APP PASSION FOR TECH

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January 12, 2024

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Notre Dame Prep senior’s apps revolutionize FIRST robotics scouting and note-taking.

In a remarkable display of entrepreneurial spirit and technological prowess, Lorenzo Ruma, a senior at Notre Dame Prep, has not only left a mark on the world of robotics, but also ventured into productivity software development.

FRC pits: streamlining robotics scouting

Inspired by the need for efficiency in the world of robotics, Ruma, who participates in FIRST Robotics as part of NDP’s Killer Bees team, conceptualized and created the FRC Pits app. The idea occurred during his visit to the World Robotics Competition in Houston, Texas last year.

“I have always loved robotics and have been doing robotics since third grade. What inspired me to create FRC Pits was when I saw hundreds of people all writing down the same information from the World Championship matches and I thought why one person can’t do this and share it with everyone, thus saving teams time to work on their robot,” Ruma said.

After months of coding and testing the app, and after seven attempts to get his idea approved on the Google Play and Apple Store, it is now available to download and is used by FIRST Robotics teams across the country.

Congressional recognition for innovation

The impact of Ruma’s innovative spirit goes beyond the robotics community. The FRC Pits app earned him recognition in the Congressional App Challenge, where he was named district champion. As a result, Ruma is set to attend a ceremony in Washington, D.C. to receive an award later this year, with the honor of having the app displayed at the U.S. Capitol Building and on the U.S. House of Representatives website for a year.

bulluga: redefining notetaking with automation

In addition to Ruma’s interest in robotics, he has also entered the world of productivity software with bulluga. This software, designed for students and business professionals, records meetings or classes and automatically generates notes, allowing users to focus on the content rather than manual note-taking.

With a dedicated website (www.bulluga.com) and active profiles on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok (@bulluga_ai), bulluga is positioned to become a go-to solution for enhancing productivity in meetings and lectures.

“I have always been interested in starting my own business but within the last four years I have been becoming more interested in developing software/apps,” Ruma said. “My software project was an intelligence tool named Alpha that was a chat box of information similar to Apple’s Siri. It could also translate other languages. You could ask it a question and it would answer you back. I created, designed, developed and coded the entire app for my NDP International Baccalaureate project at NDP.”

Future aspirations in business and engineering

As Ruma reflects on his journey, he expressed a keen interest in starting his own business after high school. He is currently awaiting acceptance letters from multiple colleges and said he plans to study mechanical engineering and business.

“My time at Notre Dame has been an enjoyable one. The supportive environment and challenging curriculum have helped me grow in my passion. It has definitely set me on a path of success for wherever life takes me,” he said.

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

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About Notre Dame Preparatory School 
Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.