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National Robotics Week - A Call For Presentations! — Parallax Forums

National Robotics Week - A Call For Presentations!

Jessica UelmenJessica Uelmen Posts: 490
edited 2011-04-17 10:17 in Robotics
Happy Friday, Forum-Faithful!

As you may have read in Announcements, Parallax is hosting an Open House on April 15th to celebrate National Robotics Week!

Right now we are looking for students, hobbyists, or robotics clubs to come present robots they've built using Parallax products!

If you, or anyone you know is interested in this event, please send an email to me (juelmen@parallax.com) with the following information:
  • Names of Presenters
  • Presentation Title
  • Presentation Length
  • Desired Presentation Time

These presentations will be broadcast live via Webinar, so if you can't make it, be sure to tune in! (More information on Webinar registration to follow.)

Hope to see you there! :]

Cheers,
Jessica

Comments

  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2011-02-11 09:25
    I will sure try to "be there" via webinar. I may try to have our club too.
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2011-02-11 10:18
    Okay, I'll take the bait.

    * Names of Presenters - Ken Gracey
     * Presentation Title - Simple Wireless Robot Base Station
    * Presentation Length - 30 minutes
    * Desired Presentation Time - anytime people are awake

    Large robots present some development challenges to their keepers - one of them is that developing code is difficult when you've got a 20-kg mass that runs rampant between code downloading. The demonstration will show how the robot can be re-programmed wirelessly using XBee, and how a base station can receive and display data on a VGA terminal while the robot navigates the building. This is a simple and scalable demonstration that could be supplemented with video cameras, speech synthesis, and challenges like simulating a recovery or exploration. Parts listing and the bare-bones code will be provided so people can make their own, big or small.
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2011-02-11 11:46
    @Ken - Sounds great...
  • NikosGNikosG Posts: 705
    edited 2011-02-11 13:24
    I don't like to miss this presentation "Simple Wireless Robot Base Station"!!!
  • Jessica UelmenJessica Uelmen Posts: 490
    edited 2011-02-11 16:06
    Thanks Ken, that sounds awesome! I'll let you know when people will be awake. :]
  • IAMTHEFUTUREIAMTHEFUTURE Posts: 14
    edited 2011-03-21 17:53
    Hi everyone, I saw the posts about national robotics week and contests at instructables so i decided to enter here is a link let me know what you think. I was also wondering what nationional robotics week consists of in april at parallax. thanks.

    http://www.instructables.com/id/AutonomousRC-Human-Bot/
  • Jessica UelmenJessica Uelmen Posts: 490
    edited 2011-03-22 10:05
    Hiya!

    That sure is an awesome bot, very well done.

    Our event on April 15th will be a Parallax Open House from 12-5. We'll be having presentations, demos, tours, and all sorts of robotic fun. You can find more information here.

    If you would be interested in presenting your robot, that would be awesome, just let me know!

    Cheers,
    Jessica
  • IAMTHEFUTUREIAMTHEFUTURE Posts: 14
    edited 2011-03-24 17:10
    Thanks!! I would love to come there,That would be awesome. I really want to go to the robo games so i'm trying to do something with that but im not sure yet. Everythings just so far from me.
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2011-04-05 18:10
    Robotics alive and well in Connecticut:

    http://www.trincoll.edu/events/robot/

    http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/education/robotics-competition-in-hartford

    http://www.wfsb.com/news/27408430/detail.html
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2011-04-16 20:23
    How did the Parallax event go? Any pictures or video?
  • Matt GillilandMatt Gilliland Posts: 1,406
    edited 2011-04-17 07:35
    Hi all -

    All I can say is WOW!

    Credit really goes to Jessica for putting most of the event together - but everybody here was involved in some manner too - it was a blast!

    I don't know how we could have gotten an accurate count of attendees, as some people started showing up 45 minutes before the official start time of 12 noon, and then they just kept comin' and comin'.

    My guess would be maybe 250 to 300? I Don't know for sure because people came early, stayed for a while, then left, then others continued to come and replace them. At times there was almost "gridlock" in our training room, even though we had "tour groups" going through the Parallax facility constantly.

    Ken started off the tour groups, then I got to take a group, then Ken, then another,,,I think I did six groups with +/- 18 robot enthusiasts/builders per group. About 35 minutes per tour. (I'm long winded when talking about something I love!

    Anyway, Scott our chief machinist was making HDPE Robot Bases (on our router table) and Acrylic Controller Board enclosures (on the laser) during all the tours. Matt H., Rich, and the whole manufacturing crew were running BS1's on the Pick-n-Place and reflow oven.

    My only disappointment was that, as start time was getting CLOSE, I rushed my robot assembly process...and I LET THE MAGIC SMOKE OUT.

    "Pifffffttt"...a quick whiff of ozone, and my Robot went into cardiac arrest! Oh well, - that's part of the fun of it, anyway. Isn't it? Isn't it? ummm, isn't it?

    No matter, one less robot for the kids to play with went unnoticed - I think a grand time was had by all!

    We had door prizes for both a Scribbler and a BOE-Bot too!
    They wouldn't let me enter though...

    I think Jessica got some pictures/video, but probably no as many as she'd like - she was constantly with kids (adults too!) showing, teaching, encouraging...

    What fun! I hope we make this an annual event!
    -Matt
  • Adam WieslerAdam Wiesler Posts: 81
    edited 2011-04-17 09:42
    I wish I could have been there, it sounds like a lot of fun.

    Matt- Maybe you could use some of this to fix your bot... :)
    http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10622
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2011-04-17 10:17
    Matt,

    Thanks for the great report. What a turn-out! I knew it would be super. Wish I could have been there. :frown:
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