Life in the Nerd Lab: Group Work

The team had long since learnt to work together as superheroes, fighting crime in perfect synchrony. But when a teacher slapped a project on them that required them to build something together combining their different fields of knowledge, they sat stumped for several hours. The prompt--military use--narrowed down their options even more.

"This can't possibly be so hard," Honey said, after they had gone through about seven different ideas. "I mean, we built six superhero outfits together."

Hiro stopped twirling his pencil and tapped it on his chin. "Yeah, but they wouldn't count as a single project, would they? We've got to find a way to integrate all our work." He sighed and propped his feet up--they had found a nice table in the lobby to work, one of the many features that SFIT hoped would encourage collaboration. "I think our brains are all fried from finals."

Wasabi frowned at Hiro in an attempt to make him sit like a gentleman, but the younger boy ignored him (whether intentionally or unintentionally it was impossible to tell). "Define integrate."

Although not the target of the question, Baymax helpfully stepped in, bearing several bottles of mineral water. "Integrate. Verb. To make up, complete, or combine to create a whole or larger unit." Placing the bottles on the table, he added, "It is important to stay hydrated. Please have a drink."

Sighing dramatically, Fred stood up and thumped his hands down on the table, assuming a power stance. (They'd agreed to count him as their sixth member just so he could write the paper for them.) "If you guys had just listened to my idea--"

"We are not making a giant war machine shaped like a velociraptor that will take ten soldiers out in a single blow, Fred," Go Go said tersely as Wasabi nodded in mute agreement.

Taking a swig from the water bottle, Hiro swallowed and pointed his pencil at Fred. "Military, yes. Ethical, no."

Though her optimism had dulled after hours of unproductivity, Honey tried to maintain a smile. "I know it's an awful idea to make killing robots. But what else can we do with a military theme?" She trailed off as Hiro put up a hand to stop her.

"Guys, we need to look for a new angle. Sure, they need weapons in the military, but the soldiers are human too. You know how they often have to carry huge packs of supplies? How about we make carrier robots that will do that instead?" As he spoke, the idea took shape in Hiro's mind. "Then, we can integrate all your tech to perform different functions."

Catching on to the idea, Honey brightened. "You're on to something! Providing for the needs of soldiers as humans rather than just fighters. I can develop a material for the robots that will be light but strong. And bulletproof!"

"It's not like we have any better ideas," Go Go concurred, sitting up straight. "I can work on making them fast and silent."

"'Sabi can make something that will detect threats at night! Or the robots can set laser traps!" Honey exclaimed, as a flow of ideas started. "That way, they may even be able to serve as night sentries and give the soldiers a rest."

Hiro grinned and took his feet off the table, knowing that once they broke "inventor's block," they would have plenty of ideas to choose from. "That's what I like to hear." He pulled a pad of paper out of his backpack, and tossed a handful of pencils onto the table. "All right, team, let's get this party started!"

~~~

And when they broke "inventor's block," they broke it with a vengeance. The team continued discussing the project with almost rabid fervour, the intoxicating spirit of innovation coursing through their veins as they covered sheet upon sheet of paper with intricate drawings and spidery notes. Baymax only allowed them to go for half an hour past nine before insisting on dinner, but they simply sent Fred to go get take-out. He returned with several bento boxes and a sketch of a "totally rad" design to put on the side of the robots. 

"That...kind of defeats the purpose of the soldiers wearing camouflage," Wasabi pointed out truthfully.

Fred's face fell, but Hiro quickly jumped in. "There's no reason why we shouldn't make the robots as awesome as possible, though, as long as they can blend in!" He spent the next half an hour or so making the designs sleeker, then scanned it onto his tablet so he could add camouflage pixels. Honey read up on bulletproof materials over teriyaki chicken, while Wasabi researched night vision. Finally, they came up with several permutations and spread the sketches out on the table to study them.

No one noticed the clock's hands slowly marking the hours until Professor Roe came by. "Well, you're all working hard," he said kindly. "Don't you think it's about time to wrap up?"

"Huh?" Hiro jerked himself out of "the groove" and blinked confusedly at the professor for a few seconds before turning his head to look out at the darkened campus. "Oh." 

"It's one in the morning," Roe prompted.

Hiro gave him a roguish grin. "But sir, we're just getting started."

~~~

In the end, they dragged themselves out of the lab at three, satisfied with the night's work. They'd finally settled on a basic design, something that looked like a miniaturized walker from Star Wars. And when Honey proposed that they input some knowledge of medical procedures, the five had been in unanimous agreement--Hiro said with a smile that they could modify Baymax's database for a war setting. The bot wouldn't be able to perform most procedures, but it could at least guide the soldiers.

They took the trolley home, since Wasabi had yet to get a new car, where they continued their discussion for some time before lapsing into comfortable, drowsy silence. Hiro got off last, Baymax in tow, and unlocked his house door, tiptoeing upstairs as quietly as he could.

He'd planned on starting the formal blueprints as soon as he got back, but he found himself collapsing on his bed instead. 

"I think that's enough work for tonight," he told Baymax, who was stepping into his charging pod.

"A full night's sleep is necessary for optimum performance the next day," Baymax agreed.

"Okay. G'night, buddy."

~~~

Baymax was right--that sleep was necessary, because when they all got together again the next day, they started talking like they'd never stopped. Over the next few months the gang went from an idea to a functioning prototype. The process involved arguments (Go Go had punched Fred once), 3D printing (Hiro had filled his garage with junked parts), hard work (Honey had gone without sleep for thirty-four hours), and incredible amounts of coffee--but they made it.

The finished product--dubbed Trooper by general consensus--could travel rough terrain, move underwater, detect threats at night, carry over forty pounds, and look awesome at the same time. 

Hiro surveyed their joint creation with pride. "We did it, guys." 

"We actually met the deadline," Wasabi echoed, sounding faintly surprised.

Honey looked down at the machine, which stood just above her waist height, and beamed. "Forty-five tests. It's got to work. I can't believe it can carry such a huge supply pack, but it does!"

"It's all about balance," Hiro said, and then the lab door opened and Professor Saito walked in.

Wasabi gulped. The professor was a nice lady--perhaps, with her endearing chubbiness and smile-wrinkles, the epitome of nice ladies--but she was also known to have very high standards. She'd never chew you out, but then she would go back and give you a less-than-stellar grade.

Now, however, she looked like a perfect angel as she clutched her clipboard and tipped her head to one side. "Group 5! So, what do you all have to show me today? I understand your prompt was 'military'? Oh, I thought your introductory paper was very well written!" she added, which gratified Fred greatly.

Hiro, the designated spokesman, nodded, and then gave a quick review of the robot's functions with the best showmanship he could muster. When he'd finished, Professor Saito clapped her hands together. "All right! Aren't you going to give me a demonstration?"

"Yes. ma'am!" Hiro said, bending to switch the robot on. It rose off the ground on spindly legs, then turned as though looking about the room. 

"It's designed to follow the troops' movements," Hiro explained, "but for now we've programmed it to run through this obstacle course." He gestured towards the course that Fred had set up, the last of about fifteen they had tested the robot on over the past few months. He'd gone all out, adding bumpy rocks, swinging vines, some of Honey's sticky foam, a large tank of water at the end, and a very impressive sign that said "Trail of Doom" in flaming letters.

(They'd all been slightly...alarmed when they saw it first.)

"Oh," Professor Saito breathed, clasping her hands to her chest in surprise as Hiro fastened a weighty supply pack to the robot.

"Let's do this!" Honey said from the sidelines, and Trooper responded to the verbal command, starting through the course.

"Just so you know," Hiro said, "Trooper isn't programmed for this specific course. It's simply responding to external stimuli." He stopped talking as the robot skilfully kept its balance, avoided traps, and emerged from the water dripping but fully functional, all in relative silence. Everyone breathed an involuntary sigh of relief as Trooper finished the course and came to a halt in front of the professor.

"Very impressive," she said. The five friends exchanged nervous glances as she made notes on her lecture pad, then the nerves turned to mild panic as Trooper started emitting a soft but noticeable whine. 

That isn't supposed to happen, Wasabi's alarmed glance said.

Honey's eyes widened as Trooper started to lean a little to one side. Spotting it too, Hiro rushed forward to support the robot as inconspicuously as he could. He winced as Trooper started to lean into his hip. It was light, but not that light.

Hoping that any further malfunctions wouldn't happen, they all waited anxiously for the verdict.

"Well," said Professor Saito, finishing up her notes, "I'm really very impressed with the practical aspect of your project, and I can see how it would help a lot of soldiers. I can't say how it will compare to the others, but I think you should all get a good grade." She smiled slightly as she stood up, preparing to leave the room, then eyed the tipsy robot suspiciously. 

Following her gaze, Hiro plastered a big, confident grin on his face while trying to nudge the robot back onto its own two feet. "Thank you so much for your time, Professor Saito!" he said, simultaneously shooting "help!" messages at the others with his eyes. 

Go Go leapt up to open the door. "Yes, thank you," she echoed, with an unusually wide smile, while Wasabi and Fred quickly moved into position to block the rebellious robot from view. Once the professor left, they all relaxed, and Wasabi just barely saved the robot from toppling to the floor after Hiro let his guard down.

"What went wrong?" Honey asked, kneeling next to their apparently incomplete project.

Hiro poked at it. "I think the knee joint got knocked out of place, that's all. I'll work on reinforcing it later. But great job, everyone! That went...pretty well!" 

Cheers and fistbumps ensued, before Wasabi remembered something. "We forget to write our names on the project."

Honey smacked her forehead mid-celebration. "You're right. We're lucky you caught that in time before the showcase." She went over to her lab space and pulled out a permanent ink stamp. "Put in your names, everyone!"

After their five names had been proudly emblazoned on the bottom of the robot in neat block letters, Hiro stepped back proudly, his hands on his hips.

"Being superheroes was one thing," he said to his friends, "but I think we make an equally good team off duty, too."

Authorly Notes:

1. Definition of integrate.
2. I'm so not a science student; how does one science?