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erco +1 — Parallax Forums

erco +1

ercoerco Posts: 20,256
in General Discussion
Macaroon is our new family member today, I have lots of Scratch programming to do. I/O training.


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Comments

  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    New kitten in a newly-filled litter box -- like a clean boot! Warning: cuteness factor overflow!

    Great name, BTW. Congrats on the new addition to the fam!

    -Phil
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2017-04-24 02:42
    Glad to hear you approve! The twins named her Macaroon. Seems like a good fit.

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  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,185
    You mean an excellent fit.
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    Have mercy!
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    Remember: No wiring up an Arduino to Macaroon's whiskers to see if she'll finish your figure 8 contest.
  • tomcrawfordtomcrawford Posts: 1,126
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    Remember: No wiring up an Arduino to Macaroon's whiskers to see if she'll finish your figure 8 contest.

    +1

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    GordonMcComb wrote: »
    Remember: No wiring up an Arduino to Macaroon's whiskers to see if she'll finish your figure 8 contest.

    You shouldn't have suggested that. It's all I can think about now!

    https://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Brains-RoboRoach/dp/B00QDHD1WS

    JK, it's a pity that PETA's such a PITA, said Peter to the PotUS.

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Of course this tiny furball is taking over the house and our lives now as she acclimates and explores her world. She's only 4-5 weeks old and it's fascinating to watch how her motor skills, coordination and balance improve daily. Two days ago she couldn't drink out of a bowl without choking/inhaling milk or water, now she's lapping like a pro. Still tripping over her own feet occasionally, but now she can run. Self-programming, self-optimizing, self-tuning PID in action!

    She's got a very healthy purr and of course the twins asked WHY. A little Googling turns up some surprising info that purring is a status indicator for kittens, a homing beacon for mothers, and a way to stimulate endorphins for calming and healing. That sure beats a robot's LED status light and IR homing beacon in my e-book.

    http://www.rd.com/advice/pets/why-do-cats-purr/

    Maybe there's a market for a purring robot cat for therapy and companionship, along the lines of the Paro seal. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1124231/Robot-baby-seal-Paro-helps-elderly-dementia-patients-Hong-Kong.html

    Of course I also foresee robotic cat toys, servos wiggling yarn & feathers, rustling paper bags and opening flaps in cardboard boxes. Might be time for Macaroon to have her own Youtube channel.

  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    Here's 10 hours, but it's not the same without the fluffiness. I wasn't surprised to find that lol.


  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Sometimes, not always, sound is enough. Hysterical sounds.

    http://triggur.org/robodump/
  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,185
    Be careful. A purring cat or kitten will cause the individual whose lap she's in to fall asleep.

    Now why are your robots moving to Africa?
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    This kitten only has a 20% duty cycle. Sleeps 80% of the day. Nice work if you can get it.
  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,185
    erco wrote: »
    This kitten only has a 20% duty cycle. Sleeps 80% of the day. Nice work if you can get it.

    Also normal. I also arranged for that to happen, the kitten that is.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2017-05-07 22:20
    I'm honestly trying to avoid becoming a "cat video" person, but this was too funny and somewhat robot-related. "Deactivating" a wild kitten with a clothespin on the scruff of the neck. I presume this simulates being carried in mommy's teeth. Didn't know kittens came with factory-installed E-stops.

    Among other funny comments: Cat.exe suddenly crashed

  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    Wow, that's amazing and hilarious at the same time. Thanks for posting it.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    I wonder how long the effect lasts until kitty is wise to it. Time for some experimentation, erco! Enquiring minds want to know!

    -Phil
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    Any plans for assimilation into your collective? Or is this one thing that will stay battery free.

    Has it crawled on your shelves yet, cats make toys out of almost anything.

    Good luck with your new family member, keep the cat hair out of the gear motors!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    MikeDYur wrote: »
    keep the cat hair out of the gear motors!

    Cat & dog fur in the gears & axles remains the #1 reason for "defective" returns of battery-op toys!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    erco wrote: »
    Of course I also foresee robotic cat toys, servos wiggling yarn & feathers, rustling paper bags and opening flaps in cardboard boxes.

    No sooner said than done. Not sure what I did to warrant a free online subscription to MAKE magazine, but today's issue has a $500 DIY smart laser toy for cats. And from the looks of that fat cat, he's in serious need of some exercise.


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  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    Yeah, that cat's a real low-rider. All he needs is a good subwoofer and some rap-music-activated LEDs on his underside, and he'd be ready to cruise the Boulevard.

    -Phil
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Neat tech product for a cat deterrent. Motion detector shoots compressed air. A bit more forgiving than the flamethrower I would rig up if kitty was bad.

    https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Deterrent-Activated-Repellent-Environmentally/dp/B0721735K9
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    Careful erco, it's politically incorrect to own a smoking kitty, unless the cat has a habbit:
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  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    This is a much better cat deterrent. Big Clive blowing up cats:
  • Hal AlbachHal Albach Posts: 747
    edited 2017-07-13 02:40
    That is one cute little kitten. I bet the twins are just loving that little furball. BUT, never forget the old adage, "Dogs have Masters, cats have Staff."
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Cute and deadly. She's in that 4-month old "attack anything that moves" phase, all claws & teeth. Razor sharp on all counts! All our scratches are worth it...

    Super lanky and muscular, she can jump anywhere, anytime. Gotta go, she's watching me now. Huge eyes. Butt & tail are twitching. Think she knows I'm...

    AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!
  • TorTor Posts: 2,010
    .. your reflexes won't be quick enough to avoid the attack. But I found a trick with my mother's cat.. the moment before she attacked her eyes dilated (or at least that what I think happened - they just looked blacker suddenly). It gave me a few tenths of a second more, and enough time to get my wristwatch into her path so that she would attack that one instead. So by watching her eyes when she got into the attack position I could avoid the scratches.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2017-07-13 15:59
    This even has a name. It's called the "Mr. Hilltop Effect" The demonstration isn't actually in this clip, as the clip in question contains some language not suitable for this forum. Since everyone in the universe has seen Young Frankenstein, I'll just just this one as a general pointer.



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