The Team
While there are many people who helped make the Podcast Wizard Robot a reality, there are four primary team members responsible for bringing the Podbot to life. So, meet the team!
Andrew Ng
Education: Mechanical Engineering
Primary Task: Frame/Chassis Design & Construction
Andrew’s Blog
Andrew is our resident expert on all things mechanical. In addition to getting the frame and chassis for the robot built, Andrew did a lot of work designing the way the robot would look and how it would work. He was also responsible for the first mockups of the robot, both hand drawn and computer modeled!
Ashish Patel
Education: Computer Engineering
Primary Task: Electronics & Embedded Software
Ashish’s Blog
When we realized we’d need an expert on electronics, we turned to Ashish. He made it possible for us to control the robot using software by building the circuitry that allows the on-board tablet to talk to and control the motors. Ashish also helped figure out what exactly we needed to buy to make the robot work.
Dickson Wong
Education: Computer Engineering
Primary Task: General Design & Software
Dickson’s Blog
In addition to being the team’s chauffeur, Dickson did a lot of work designing the robot. He also created much of the software that powers the robot, including the fancy on-board user interface. Dickson could also be seen helping Ashish with the electronics! And when someone was required to sign the Visa slip, Dickson never let us down 
Mack Male
Education: Computing Sciences
Primary Task: Project Management & Software
Mack’s Blog
As self-appointed project manager, Mack was generally a pain in everyone’s rear end, constantly reminding the team of deadlines. When he wasn’t busy cracking the whip, Mack helped design the robot and worked on the software systems. The website, video, and most of the pictures can also be attributed to Mack.
Contributors
The following people, while not officially part of the team, helped us in some way or another:
- Rick Bubenko - Helped supply materials and some part fabrication
- Kimberly Male - Helped paint and design the Podbot logo
- Martin Male - Supplied some computer hardware
- Rick McGregor - Provided lab access for building the electronics
- John Ng - Provided major expertise on frame and chassis fabrication, as well as providing valuable insight into design
- Jeffrey Samuel - Helped with the “ice cream truck” video
- Ed Tiong - Helped with electronic parts
- Loren Wyard-Scott - Helped with electronic parts
