Frame
Team Lead: Anjeli Estrada
Anjeli Estrada is a sophomore, mechanical engineering major and a computer science minor from Ecuador and Guatemala. This is her second year on the team and she previously worked in the shop and on the frame team.
Email: aestrad5@u.rochester.edu
Roles and Responsibilities:
The frame team is in charge of designing, testing, and manufacturing the chassis for the vehicle. Siemens NX is used for the design, finite element analysis and simulations of the different stresses on the chassis. In addition, the frame team collaborates with the electronics and instrumentation team to perform physical testing using strain gauges in order to validate the load cases calculated in the design programs.
Drivetrain
Team Lead: Bruno Coelho
Bruno Coelho is a junior mechanical engineering major from Santa Rosa, California. This is his second year on the team, and he previously focused on transmission dynamics.
Email: bcoelho@u.rochester.edu
Roles and Responsibilities:
The drivetrain team is responsible for powering the car. Typically, our vehicles run a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) from the engine to a double stage reduction gearbox attached directly to the wheels. We design and manufacture a new gearbox every year. We are also responsible for tuning the CVT once the car is complete to achieve maximum performance by balancing top speed, torque, and acceleration.
Suspension
Team Lead: Jiatong Sun
Jiatong Sun is a junior, mechanical engineering and business major from Beijing, China. This is his third year on the team, and he previously served as a team member in the shop working on suspension and design analysis.
Email: jsun48@u.rochester.edu
Roles and Responsibilities:
The suspension is all hardware that connects the tires to the chassis, allowing for relative motion between the two. The design of a vehicle’s suspension is the determining factor in its handling characteristics; traits such as turning radius, roll while turning sharply, or response to driving over an obstacle. To design and manufacture the suspension, the suspension project team makes use of a variety of CAD and finite element analysis tools (such as Siemens NX and SolidWorks) as well as manufacturing techniques such as CNC machining, milling, lathing, and welding. Once the suspension has been built and mounted, the suspension team is responsible for tuning the suspension to match our drivers’ preferred handling traits and terrain, as well as being ready to swiftly replace broken parts during a race.
Usability
Team Lead: Walter Cruz
Walter Cruz is a senior, and mechanical engineering major from Washington, D.C. This is his third year on the team and he previously worked as a team member in the shop.
Email: wcruz@u.rochester.edu
Roles and Responsibilities:
The Usability team covers every system that is part of the driver-to-vehicle interface. Critical systems span from the brakes to the accelerator, and more. Leveraging ergonomics and performance, we extend to seating comfort and safety components. Drivers interact with all systems; the usability team regularly cooperates with other subsystems to complete our Baja vehicle.
Electronics & Instrumentation
Team Lead: Colin Blake
Colin Blake is a junior, electrical and computer engineering major from Glen Rock, New Jersey. This is his third year on the team and second as the Electronics and Instrumentation lead. He previously worked as a team member on the electronics team.
Email: cblake8@u.rochester.edu
Roles and Responsibilities:
The Electronics & Instrumentation team is responsible for all electrical systems on the vehicle, and for gathering data which validate the design decisions made for the vehicle, completing the design cycle. We also take care of communication at competitions using digital Motorola MOTOTRBO radios. We typically collect data using Arduino-type microcontrollers, and data loggers by AIM, Omega, and NI for sensors such as strain gauges, hall effect sensors, and GPS.
Autonomous Vehicle
Team Lead: Sam Kriegsman
Sam is a junior, computer science major from East Brunswick, New Jersey. This is her third year on the team and she previously worked in the electronics team and Autonomous Vehicle project.
Email: skriegsm@u.rochester.edu
Roles and Responsibilities:
The Baja Autonomous Car will provide a highly controlled testing platform for data collection. The ability to control and measure engine rpm, brake pressure, and steering angle allows tests to be controlled and errors to be accounted for. Utilizing ROS, the car will be able to interpret multiple sensors and control itself in real time. From a real time kinematics system giving it centimeter level accuracy of latitude, longitude, and elevation to brake pressure and a 3-axis gyroscope to measure tilt.
At higher levels of autonomy the car will be able to repetitively complete tasks allowing for tests on how components wear out overtime before ever using them in an endurance race. Finally at the highest level of autonomy the car will be able to strategically plot a course when traversing terrain in a race giving human drivers helpful pointers.
