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In �þ�����Ƶ's Industrial Robotics Lab, a named “Swoop” demonstrates how robotics can be both functional and fun. Sami Friend, a senior Robotics Engineering major, Parker Murphy, an Electrical Engineering major graduating in December, and Ethan Chapel, also graduating in December with a degree in Robotics Engineering, shared insights into their work on the CRX-10iA Collaborative Robot. Together with teammates Carlos Buelvas and Jacob Bowens, they’re challenging popular perceptions shaped by movies like I, Robot, aiming to demonstrate how robots can be helpful allies in everyday life.

The CRX-10iA, commonly used in factories as a palletizer on assembly lines, typically operates with a human counterpart to complete its tasks. What sets Swoop apart from its robot friends is its playful personality—a unique programming twist that makes it more approachable for the general public. This social robot invites passersby to play Tic-Tac-Toe with it by picking up blocks marked with X's and O's and placing them on a grid, where Swoop responds with its own moves. Win or lose, Swoop wraps up each game by waving a flag, humorously crowning its opponent as the winner or loser. These intentional design choices ignite curiosity and engagement among non-engineering majors, inviting them to interact with a robot in a fun and approachable environment. “I’m working on integrating some voice lines for it, giving it a voice—so we’re going to use a Raspberry Pi and Python,” Ethan Chapel said, hoping to give Swoop a sassy edge to its already vibrant personality.

As soon-to-be graduates entering the industry, the team has learned valuable lessons from working on Swoop, including how to overcome technical challenges. Reflecting on the initial obstacles they faced while programming, Sami Friend shared, “It was hard to put all the logic into code because, with FANUC programming, you don’t get the fancy stuff you would in Java or Python. It’s just a bunch of ifs, and then it jumps to that spot. So, a code that would normally take 50 lines ended up being 500 lines.” Parker Murphy added, “It’s basically like you’re forced to program like a middle schooler would. That sounds like it would be easier—it’s not. It’s so much harder because you’re doing something complicated, but you just have to rely on the very basics of what you know how to do because that’s all you can use on the actual controller.”

In addition to sharpening their technical skills, the group has deepened their teamwork and problem-solving abilities. Given the project’s unique demands, each member’s progress often depends on another completing their part first, making clear communication and accountability essential. Reflecting on this, Murphy shared how the experience taught him “how important communication is and how critical meeting your deadline is because you have people relying on you to get your stuff done.” 

It was through this close-knit collaboration that the team developed a strong bond. “I just did an assembly position with a big robotics distributor over the summer,” Chapel said, “but my experience before this was mainly in computer programming, not robotics programming. I’m a Robotics Engineering major, and that’s my passion, but I had very little experience actually working with robots. So it was really nice to work with a fantastic team—people who are there for me and who I try to be there for too.”

Faculty mentorship and guidance have also played a crucial role in this project's success. The team credited Associate Teaching Professor (and 2024 recipient of the Arthur Olson Generational Outstanding Teaching Excellence Award) Dave Hartup for fostering their communication and support. “He’s definitely one of the most active and present advisors you can have in the department,” Murphy said. “He’ll meet with us every week for an hour and go over everything that we’ve done and give us suggestions on what to do for the next week.” With such strong support and collaboration, the team felt empowered to tackle even the toughest challenges ahead.

This is an ambitious team with lofty goals—Sami aspires to work for NASA or SpaceX building rovers, Parker hopes to stay at the forefront of new technologies, and Ethan dreams of becoming an inventor. Swoop, their friendly robot, represents their hard work and serves as a great conversation starter with future employers. “It’s a really big multidisciplinary project—you have the robotics with the actual robot, electrical with all our wiring into the controller and setting up the Pi, a lot of vision software with our camera, and mechanical with 3D printing. It covers everything. Companies really like it. In all the interviews I’ve done, I’ve talked about this project for about half the time because they keep asking questions and love it,” Murphy said.

As the team prepares to showcase Swoop to a broader audience, they hope to shift perceptions surrounding robotics. “I hope that people become less afraid of robots,” Sami reflects, emphasizing their goal to dispel the negative stigma often associated with these machines. “I want people to get more comfortable with robots…it just feels like people aren’t willing to give them a chance because there are so many bad representations of them.” Parker echoes this sentiment, highlighting the sophisticated programming behind Swoop’s playful demeanor. “I hope that people take away from this project how intelligent the programming on these robots can be. You would normally just imagine these industrial robots picking up boxes and laying them back down, but here we have all this logic that really makes it this intelligent, functioning machine that’s smart enough to beat even professors in Tic-Tac-Toe.”

With dreams of shaping the next frontier of technology, Sami, Parker, Ethan, and their teammates exemplify the spirit of exploration that drives progress. Throughout their accomplishments, they carry a hopeful vision: one where robots are embraced as companions in our daily lives, capable of sparking curiosity and inspiring future generations. Together, they have crafted not just a functional robot, but a symbol of possibility, reminding us that with teamwork and creativity, the future is full of promise.