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From a very early age, DeVidts was always taking things apart, such as TVs, VCRs, and computers, which drove his mother crazy, though she supported him (as long as he didn\u2019t kill himself). However, there was no shop class in his college-prep high school, let alone a STEM program for a kid with a high aptitude for engineering.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, at age 17, he happened upon BattleBots<\/a>, the TV show that promotes building cool robots and competing against other people\u2019s cool robots, all while advocating the engineering behind it all. He knew that he had found his life\u2019s path. To fund his passion, he began to earn money to build robots and compete on BattleBots, where he got to know and learn from the hundreds of helpful engineers in the robot community.<\/p>\n DeVidts was inspired to up his game by learning from these super-smart engineers\u2014some from NASA\u2014at BattleBots competitions. Building robots for an event involves more than design and engineering skills; builders must learn project management as well as event and logistics planning. Plus, most participants must raise funds and attract sponsors to buy the expensive components needed to realize their designs.<\/p>\n Fuel the Fire<\/strong><\/p>\n When Hurricane Katrina shut down the college DeVidts was attending, he had time to reflect on what he was not learning at school. He needed to fuel his passion, so he refocused with a job in software programming in Miami while continuing to connect with new people at BattleBots competitions.<\/p>\n When he connected with someone from a medical device company that needed a software guy to bridge the gap between hardware and software, he found an environment where he could learn. Among other skills, he learned 3D printing and CNC machining, and was challenged to build with freedom.<\/p>\n DeVidts happened to meet David Cann in Miami at a BattleBots event. They learned they had great synergy: DeVidts with hardware (electrical\/embedded systems engineering) and Cann with software (design and iOS development). They co-founded a start-up Double Robotics<\/a> with the mission of developing robots with a seamless user experience.<\/p>\n Discovering the Need<\/strong><\/p>\n Initially, their goal was to create the next big thing in the toy industry. They found, however, when doing contract work with remote customers and setting up manufacturing overseas that they needed a better communication tool than what was available with Skype and FaceTime. Telepresence robots existed, but they cost $17,000\u2014far more than a two-person startup with no funding could afford, so they set out to make a better and more affordable communication tool.<\/p>\n They amplified their engineering skills by using the iPad as the brains of the robot and designing the prototype in SOLIDWORKS<\/a>\u00ae, which helped accelerate the design process. They drove their prototype around outside an Apple conference \u201cto get some attention.\u201d Eventually, they ended up getting phone calls from Fortune 500 companies wanting their invention.<\/p>\n Product to Market<\/strong><\/p>\n Double Robotics began shipping in May 2013. The company continually improves and innovates its mechanical design elements and electronics to meet its customers\u2019 needs and to stay ahead of the competition.<\/p>\n The most recent robot iteration, Double 3, comes with a built-in tablet screen and has enough sensors that users can just point and click where they want to go within the robot\u2019s field of vision. The Double 3 will glide on over, avoiding objects and edges along the way.<\/p>\n To achieve their design goals and meet project schedules, the mechanical and electronic design teams regularly collaborate on design intent and critical design changes to ensure the correct form and fit of the electronics systems and mechanical housing. \u201cSOLIDWORKS was our first choice for software look to rapidly iterate on our designs,\u201d says DeVidts.<\/p>\n Most product design workflows separate or segment electronics and mechanical design software, making this type of ECAD-MCAD collaboration challenging. Double Robotics implemented SOLIDWORKS PCB<\/a> to create an intelligent, seamless, collaborative environment that eliminates the communication gap between electronics and mechanical teams and significantly improves its ECAD-MCAD workflow while saving time and money.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are really excited to have SOLIDWORKS PCB where we can collaborate with SOLIDWORKS mechanical bringing the electrical engineers into the equation.\u201d DeVidts continues: \u201cThat collaboration between the mechanical and electrical amplifies what you\u2019re able to do\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n A Solution for the Times<\/strong><\/p>\n What started as a toy company became a telepresence videoconferencing robot company that now, among other things, helps families and doctors connect with those severely ailing from the novel coronavirus who would otherwise not be able to talk to or see their family.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re excited about the future of SOLIDWORKS and the path that they\u2019re taking to bring the whole experience together into one piece of software,\u201d concludes DeVidts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![](\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/doublerobotics_video.png\")
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