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2021

High-voltage battery firmware

As part of a summer internship at Tesla on the battery firmware subteam, a series of upgrades to the battery testing infrastructure were underway. A new suite of tests were being developed for the newest Model 3 and semi-truck battery packs. The battery firmware is responsible for interfacing with the vehicle CAN networks, including intercepting and responding to messages involved with charging and discharging the battery, as well as monitoring the battery's state of charge, temperature, performance, and long-term health. Testing the battery firmware involves simulating the vehicle CAN signals to run repeated cycles of charging and discharging, and to purposely fault the system to ensure proper shutdown and recovery.

High-voltage EV battery

Fig 1. A high-voltage electric vehicle (EV) battery on a testing stand.

Chess robot

Introducing: the chess-playing robot that will defeat any opponent who challenges it (mostly because, you know.. Stockfish). The robot is composed of a sleek metal frame and a sturdy acrylic playing surface with a laser-engraved chessboard. A gantry system powered by stepper motors and timing belts moves a claw-like gripper around the board to enact the will of its chess engine AI. Roughly the size of a coffee table and noticeably heavier, this bot is sure to fill out your entire living room with a family-friendly competitive atmosphere.

Chess robot

Fig 1. The Chess robot in its natural environment (circa 2021).