This project is created by Matt Kubas, Ethan Morton, and Keeler Tardiff, as the senior capstone for our undergraduate Electrical Engineering degrees. We wanted to create something that was easy to put together, and could serve as a stepping stone for learners of all ages to begin their journey into electronics, robots, and design. Included in this project are free and open-source files for printing the chassis, ordering the necessary PCBs, and code examples to get you started using our project.
WashU Electrical Engineering Undergraduates
We are all graduates from the WashU Mckelvey School of Engineering, with degrees in Electrical Engineering (EE). We have spent a lot of time working with robotics and small electronics, and we decided to put that knowledge and experience to use!
This project started because of a class in the WashU EE department called Introduction to Engineering Design. This class introduces students to the foundational concepts of interfacing with hardware through software, using SPI/I2C buses, and basic autonomous control. We felt that we could make some more user-friendly hardware to go along with this course. Enter, the PiCar.
When designing new hardware and software, we focus heavily on keeping these traits alive throughout the whole process:
With these goals, we build projects that are accessible to any classroom, while maintaining the modularity and flexibility required for educational and academic environments. We also provide basic educational materials along with the project, in the hopes that whoever so wishes can start learning whenever they are ready.
I am a self-motivated and hardworking individual, looking to change the world one step at a time. It has always been my passion to help others learn STEM topics, leading me to become a tutor in high school and TA in college. While teaching and engineering is a huge part of who I am, I also enjoy playing games with friends, rock climbing, and solving puzzles. My B.S. in Physics from Illinois Wesleyan University and Electrical Engineering from Washington University in Saint Louis creates a solid background in engineering and critical thinking. I hope to fullfill the goal of changing the world, and teaching other to do the same.
I am a life-long learner, driven and sincere. I have a background in math, physics, and computer science from my B.S. at Drake University. I have a background in electrical and computer engineering from my B.S./M.S. at WashU. I have been a tutor and TA throughout my life, starting even in high school, and teaching is one of the many joys I find in life. My other interests include long backpacking trips, playing the trombone, and playing video games.
I am curious by nature and steadfast in ambitions, viewing each day as an opportunity to learn. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Beloit College and am currently pursuing both a Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Electrical Engineering at WashU. I embrace the opportunity to tackle interdisciplinary topics, leading me to serve as TA since high school in variety of subjects like math, physics, and Latin. Outside academia, I am outdoor enthusiast who loves to hike and ski, a competitive lacrosse player, and a avid traveler.
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