Tektronix MDO3000

Tektronix is giving away one of these - an MDO3000! Just what I need - Something so far above my head that I don't even understand all it can do. ;-) I hope I win...  Check out the video...

Light-N-Logo Tracking

This one is called Light-N-Logo Tracking (though it is really just light tracking!) It also features simple GUI Program Maker programming with the S2.

The Target Bot S2 is equipped with an LED flashlight in a container (two bowls stuck together sticky tack) complete with the Parallax Logo - it rotates clockwise and counter-clockwise (randomized by a coin toss) around the second S2 Tracking Bot. Can the tracker follow? See photos and video.

This is similar to Light following but a bit easier since the Tracking Bot rotates in place. The Target Bot just runs a circle with changes of direction.

Parallax Scribbler and S2 GUI Programming Fun

My friend, Ken Gracey, at Parallax is teaching a  course in Iowa for 45 teachers who will be learning the S2 robot for their elementary school programs. He posted the announcement on the Parallax Forums here and  said, "The S2 GUI provides a whole semester's worth of projects, but what gets teachers and students really excited is when the robots interact with one another...I know there's more we can do, using the GUI and the sensors on the S2. Can you give me some more ideas about how we can make the S2s communicate with one another - strictly from GUI programming activities."

So here are a couple of ideas that I came up with.

Number One - Here is a demo with two programs written in the GUI (that means they will run on the Original Scribbler and S2, of course). Old blue is programmed to count in binary numbers up to 7 (with 3 LED indicators we have 0 - 7 - 1s column, 2s column and 4s column - On is 1 and Off is 0). See graphics below.

The S2 (because of its encoders and ability to stay on course) is programmed to run 7 circles (can be simply reset to some other number up to 7 in the loop counter). As it passes by, old blue will count as it passes, using the IR detectors.

See the following demo video...

Number Two - Variation on the theme above. Should be easy for your teachers to figure out and students will love it because it resembles a magic trick - "Fire Stealer"

The sneaky S2 sings Charge!, runs erco's figure 8 and "steals" LED light - "fire" - from Scribbler A and drops it off at Scribbler B. When all the light is stolen from Blue A - it says Uh-Oh!, and when all the LEDs are lit on Scribbler B, it says TaDa!

Enjoy the video! The code for both of these examples is available on the Forums at the link above.

Edit:

Number Three - And last one... maybe!

I call this one Ribbon Following.

I took a black piece of ribbon (weighted with a quarter taped to the back) and attached it to my blue Scribbler. Using the S2 default line following program, the S2 gives chase. The slightly raised ribbon attached to the Scribbler seems to work well - with the usual goofs, of course! I had to adjust the speeds of the two bots to make the following work best. See photo below and...Enjoy this video - Thanks to videographer, scribbler-kart!

The Innovators

Great author interview tonight on Fresh Air - All Tech Considered. I've got to read this book!

How The Cold War And George Orwell Helped Make The Internet What It Is

In The Innovators, Walter Isaacson explains that Pentagon officials wanted a system the Russians couldn't attack, and 1984 made the public wary of new...

WWW.NPR.ORG

Great Coverage of Parallax on Sacramento News

Rocklin company helps students reach for the skies with robots

Parallax, a Rocklin, California company is helping children embrace science, technology and engineering with the help of robots. For more information click above.

Most of you know that I think that Parallax is the very best. Their products and customer service are second to none!

More Robot Priest Stuff...

Feeling more job security after watching this video... The whole story is here on Mashable.

A Google Image search of Robot Priest came up with these...

and this classic also used on my sidebar!

Recent Updates on Mars Curiosity

After 2 years and nearly 9 kilometers of driving, NASA's Mars Curiosity has arrived at the base of Mount Sharp to begin a whole new phase of exploration. Video from September 11.

And in video from September 25 - Curiosity has collected its first drill sample from the base of Mount Sharp. The scientific allure of the layered mountain inside a crater drew the team to choose this part Mars as its landing site.

Amazing real work is being done far away from Earth with such advanced robots working with teams here directing the process!