Robox and Various Updates

Just posted about my robot build on the event blog I have going. Perhaps I should have posted it here.

HeatSync Labs elected me for the board as Secretary. It is great to be a part of such an amazing community.

There is an upcoming Maker Summit and I will be on a panel discussing education through making. This is happening at the new TechShop.
 
I finished a half size version of my Arduino instrument. This can be made using the breadboards and Arduinos in my robots. The idea is to have people make the small instrument and pair up with a partner and wire 2 of these together and make the full sized instrument. No pictures at the moment, my apologies. It looks better here with the full form factor and colorful buttons anyway.


Hacker Haven had a really great turn out last week although I didn't make it. They are flying drones and showing off the pinball machine The Scientific Mom worked on with her daughter. That project looks like a great opportunity to get kids making things, and we have some ideas on how to add electronics.

Had an excellent Hands on Robot Basics yesterday at THINKspot. In less than an hour we had people moving a servo with the example code. Gave an overview of the Robot code. Lots of things to learn that we didn't cover, but made sure to go over how to use the online examples to learn on their own. Gave out a bunch of HeatSync Labs business cards so they all know they can use the Arduino's in the lab.

I have plenty of documentation to work on with the robot code, schematics, and build instructions. Looking forward to having these and other improvements to my tool set for sharing Arduino.

Edit: I had the wrong dates for QC Robot Night and Electronic Study Group
Below are the corrected dates

Here are some things I'm doing.
10/15/2013 - Hacker Haven is (every Tuesday 6-7 pm)
10/16/2013 - THINKspot - Hands on Robot Basics Wednesday 6-8 pm (One time event maybe)
10/17/2013 - Queen Creek Robot Night (every 3rd Thursday monthly)
10/23/2013 - Electronics Study Group (every 4th Wednesday monthly)

More Robots and Arduino etc

I'm going to have a Robotics/Arduino night at THINKspot October 16th from 6-8 pm. I'll probably only have a few at this location to get some things going in their space.

THINKspot at the Mesa Red Mountain library which just opened is both a collaborative/incubator space and a makerspace. Their is a balance to strike keeping the area clean enough to work well as a collaborative space which those funding the space find reasonable, and messy enough to really make things in.

My goal is to help grow and support the hacker/maker community. People can learn so much more by having access to tools and places to meet people with similar interests.

Yesterday I helped Dan Cervo laser a Delta CNC he designed. The projected turned out really well.

I worked on this Hello World example with an LCD screen. It was really fun. The only problem is I keep needing to take the Arduino off to plug in other projects. It's frustrating to try to rewire it.

That is all for now.

A lot of my time has been spent on Robotics Night and related stuff. I just finished some work on robots tonight so they are all backwards which is better.
 
Phoenix Burton Barr Library has Hacker Haven. I visited with my robots and plan on being there for the next 4 Tuesdays.

Got to help someone make a toy truck. The designer new just what she was doing with the little jem sticker head lights, tail lights, and side mirrors.

I'm also learning python via codecademy.com. I like being told I'm 17%  done. Is that a linear progression or does the last 10% take the longest!?

I learned a few things about wood working while helping a little bit with this desk.

Later I learned more during a wood working class and made a tool box.

I made a jig to laser etch pencils with peoples names on them.

Here is a group of visitors that got their names laser etched on pencils.

I'm starting this blog mainly to document the projects I work on or help with. These laser cut acrylic Pac-Man earrings are a cool design. I didn't work on the design, but I helped get the laser cut done.

This is an Arduino music instrument that I am working on. I plan on documenting my projects in more detail. For now I figured I would share a few pictures.

One of 8 robots I made for the Queen Creek Robotics Night.

Another things that interests me as I keep track of my projects is taking notes on who has helped me with my projects. I get lots of help from others at HeatSync Labs.