LittleDog

LittleDog robot built by Boston Dynamics, programmed by the CLMC Lab at the University of Southern California ( http://www-clmc.usc.edu/ ). Hat tip to Nikos Giannakopoulos for posting on Facebook! I can't believe how long this has been around without me seeing it.

Please note the size of LittleDog at around the 1:58 time-stamp! Incredible! This robot measures 11.8 by 7.1 inches (30 by 18 centimeters), stands 5.5 inches (14 centimeters) tall and weighs 4.9 pounds (2.2 kilograms).

Maybe this LittleDog will show up lost and I can give it a good home!

Parallax 2018 Professional Development Courses

Kate Lukey Hay shared this note and video on the BlocklyProp for Microcontrollers Facebook page.

"Teacher Share! We kicked off the 2018 Professional Development courses in Rocklin, CA this week and have been hearing how our inspirational teachers use Parallax robots in their classes. One teacher, I met today was Mr. Carter at ICDA Charter High School in Reno NV...and you should check out his program website...and videos.

Great job I Can Do Anything(ICDA) Charter School!"

Teresa Burke shared a special thank you photo too!

These amazing courses from Parallax are offered to educators for free! I promise you will have fun, learn a lot, and be inspired - your students and school will benefit. Check it out here - https://www.parallax.com/events 

I hope to attend one of these myself, or host one locally.

m-Arlo Build Photos - In Progress!

m-Arlo (my own custom mid-sized Arlo, 12” in díameter) - the basic layout! Casters will be on both sides - Two (2) SLA batteries will go in the mid-section. The little connectors and hardware are eating my lunch! - but, I think I got it worked out tonight. Doing this yourself really makes you appreciate the Arlo Complete Robot System, but you also learn a lot about mocking up and developing the design!

I really like the size and I think it is going really work well. Getting lots of good feedback from my friends and fellow roboticists. 

Beeper the Robot

Beeper the Robot - knitting pattern is available here - $5.78. Pretty neat project!

Snow Bot Time

A bot for snow days... Amazon (Japan) ;-)

ROBOPLOW

What we need today... in Louisiana!

because...

There really is a bot for all seasons!

More Figure Eight Challenge in 2018

Eric Ostendorff's (aka, erco) "Rocky the Robot" bangs out the first Figure Eight of 2018! The challenge began way back in 2012! Still fun and the thread at the Parallax Forums is still active with new posts all the time. I've got a few videos there myself. Got to agree with erco, "That is awesome!"

LaserPing

This is exciting! Ken Gracey tweeted, “Something interesting is getting built in the @ParallaxInc manufacturing area today.”

Ken adds in another post, "This LaserPing sensor is coming soon - precision 0-100 cm distance measurement at 50 Hz. The communication protocol is compatible with the Ping))) Ultrasonic Sensor, so the same BlocklyProp block will be used.

Geeks and roboteers, rejoice!

Acro-botics from CES 2018

From my friend Eric Ostendorff, "erco" who is attending CES 2018. Eric says, "Coolest new robot trick of CES 2018!"

My Kind of Art...

Found a reference to Eric Joyner's work on a Parallax Forum thread (hat tip to mikeologist)  . Love this...

Eric's website is at https://ericjoyner.com/. Some example from his gallery... FANTASTIC!

A book of Eric Joyner's art called Robots and Donuts is here on Amazon. Just ordered one! Could not resist!

Edit: Just dropped the artist a note at his site to share this post and my appreciation of his work! Fun stuff!

Edit some more... This is coming out in February 2018 - Robotic Existentialism: The Art of Eric Joyner - Click here.

Edit - one more - part of what makes this special to me is the San Francisco Bay Area connection. I went to seminary in Berkeley, California at The Church Divinity School of the Pacific. It is where I meet my wife!

Robot Odometry Calibration

My pal, erco (Eric Ostendorff) posted this over on the Parallax Forums in the Erco's Figure Eight Challenge thread. I had so much great info, I am saving it here for future reference. Hat tip to Cheap Science for posting this odometry "workshop!"

Roblox - Cardboard Box Bot

Wish I could find one of these without buying from mystery boxes! The search begins...

Here is the real thing...

Edit: BAM - ebay and on its way...