Robert Hauf is an active member of the robotics team. His Senior Project is constructing a cornhole robot.

The goal of his project is that the robot will be accurate enough to get the cornhole bag in the hole as consistently as possible.
Robert said, “There will be an air tank with a solenoid (a valve) that releases air to extend a piston. This piston will then be attached to the arm of the robot that will cause the robot to throw the cornhole bag.”
He chose this project because he wants to have a career in mechanical engineering, and he “thought that this would be a great opportunity to create something that is interesting while also gaining a better understanding of what the major entails.”
Robert is about halfway finished with the project.
He said, “I have completed the electronic aspect of the robot already which will enable me to control the pneumatic piston and a servo motor. This includes physically putting together all of the necessary parts for the electronics by completing all of the wiring and managing how much energy is being directed to different components. I also am creating a program that allows me to control the electronics.”
However, there is still work that he needs to do.
He said, “What still needs to be done is the actual construction of my robot. I have everything ready to be built. I just need to build it. After that, it will be a matter of testing everything to dial in the precision and accuracy of the robot.”
The most challenging part of his project has been designing the robot and figuring out what it needs to be successful.
To do this, he figured out the optimal angle of release for the cornhole bag, the apex of the trajectory of the cornhole bag, and the exit velocity needed for the cornhole bag to go the correct distance.
He said, “I also used this information to determine the torque that is required on the mechanical arm which allowed me to figure out the size and strength of the pneumatic piston that I needed to buy and how much pressure will be required.”
Robert’s project has taught him a few skills. For one, it has allowed him to “better understand how to use physics to complete an engineering project.”
Additionally, it has taught him a few skills or techniques for how to “actually complete the project.”
He said, “I have learned more about how to set up the electronics for the robot. I have learned new skills in programming, and I have also learned how to take advantage of CAD to design the robot and see how things align before physically building the robot.”
“Robbie’s Senior Project has exposed him to mechanical design, electrical design, and coding aspects which can help him decide on the engineering discipline that suits his skill set the best,” said Robotics Coach Tony Davidson who is serving as Robert’s mentor.