Johnson & Johnson FIRST Teams Day
This past month on August 12th, over 20 students from our FRC team visited the Johnson & Johnson office for FIRST Teams Day. Along with other FRC teams in the area, Cupertino Robotics’ FRC team was able to explore a real life application of robotics. Cupertino Robotics FRC team member Vedika shared, “we got insights on all different kinds of technology from fighting robots to robots that can help doctors.” Throughout the event, attendees were led through a tour of the lab, shown battlebots, given a chance to test out different surgical tools and simulators, and presented information by other FRC teams.
J&J is currently in the process of developing their surgical robot named Ottava. With precision controlled arms, increased flexibility and control, and a less crowded operating room, the robot will make it possible to perform difficult surgeries with better patient outcomes and shorter recovery time. Students who attended were able to view each part of the robot: arms, control panel area, computer, electrical boards, software and more. Through talking with the respective experts, students got to see the behind the scenes of the surgical robot and learn how they were designed and made to work.
Students also were able to learn about J&J’s two battlebots teams’ robots: Blip and Tantrum. Tantrum took the title of world championship this past year. A member of the team came to share about the robots and attendees were able to learn about a form of robotics that is very different from FIRST competitions.
In the final rotation, students got the chance to experiment and test out the Ottava robot and its parts as well as other surgical tools made by J&J. Attendees were given the opportunity to work through the different activities real surgeons would practice with in order to master the use of the tools.
In the end, all the attendees came back together and were given the chance to ask questions to a panel of J&J employees who had a variety of experience in their careers, some even being mentors for other FRC Teams in our area. Cupertino Robotics FRC Team member Kayal shared how, “hearing from all the employees who work there and have also done FIRST really showed how much of an impact robotics has on people.”
Overall, the event was one where everyone left with a more detailed view of how robotics can be used to better our world. Cupertino Robotics FRC Team member Kayal explained how she, “learned so much about what mechanical engineers really do,” which has made her view of her prospective career path clearer. Another Cupertino Robotics FRC Team member Divya mentioned how, “it was a great opportunity [...] to see a real-life application of the kind of stuff we do in the roboshack.”
