From Robots to Oscars
GordonMcComb
Posts: 3,366
in Robotics
Some of the old(er) timers here from the comp.robotics.misc newsgroup may remember Mike Keesling, aka blueeyedpop. He developed quite a number of interesting robots, and was adept at many of the disciplines involved, including microcontroller programming and offbeat mechanical design. He also wrote some pieces for SERVO Magazine some years back.
Well, this year he received an Academy Award for a design of his, called Image Shaker. It is an optical system, no doubt driven by some microcontroller or other, that simulates realistic motion shaking, but in a programmable and repeatable fashion. This is not Mike's first camera-related invention, but as far as I know, it's the first of his to win such a coveted award.
https://www.thewrap.com/academy-awards-scientific-and-technical-honors-led-by-image-shaker/
I think this story is notable, not only because Mike is very talented and well deserving of an Oscar, but it also demonstrates something I think is important: robotics study goes FAR beyond little vehicles that squirm across the floor, or dog-like creatures that might someday go to battle in our place. The technologies we play with in a robot, are those found in literally thousands of other creations. As hobbyists, we experimented with accelerometers long before they found their way into smart phones; robotic flying machines like the ELEV-8 are really model test versions of larger autonomous vehicles that are proving grounds for tomorrow's search and rescue; microcontrollers form the basis of nearly every electronic product -- we robot builders (with much thanks to Parallax for helping to bring these devices into the mainstream) have been leading the MCU charge for nearly two decades.
So the next time someone asks you, "What does it do?", you can point to your lowly line follower and say, "Teach me interesting things." There can be no argument about the importance of that.
Well, this year he received an Academy Award for a design of his, called Image Shaker. It is an optical system, no doubt driven by some microcontroller or other, that simulates realistic motion shaking, but in a programmable and repeatable fashion. This is not Mike's first camera-related invention, but as far as I know, it's the first of his to win such a coveted award.
https://www.thewrap.com/academy-awards-scientific-and-technical-honors-led-by-image-shaker/
I think this story is notable, not only because Mike is very talented and well deserving of an Oscar, but it also demonstrates something I think is important: robotics study goes FAR beyond little vehicles that squirm across the floor, or dog-like creatures that might someday go to battle in our place. The technologies we play with in a robot, are those found in literally thousands of other creations. As hobbyists, we experimented with accelerometers long before they found their way into smart phones; robotic flying machines like the ELEV-8 are really model test versions of larger autonomous vehicles that are proving grounds for tomorrow's search and rescue; microcontrollers form the basis of nearly every electronic product -- we robot builders (with much thanks to Parallax for helping to bring these devices into the mainstream) have been leading the MCU charge for nearly two decades.
So the next time someone asks you, "What does it do?", you can point to your lowly line follower and say, "Teach me interesting things." There can be no argument about the importance of that.
Comments
"I'd like to thank all of the little robots..."
I am always looking for stuff like this to draw others into the robotics... Most don't realize that they are already beneficiaries of the technology in countless ways!