Kryan: I think one aspect of this project that taught me the most was iterative designing. As seen from our progress, we had to redesign the prototype several times, from the way the adapters were arranged to designing an entire structure for increased stability. It is close to impossible to get it right on the first try, and as such, I have learned not to be too hard on myself if I fail the first time, as long as the experiences made during the process have been reflected upon.

Shawn: The experience in the past 4 months has been a fruitful and memorable one. Through this course, I have not only refreshed and further my technical knowledge in CAD and electronics, but also gained valuable soft skills such as project management and communication. I learned that proper planning is crucial to the success of any project, especially when there are restrictions such as limited time and budget. Most importantly, I was able to enjoy the learning process with my group members and be proud of our very own creations.

Yik Hong: Through these past 4 months I learned a multitude of things. One of the more impactful lessons and experiences include learning to understand other people’s code and building on top of it whether it be a one-man project or a large-scale repository such as Marlin. I also learned the difficulties involved with integrating software and hardware components together, which is a process that will probably never be easy and bound to fail at least once. Finally, I learned to work with team members of different faculties and different ways of thinking and learned to resolve our disagreements amicably and without conflict.

Dyllon: Making and Tinkering exposed me to the world of software-driven hardware for the first time, and allowed me to play a significant role in such a group project. From gaining new skills such as learning how 3d printer software and firmware work in tandem, to honing existing expertise such as git collaboration, the past 16 weeks were filled with many opportunities and avenues to grow as an aspiring engineer. Being able to actively participate and watch our creation grow into the final product was an exhilarating experience.

Jun Ken: Making and Tinkering has been a very valuable learning experience. I have learned a lot of new skills and most importantly gained experience in developing a theoretical concept into a working prototype. During the span of the course, I have also learned about the thought process that goes into the planning and designing of hardware through the iterative process of 3D printing and also new coding concepts like state handling. The project has broadened my understanding of product development and also deepen my understanding of many of the topics taught in class. 

Keith: As a team, from doing the calculations of the prismatic Stewart platform to building the actual hexapod, Making and Tinkering left me with a greater appreciation of the beauty of physics and engineering, and how they come together. Throughout the past 16 weeks, I saw our hexapod being built ground up and picked up many skills along the way. Some notable skills include learning to use CAD software like Solidworks2020 and hands-on experience with 3D printers. Most importantly, our team worked, played, and LEARNED together. Cheers to MnT!