arm and linear accelerating distance required
  • Discussed constraints, criteria, and objectives

Kevin

  • Contributed to criteria/constraint/objective discussion
  • Provided volleyball gameplay and training insight
  • Recorded reference volleyball footage for calculations
  • Performed market research into existing solutions
    • Created competitors’ solutions chart
  • Sketched initial mechanisms potential solutions

Vincent

  • Website and repository management
    • Look into pymdownx extension to improve documentation capabilities
  • Discussed constraints, criteria, and objectives
  • Researched linear actuator mechanisms; required BLDC motors and reductions
  • Performed market research into existing solutions
    • Created competitors’ solutions chart