My Projects
When I decided to make a robotic bartender, it was working one week later. Since then, I've added some features like the screen and the RFID identification system. The "Shot Roulette" function seems to be the most popular one, you get a random alcohol with a random soda which can result in a pretty weird mix.
I've always wanted to make a Wood CNC Router so when Richard-Alexandre Peloquin told me he wanted to make one too, we started working on the budget the same day. The machine was fun to make and has been very useful. I also took a woodworking class at Allied Woodshop which reminded me of how convinient the CNC is, but also made me respect traditional woodworkers even more.
This project started with Raphaël Pilon making a mini bike. Maxime Leboeuf, Richard-Alexandre Peloquin and I got excited about it so we helped him. Making the mini bike was the first step, but we had to test it so Maxime invited us to his family's farm for a weekend. He has a huge land and a wood, so it was perfect. The testing weekend was such a success that we decided to make more vehicles and do it again.
I don't have a back yard yet, so I've decided to make an indoor garden. I knew what I was doing when I automated the functions, the Smart part of Smart Garden wasn't the problem, the Garden part was. I was a little lost, so I got some advice from my sister and my mom. They helped me choose what to plant. I wanted to grow cucumbers, but it's probably too big/tall. We finally decided to grow some arugula and spinach. Unfortunatly, mother nature won this battle. It's not all lost, I can apply what I've learned to other robotics project. Next time, I'll try to keep living things out of my projects.
I've only taken 3 classes at KT Glassworks, so I'm a beginner. Actually, I don't think beginner is the right term in that case because I needed assistance from the teacher at all time. It's the hardest thing I've ever tried for many reasons, but the main one is that time is part of the equation. You can't just slow down or take a break to think about the next steps. If you do, the molten glass will slump downwards due to gravity. You also have to warm up your part often so it doesn't cool down too much and break. It's very hard, but I liked it a lot. I recommand this experience.
I wish I could say I don't like cooking to break the stereotype, but I do. For me, cooking is like mechanical engineering. The design is as important as the fabrication. You have to think about what's the best way to do it so it tastes good, but also how you could make it as easy as possible to create. I like the challenge of cooking efficiently: good, fast, and minimum cleaning. I create my own recipes unless the quantities are very important like for baking. In my opinion, Ricardo's recipes are the best.
About Me
I have a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Sherbrooke (Québec, Canada). I'm currently working at Walt Disney Imagineering as a Mechanical Engineer. I won't lie, it's not easy to be a woman in a technical field. Most people respect women in the industry, but the ones that don't make you question your life choices. It took me some time to believe in myself, but now that I do, I feel great and I'm glad I had the courage to keep doing what I like, which is designing and building stuff.