P2 Quick Byte

If you've been wanting to dip your toe into the waters of Parallax's incredible P2 - this is a great way to start - https://www.parallax.com/category/quick-byte/ I promise, you will be amazed! Check it out. These great examples are growing too.

MIT Robot Learns How to Play Jenga

Watch this from MIT Mechanical Engineering (seen on IEE Spectrum).

Using machine-learning and sensory hardware, Alberto Rodriguez, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and members of MIT's MCube lab have developed a robot that is learning how to play the game Jenga®. The technology could be used in ALL sorts of robots - especially those required for subtle "human-like" manipulations.   

Perseverance Rover's Descent and Touchdown on Mars: Onboard Camera Views

 I just re-watched this. It is hard to imagine  all that has to got right to make this work. What an achievement! I am in awe of the brains, ingenuity, science, programming, engineering, and "perseverance."  

From NASA's Perseverance Mission info,

NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance mission captured thrilling footage of its rover landing in Mars' Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021.  The real footage in this video was captured by several cameras that are part of the rover's entry, descent, and landing suite. The views include a camera looking down from the spacecraft's descent stage (a kind of rocket-powered jet pack that helps fly the rover to its landing site), a camera on the rover looking up at the descent stage, a camera on the top of the aeroshell (a capsule protecting the rover) looking up at that parachute, and a camera on the bottom of the rover looking down at the Martian surface.

The audio embedded in the video comes from the mission control call-outs during entry, descent, and landing. 

For more information about Perseverance, visit https://mars.nasa.gov/perseverance

Credit

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Robotic Automation for Home Landscaping

In this video, Ask This Old House's home technology expert, Ross Trethewey explores a variety of technologies that could make the future of home landscaping automated. Products featured include a Husqvarna automower, Rain Bird smart irrigation, and the Tertill weeding robot.

Perseverance Will Land on Mars Today

Today is the Day!

NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, with the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter attached to its belly, is on target to touch down gently on the Red Planet around 3:55 p.m. EST today, Feb. 18, 2021.  The entry, descent, and landing team started on console at mission control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory at 8:30 a.m.

Watch LIVE at NASA - click here.

UPDATE: NASA Perseverance has landed safely on Mars and is sending information and photos! This is an incredible engineering and scientific achievement. 

Meet Bot Ross - Servo Digital Article

The digital edition of Servo has a great article, Meet Bot Ross. Here is a bit of info.

Happy Valentine's Day from R.U.S.

Happy Valentine's Day from Robotics Under the Stole! Take a look at this wonderful assortment of robot themed Valentine's Day goodies that I found at Dollar Tree.