The Incredible Adventure of SOURC at Botfest '08
&& [ Technology ] && 0 comments
As I sit here in the car, it seems as if I have been on this trip for days, although it has sparsely been 34 hours. I’m looking out the window at a hilly green expanse dotted with cows, old farm houses and strip malls. Ahh, the I-5 corridor south of Portland. Quite a contrast to the giant skyscrapers and twitching robots that have been the focus of my attention up to 3 hours previously. I am returning from the Southern Oregon robotics club’s trip to Portland for BotFest ‘08, and what a trip it has been.
I met my fellow roboticists in SOU’s physics classroom on Friday, which was yesterday, with a bag of clothes in my hand and my computer on my back. The triple digit temperatures outside promised an extremely uncomfortable trip, possibly dangerous to my sanity, but I didn’t care. I was on my way to my
first robotics competition after all, and I had been looking forward to the trip all week. I was pumped and ready to go. The 5 of us who arrived on time waited in the classroom for half an hour for stragglers, and then we were off.
I tried to enjoy the 5 hour car ride even after listening to the System of a Down cd for the 5th time in a row. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits, despite our sweaty backs and tortured burger king filled digestive tracts. The burning freeway air trapped us at mercy of our Kia Sedona’s climate control system, fastened permanently between boiling and freezing. To be fair, there was a temperature dial on the thing, but we couldent figure out how to use it for hours, and once we did, nobody seemed to remember it was there. Fanally, the horrible funny-because-they-arent –funny jokes and painfully nerdy converstation, came to a close once we pulled up to the Dunes Motel, our home away from home for the night.
AGGH! The wireless internet didn’t work. You could practically hear the nerds wail in despaired unison down the dark motel hall. Maybe it was a good thing, because we had to wake up early the next day and it was already 1am.
We woke up in the morning and met at the van, all of us except for one. The missing roboticist was instead rushed away by two wailing ambulances because of low blood sugar. He was released four hours later. Not the morning we had imagined, but still a promising morning nonetheless.
Finally, to even our own disbelief, we made it to BotFest ‘08 at the Children’s Museum in Portland. The floor
was packed full of 15 year old kids rushing around our ankles. Robots butted heads in the sumo competitions, became hopelessly lost in the mazes. One humanoid bot tried to start a conversation with me as I walked by. A flock of agitated Pleos cried out for attention in one corner of the madness. Pockets of men conversed around the floor furiously taking notes about each other’s machines. “Transistor”, “Microcontroller” and “C plus plus” could be heard over the noise of servos and and screaming.
Finally, we felt as if we were home. The first event that we entered was the medium sized sumo bots. Silver dragon did alright by beating the robot that was beat by everyone. After that, it was all downhill. Bluedragon never even had a chance, he was swept off the rink like dust. SOURC did fare slightly better in the line following challenge, Twitch was one of 3 robots that actually finished the course. One 3rd place ribbon for us.
After the competition was over came the robot talent show. There were only two entries, an impressive balance bot that was able to stay upright on two wheels like a segway, and a very large remote controlled arm on four wheels that played robot basketball. The judge gave both entries second place because they were so different, though I thought the balance bot should have gotten first because it was a true autonomous robot, and the big arm was RC.
After a few hours of mingling, we decided to get pizza and then go home. And that is where I am now. It is pretty much the same drive that we had on the way up, minus the System of the Down. There was enough moaning in the back seat that the DJ decided against it. I’m dirty, smelly and sweaty, and I’ve been doing far too much sitting down. A nice shower and clean clothes sounds better than root access right now!
All in all a great trip, we learned what we have to do to kick butt next time and we are all inspired to make it happen.
I cant wait to kick some 12 year old ass. I don’t care how old they are I will have no pity – Carl
Comment Response: Ocean Fossils at Siskiyou Summit? Say What?
&& [ Science ] && 3 comments
Guy DiTorrice commented on my previous post Southern Oregon Universtity Geology 103 Field Trip:
Interesting to note that some of Oregon’s oldest fossils are found at one of the state’s highest elevations — south of Ashland near Siskiyou Summit! And, that most of the fossils found at the I-5 exposures are from an ocean environment. How did that happen???
It may seem a little strange that oceanic fossils are found so far inland from the ocean. In fact, the last thing you expect to find while going for a walk on Mt. Ashland is a bunch of clam shells. However, there is a reasonable explanation…
The concept of geologic time may be hard for some people to grasp. Our perspective of time is squeezed into minutes, days and years. By contrast, geologic time is based on thousands, millions and even billions of years. If you were able to count one number every second of your living life, you would have to live 147 years just to count to 4.6 billion, the approximate age of the earth.
Its important to realize that in such a huge amount of time, the earth didn’t always look the way it does today. Most people are probably familiar with the super continent Pangea that existed ~250 million years ago. well it turns out that Pangea was only one of many super continents that have existed in Earth’s history. The earth’s tectonic plates are in a constant state of motion, thus the earth is constantly changing.
So it would make sense that what was a beach a long time ago can now be miles from the ocean. Some of the most interesting places to find marine fossils are in Montana, in the middle of the USA! In the case of
fossils found near I-5 in Oregon, we can get a little more specific. The Hornbrook Formation where we found the fossils were not originally part of the North American Plate but instead formed as an island arc chain on the Pacific Plate. As subduction occurred on the boundary of the two plates, the Hornbrook formation slowly moved towards the coast of Oregon where it eventually collided with the North American plate and became a part of it. This process is called accretion.
Think of the earth as a giant pot of soup. If you don’t stir soup, stuff starts to collect on top. The longer you leave it, the more other parts of the soup attach the the conglomerate in the middle. That “stuff” is like continental crust. In fact, Oregon’s coast is made up of many different accreted materials.
If The Hornbrook Formation was once an island chain, you would expect to find marine fossils contained within it. There are several other ways that fossils may come to exit far from the present day ocean. In the past sea levels may have been higher then they are now, allowing inundation of the coast and creating beaches farther inland. Valleys could become shallow sea ways, where you would also expect to find marine fossils.
Always keep your eyes open for fossils, you might find them where you would least expect.
Southern Oregon Universtity Geology 103 Field Trip
&& [ Science ] && 3 comments
On Wednesday Dr. Elliot’s geology 103 class went for a field trip. The main focus was on gathering fossil specimens from various locations. The fossils were all found in the Hornbrook formation, contained within Osberger Gulch Sandstone. The rocks were formed during the Cretaceous, which gives them and the fossils an age of approximately 95,000,000 years.
The interpretation is that the sediments were deposited from a beach or shallow marine environment. The abundance of the shells and the broken state of them suggests a high energy environment, so waves must have been present. By far the most common fossils (and original hard parts) were clams and mussels, but gastropods were also present. One lucky student even found a shrimp.
Dr. Elliot and 2 other students climbing a tilted bed of sandstone on the side of Interstate 5, just south of Ashland.
A nice collection taken inches away from a fault that dampened and softened the surrounding sandstone making it easier to collect
Identifying Fossils
One of the many local scorpions we found. We didn’t kill it in hopes that it would die in a depositional environment somewhere and make a nice fossil.
Trying to remove a fossil from the sandstone.
Relic of time.
Southern Oregon Nightlife in a Nutshell
&& [ ] && 3 comments
Robots That Will Own You
&& [ Science, Technology ] && 2 comments
We all know that its not a question of if we will be replaced by robots, but when. After looking at a few of these machines, the day may be closer than anyone thought.
Boston Dynamic’s Big Dog
From Boston Dynamic’s web site: “BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics family of robots. It is a quadruped robot that walks, runs, and climbs on rough terrain and carries heavy loads. BigDog is powered by a gasoline engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system. BigDog’s legs are articulated like an animal’s, and have compliant elements that absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule, measuring 1 meter long, 0.7 meters tall and 75 kg weight.”
This thing is as creepy as it is cool. It seems unreal that a machine could exist that appears so lifelike. The only way to really see how impressive it is would be to watch the video. It recovers after being kicked, slips on ice but never falls over, and walks over a pile of bricks. The amount of work put into this dog must be staggering. Check it out:
Robotic Exosuit
The Crusher
Another one of DARPA's research projects. The "Crusher" is one helluva vehicle that can handle a wide variety of terrain. The machine can be remote controlled or drive itself autonomously. the thing already has a machine gun mounted on top - it will have obvious uses for the military.
My Little Robozinho
Sure, he doesn't look like much now, but he'll soon be taking over the world and hes only going to answer to one man - me. Start sending in checks for protection now and you will be spared.
Amazing Guitar
&& [ Entertainment ] && 0 comments
Just wanted to share with you the awesomeness of this video. The duo is called Rodrigo Y Gabriela and they are from Mexico.
Iraq War Flag Memorial at SOU
&& [ ] && 0 comments
According to the signs in front of the lawn where all the flags are being planted, every white flag represents 5 dead Iraqis and every red flag represents 5 dead Americans. In total, the flags represent a total of 655,000 dead Iraqis and just under 4,000 dead Americans. Click on the images for a bigger view.
The Fool in the Machine
&& [ Bizzare, News, Online Crime, Technology ] && 0 comments
From iRobot, the makers if Roomba the robotic vacuum comes ConnectR - the robot that enables you to “Stay close to those you love – no matter where you are!” According to iRobot’s website the robot is a new kind of connection device designed for busy parents and far removed grandparents “seeking greater connection and involvement with kids, grandkids and pets.”
Technically, the ConnectR is almost identical to it’s sibling Roomba, but with some communication gadgets 
stuck on top. Some of the added features include a 16x zoom video camera, high quality speakers and wireless connectivity. The robot allows remote control from both the “visitor” and the “guest” via keyboard or joystick. One of the features on the guest’s remote is a privacy mode, that once enabled, disables all communication capabilities of the robot - effectively shutting out the guest without warning. With all of these fancy capabilities, iRobot claims that piloting the ConnectR is just like being there in person.
The concept of a robot taking the place of anybody in any situation is disturbing to most people. There was unrest when industrial robots, basically metal arms, took the place of human workers in factories. Countless movies have been made about robots taking the place of people - none of them positive. The very idea of a machine taking the place of a person for a social purpose is pretty absurd. Now I’m sure that iRobot never intended for their product to seriously perform everything that it claims it can do (I hope) but we can at least have some fun playing with the idea.
First of all, the thing is connected to the internet. I would distrust this machine for the same reason I distrust voting machines - anything with a network cable plugged into its ass can be hacked. Chances are, something as crazy an idea as the ConnectR will be targeted extremely quickly. The kind of guys and gals that are into cracking security are going have a field day with this thing. Peeking in on someone’s personal interactions is just too irresistible a temptation for the voyeurs who potentially have the power to do so. Imagine if the ConnectR really was being used by a far away business man… to visit his lonely wife.
One of the more humorous uses advertised for the ConnectoR is pet sitting. Apparently you can keep check on your pets while you are away at work or on vacation. Yea right. How many dogs actually pay attention to TV? When you put the phone up to your dogs ear so it can listen to a family members voice, how often does it listen? Very little, if at all. The fact is dogs and cats can’t comprehend that the voice coming out of speakers belongs to a person, and wont respond to objects that don’t have a scent. I remember building a
Lego robot car as a child that could be remote controlled by a joystick. It scared the crap out of my cat who ran away for a night or two. When I confronted my dog with my creation, she quickly attacked and destroyed the machine before I could save it. I can’t imagine the pooch reacting much differently to the ConnectR.
On the more serious side of things, I hope people don’t actually buy this thing and try to use it as a replacement for real human interaction. If they do, this behavior should be indicative of a deeper problem. Is having a job that pays enough to purchase ridiculous things like the ConnectR really worth keeping if you don’t even have time to spend with your own kids? I think not. If anything the the robot should be treated as nothing more than a really cool expensive toy. Maybe even a very pricey security system, but definitely not a babysitter.
For those of you interested in purchasing the ConnectR, you will have to wait. The product is not yet in consumer production. If you want, you can sign up for the “Pilot Program” which is basically a Beta test of the robot in order for iRobot to receive feedback. But please, if you do receive a ConnectR, don’t do anything that you would do with your wife, kids or pets.
Put That Rejected Old Computer to Use
&& [ Technology ] && 0 comments
Most of you probably have an old computer laying around somewhere. Chances are, its all bundled up sitting sadly in a dusty closet somewhere. Well I strongly believe there is no reason to ever have a comp around not plugged in, and I’m going to share some of my favorite things to do with my old computers with your (or your parent’s, or friends’)
Obligatory Linux Plug
I always install Linux on my old junkers even if I use Windows Vista on my main machine. There are many reasons including performance and price, but the main reason is that Linux does these following things REALLY well. In fact, Linux is almost specialized for some of the tasks at hand, like running servers. If you
have never installed Linux before I recommend trying Ubuntu Its really easy to install and use, and even if you do mess up, your working with a junker anyways - what do you have to lose? I also recommend checking out my other page, Shell Account Howtos for some of the basics of managing Linux remotely (and believe me you will want to do this)
End Obligatory Linux Plug
1. Turn your computer into a killer jukebox.
If you have a killer stereo system in your house but never use it because you have to make CDs for it, this is for you. The first thing you will have to get is one of these doohickeys:
Do the parts look familiar? They should. The black end fits in any 3.5mm audio jack that you find on ipods, cd players and most importantly, computers. The other end connects to left/right RCA jacks.
After you get one of the cables, simply connect your computer and stereo, and switch your stereo to aux input. Now any sound that comes out of your computer will play on your stereo. If you haven’t already, copy all your music onto the computer, then simply launch a music player.
The basic setup might not be very convenient, especially if you are pressed for space and don’t have room for a computer in your living room or whatnot. Nows the time to learn how to use a remote desktop, like VNC or SSH that allow you to remotely control your computers, so you can take all that dirty human interface stuff off, like the mouse, keyboard and screen. Now thats cool! Even better, coupled with a file share, the next example, you can share music from your main computer to the jukebox seamlessly.
2. Set up a home file server
If you have multiple computers in one house and a router, you would be crazy not to set up a file server. You would never think how much you use until you try it. Samba and NFS for windows and Linux, respectively, are the standards today. Samba is the way to go, because your Linux, mac and windows machine can all use it. Once you have everything running you can share files between all computers practically instantly.
3. Hello world! Put up your own website.
If you don’t already have a website, my first question would be what are you waiting for? Even if you do have one, setting up another is good for backup or stuff you don’t necessarily want to put on your other. Using an old computer to run a website is great because you have complete control, and it runs off your home internet conne
ction so it doesn’t cost any extra.
In Linux, setting up a web server is as simple as typing “sudo apt-get install apache2” to install Apache and opening up port 80. Installing other things like PHP, MySQL and FTP servers is just as easy. You can literally have a fully featured website running a CMS like Joomla or a gallery like Gallery2 in minutes - and all the world can access it.
If you are using windows, which I never have, things may be a little more difficult/different. You can install apache on windows too, as well as the others like MySQL and PHP, but I’ve never done it. I will leave that up to you to find out.
Once you have your website up and it is accessible to the internet, you can access it by typing in your IP address. However, thats long cryptic and hard for others to memorize. You will probably want to check out a free dns service like no-ip.com so you can get a cool address like http://austum.hopto.org (this is one of my old comps I have running a webserver) Congratulations! You now have a home on the internet. Be sure to leave me the address so I can check it out.
4. Host a bloody frag box.
If you are into online gaming, you probably play on servers every day. Wouldn’t it be cool to run your own? Even if you own a simple DSL or cable modem you can host multiplayer games. Most companies release
server editions of the game for free, so you don’t even need to own the game to run a server. More likely, you want to run a server of a game that you play and like, so you will already have the server installed - even if you don’t know it yet.
I run a Unreal Tournament 1999 server that me and my friends play on often. Since they are all in close proximity to the physical location of the server, the pings are amazing. Of course, you are welcome to join us too:
This is also the same server I run my webserver and everything else on. Remember - you are not running the game, just the server. You don’t need to have a thousand dollar quad core triple liquid heatsink video card to run it. As long as you have at least a pentium IV processor you should be fine, especially if its an older game.
5. Bypass your work or school’s restrictive firewall.
You have probably heard of proxy servers before. They allow you to reroute your internet traffic so that you can surf the web anonymously or visit blocked websites. The problem with public proxies is they are often
very slow and you don’t really know where they are or who is running them. Set up your computer as a proxy and you can use it from anywhere to download from bittorrent, surf blocked sites and do other sneaky things. You can read my page on how to do this on Linux in the Shell Account Howtos
And more…
There are many things you can do with those extra computers laying around. If you have more than 1, you can try making a Frankencomputer by combining all the parts. Often times this results in 1 much faster computer! Use your imagination! I’m sure you can think of something.
Let me ask you if I missed something. What do you do with your old computers? I’m always open to new ideas.
Letter to a Friend Going to New Zealand
&& [ ] && 0 comments
An old friend sent me a facebook message today telling me that he was going to head down to New Zealand this fall and spend some time there. He was wondering if I had any advice. I feel like anyone planning on doing any traveling this Spring could find this useful:
“Hey Nate nice to hear from you. Boy are you really in for something now. Although you will find you’re own way, I can give you a few tips. First of all, pack LIGHT. I ended up ditching a ton of stuff after a few weeks in NZ. One pair of pants and 1 pair of shorts will do fine. Seriously, don’t take anything extra. A light pack is the most important commodity. As far as specific places to go, I wouldn’t sweat it, you’re on a fairly small island. You will most likely visit the same places more than once, which reminds me of the main point. The greatest discovery in New Zealand is in the people, not the places. Traveling light also means your means of travel should also be light. I would stay away from cars or tourist buses, enclosing yourself in a metal cage will subtract from your experience in New Zealand. You have to be willing to let the wind blow you around. That is when you will truly discover the land and come away with the most. Sorry if I sound preachy, but its true. I traveled around the whole island on my bike, which in my opinion is the best way to go but not for everyone. Be as frugal as possible. Spending less money means less time until you have to start working again. Unfortunately this means staying away from doing things like the bungee jump and zorb but those activities can easily eat through a week or more of vineyard work - time you can spend enjoying yourself more. You WILL learn to cook. I know everything I know now about cooking because of New Zealand. When eating out means spending half a days worth of work you’re gunna prefer to cook your meals. If you don’t already learn some recipes now. You are amazing with people so you are going to have a great time. Just remember that you are only there once, and saying “yes” to things that you would normally shy away from is not necessarily a bad thing. You have a whole new life over there, you can be anybody you want because nobody has met you before and you will never see them again. Most of all, its the best place to really learn to be yourself. As far as practical things - Vineyard work is the way to go. Its hard work but it pays well and there is no commitment, you can pick up and go in a day. The best place for work by far in Blenhiem - right at the northern tip of the south island. Work aplenty and cheap accommodation to match. The towns surrounding Christchurch (I saw Wiz there!) are also really good. I could really go on forever, you have no idea what New Zealand means to me. Please keep in touch while you are there, I can’t wait to live through you. If you have any questions I’d be happy to answer. Happy for you, Austin.”
I’ve been thinking of writing a memoir of my travels in New Zealand, maybe in weekly or bi-weekly installments, but it will be a lot of work and I don’t know if I’m up to it at the moment with school and all. Maybe during the summer when I’m in Nicaragua? Who knows.