I could relate my individual project to JPL by how simplistic it is. The new industrial dust pan with the long handle is very simple. I own a dustpan entirely made of metal that just has a metal handle wielded on a metal trash collector. There are many other dustpan made out of various materials. Our new design of "The Yeet Machine" is improved and doesn't include any electronic components which omits the problem of electrical failure in our JPL project.
One thing that is going great in our project is the chemistry the group has. My group is never arguing about designs or new ideas being mentioned and they are very open about hearing others. One problem that I have is that I'm not totally informed about whats going on in the group but I'm going to start asking my group mates frequently about the project.
I am hoping that our project isn't going to mess up at the actual competition. I'm also anticipating that "The Yeet Machine" is full proof because at this moment, it's based on chance and very precise calculations. It's simple and efficient but to me, it does not seem like a full proof plan. Improvements have been made by adding a stopper to ensure that it is standing in the end. I'm sure that the new design will help but I think a lot more improvements should be made.
For the last week, I've been feeling down since my dog, Chico, was recently put down. He was 16 years old and my family has had him for about 15 years. My family had recently received his ashes and we are going to order a new wooden box for him. I always remember to have a fake smile until it turns real. I've also been working on college applications and working on a personal statement.