The upcoming Rose Parade in Pasadena will feature something truly groundbreaking: the world’s greenest and most tech-advanced float, created by Ernest Koeppen, President of the La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association (LCFTRA). Built on an EV-powered base and made from 85% recycled materials, the float showcases incredible innovations, like color-changing floral robotics and a live drone. But for Ernest, the float is just part of a bigger mission. Through LCFTRA’s TechNovation Center, a free school where youth can learn trade-level skills under his D.R.E.A.M. philosophy (Design Research Engineer Art Maker), he’s helping inspire and educate the next generation. In this interview with Ernest, we dive into the float’s design and the community impact behind it.
Innovation & Tech Today: What makes this year’s float the greenest and most advanced in Rose Parade history?
Ernest Koeppen: As part of a three-year roadmap to streamline design, construction, and mobility, we embrace ever-changing advances and opportunities in materials and technology application. We have used our smaller satellite float as a test mule for certain items that then translate to the larger main float. Technical advances such as battery use to replace the ICE engines, use of water vapor and mist to replace chemicals for production of smoke effects, grinding up floral for use as compost, pot pouri, as well as pulverizing for use as dry base for color for future floats. Plus, the use of complementary and lighter materials and uniform steel all allow for 85% recyclability of the previous and anticipated future years’ floats.
The float heretofore has had three ICE engines. Two large V8 engines drove hydraulic pump systems for animation and propulsion, and one for generating all the communications, lighting, sound effects, etc. This year, we were able to take what we learned with the smaller satellite float and parlay that into the removal of two of those engines so far — the remaining planned to be removed by next year due to the tight timetable to actually ideate, design, engineer and build one of these vehicles, in time for the hard deadline of Jan. 1.
Everything on board is now powered by six large battery packs totaling about 150 kWh of energy and weighing over one ton. Choosing Iron Phosphate (LiFePho) chemistry for safety in close-crowd proximity deployment. Already planned — but will be deployed next year, is the final engine replacement and self–designed solar farm on our build site.
We have four terrific like-minded tech partners (JPL, Aerovironment, EV West, and TRL Systems) looking to explore and advance new tech to raise the bar for the total show/parade.
I&T Today: As the first EV float in Rose Parade history, what challenges did you face in making it fully electric?
Koeppen: The biggest challenge was (is) a near-impossible timetable. A lot had to be ideated, designed, engineered, then sourced and implemented. All while, the overall float concept and story had to continue with minimal interruption so as not to jeopardize the deadline. There is no off-the-shelf reference for a 30,000 lb vehicle to run on battery power with “safe batteries,” powering a myriad of balanced and unbalanced voltage draws and surges of various mechanized characters and objects swinging, flying, tilting, spinning, rotating, and smoking all while on a moving platform traveling on public roads (potholes and all) and keep it going flawlessly for 5+ hours.
Everyone we called for supplying any piece of that just had no idea what we were even asking for. It took five battery suppliers all over the world to say yes, then maybe then, no before we realized we were on our own and just had to engineer the needs for each target goal, and solve for each, then assemble in harmony. Our partners and suppliers who stuck with us are as anxious and excited as we are to turn this corner and make a green floral Parade…green. A rare sense of satisfaction to manage into existence what mostly was said to us couldn’t be done. We are currently working with our last partner in deploying the final piece next year. The parts are custom-made and simply couldn’t be completed in time for final safe integration.
I&T Today: Can you explain how the color-changing flowers were created?
Koeppen: The rules of the Rose Parade are that all surfaces must be covered and in natural material — no painting or dyes. And color changing lights are rather the gray area cop-out. The smaller satellite float is again our test mule for a larger plan. The satellite happens to be a flying saucer this year, going with our Mars-themed float story, and the 16 perimeter lights of the saucer we saw as an opportunity to look cooler if they appeared to change color to represent blinking lights. Each “light” therefore, has been designed so that the “red” carnations that sit atop the saucer body as per usual now have a loose center; loose enough so that a robotic arm- built on site with a 3D printer, RC servos, and a drawer slide — can push a white colored carnation up through the center to bloom and overwhelm the red and then be pulled back down. Triggering those robotic pods in a sequence gives a rather convincing light-changing effect.
I&T Today: What inspired you to recycle 85% of last year’s float materials?
Koeppen: It is just good stewardship and being as “green” as a “floral parade” should represent. Saving costs helps as well. We are a fully volunteer donation non-profit organization, so efficiency and fiscal responsibility are always near the top of the conversation. It is great to be and do cool things, but social responsibility plays a big role in survival, as well as teaching by example.
I&T Today: How does the TechNovation Center tie into the float’s creation? Did students or community members contribute to its design or construction?
Koeppen: The float site and float build are open classrooms that we offer as a free and open resource in part to replace the traditional shop and industrial arts classes no longer offered in our public schools. Not as any sort of competition, rather, it is a symbiotic resource. Students who come can receive community service hours, but we are also working with the school district to be able to offer credit. Students who come here have the opportunity to experience and learn Welding, Design, CAD, Fabrication, Robotics, Hydraulics, and Electrical, to name a few disciplines. All under the big umbrella of “maker.”
We offer and teach what we call the DREAM curriculum: Design Research Engineering Art Maker. And we rarely, if ever, say no to any idea. Indeed our mantra is “Fail to 100%.” So, to answer the question: absolutely, this is a community endeavor, and there is a piece and idea of everyone built into this. The ideas and tech that make up the big picture here is the program. Seeing an advanced float come out of the grand collaboration that is then displayed on the world stage is just the cherry on top that makes the DREAM come alive.
I&T Today: What do you hope young people take away from working on or observing this project?
Koeppen: The greatest take away is that we create something that others copy and improve upon, raising the bar and the show for all. Friendly competition is a powerful motivator with exponential return. We happen to be in a very unique situation and environment with our proximity to our partners and the Parade. If we can make or prove something that others can expand on, or we can help consult, well then we have achieved a step forward for everyone. Failing to 100%, rather than compromising to less than 100, is purest definition of pushing boundaries and progress for everyone.
