Animal Engineers and Enormous Robotic Spotlight Cal Poly Universities 2026 Rose Float Design

Cal Poly universities’ 77th Rose Parade float submission, “Jungle Jumpstart,” explores the 2026 Rose Parade theme by showcasing the dynamics between nature and know-how via the story of rainforest denizens come collectively to revive a robotic buddy with what they know greatest — the jungle!

The sole parade float designed and constructed utterly by college students not solely exudes teamwork in the way in which it appears to be like but in addition the method by which it’s constructed. Cal Poly universities’ Rose Float is a joint effort between California State University college students on each the Cal Poly campus and California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, regardless of being separated by 250 miles.

“Our team is extremely excited to share our parade float!” stated Aubrey Goings, president of the San Luis Obispo crew. “It is more than just a story; it is a mirror of us, as Cal Poly university students who combine innovation, creativity and problem solving in the classrooms and labs in our day-to-day lives. We use agriculture, engineering and other disciplines in tandem.”

“Jungle Jumpstart” illustrates the attractive outcomes that may be achieved when know-how and nature work collectively in concord, stated Goings, a fourth-year structure main.

The college students consider audiences can be impressed by the rainforest, containing many biodiverse animals and the way they collaborate to repair the robotic by using their particular traits.

“Our jungle engineers — a frog, a monkey, a jaguar and lemurs — work around the robot to bring it back to life,” she stated. “They even incorporate fallen branches and vegetation into their repairs, symbolizing their acceptance of the robotic into their ecosystem. A toucan, standing proudly atop a tree stump, is targeted on the antenna of the robotic, whereas additionally ensuring every part beneath goes easily.

“With some inspiring teamwork, the robot flickers alive. In thanks, the robot lifts a vibrant macaw skyward, helping it take flight.”

The robotic’s spare elements may also be seen, repurposed to create habitat for birds making a house within the fallen tree. These robo-parts in addition to the robotic’s open chest cavity additionally feed the various rainforest, creating new niches for jungle vegetation to outlive and thrive.

Since the program’s inception within the months earlier than the 1949 Pasadena traditional — then often called the Tournament of Roses Parade — the 2 CSU colleges have labored and designed entries which have garnered 63 awards, together with the Leishman Public Spirit Award on the 2025 Rose Parade for his or her “Nessie’s Lakeside Laughs” float.

Cal Poly universities’ floats have additionally been lauded for the scholars’ pioneering improvements that launched hydraulic- and computer-controlled animation to the Rose Parade.

“The program has grown a lot in the last few years, tackling many new ways to approach our float’s design,” stated Amelia Atwell, president of the Cal Poly Pomona crew and a fifth-year structure main.

“Each year we grow our innovation through further integration of our disciplines’ expertise. This year, we are excited by the confidence our team is using to approach problems. We are more ready than ever to refine the processes which unite such a large cross-discipline group representing all that our Cal Poly universities offer. They are proud to show how much the program has grown, and the flex the skills they have developed in the program.”

Creating a Rose Parade float requires a year-round dedication from the 2 management groups of greater than 60 college students and a whole lot extra who help in labs held all year long at every campus.

Their Learn by Doing course of consists of designing and constructing the mechanical, drive and animation techniques of the float; welding the structural helps and shaping the design parts; deciding on and testing ornamental supplies; and sheeting, foaming and portray all earlier than the scholars can start including remaining floral design parts over the past week of the yr.

For “Jungle Jumpstart” the crew is taking over some distinctive challenges as they blueprint mechanisms to maneuver float parts weighing as much as 2,000 kilos, making a 40-foot robotic mendacity on the rainforest ground and putting particular person flower petals to brighten a macaw, a colourful New World parrot, transferring 25 toes within the air.

Additionally, the groups foster group by incorporating student-planned occasions to spice up morale and designing distinctive “Jungle Jumpstart” merchandise to promote to supporters.

“The theme for the parade this year, ‘The Magic in Teamwork,’ presents a very exciting challenge for our team,” Goings stated. “When this theme was introduced, we instantly associated to it, because it completely describes what we do every year: come collectively throughout campuses to design and fabricate one thing magical. Not solely will we create one thing bodily lovely every year, however this system additionally unites us as a household via our teamwork processes.

“The float may only be completed for one single day, but the experiences and relationships we foster will persist over many years.”

“Jungle Jumpstart” will use a big selection of supplies that seize the thriller of the rainforest. Carnivorous vegetation can be among the many parts offering splashes of vivid tropical colours, as will alstroemeria (lily of the Incas) and liatris (blazing star). The robotic can be festooned with a mix of blue corn grits and silvery-gray dusty miller (Senecio cineraria) accented with patches of two-tone excessive and magic roses that echo the jungle’s lush palette of greens, reds and yellows.

“I think this is going to be the most thematically beautiful float that we have done within the last four years,” stated RJ Pollock, assistant design chair and journalism main. “From the story we are trying to tell, to the elements, to the passion, the creativity, and colors, I think this will be one of the most visibly stunning floats in our program.”

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