Author: Peter Jones

Well not really. During my commute I found this information on using Blender for robotics, bit it’s in the running for least phone friendly website ever. When I got home, I browsed it for five minutes or so, but then it was off to helping the Wif with homework. I did find a ruler, so I was able to mark some can lids for mounting to a servo. They’ll be bad wheels, but even a bad wheel is a wheel.
I think tonight during my late night downtime, while flying my internet spaceship through dangers of Simela, I’ll clean. I would like to find some things, and that list seems to be getting bigger rather than smaller.

Not sure if my vision is feeling the love though. I’m also thinking of how fun it’ll be too manufacture all these parts. Do I want to try injection molding? Pour acrylic?
I’m figuring the weight constraints will rule out metal, but if did it out of metal, I could carry more weight.
Gaah.
First things first. I need to hook a servo our two and my rangefinder to my Beaglebone. Then I need to attach wheels to the servos. A self navigating car is a good start.

We start with a normal Strandbeest looking leg. On one end of a downward facing leg bracket that has its angle on pivot. The other end has another wheel tied to the main wheel. This wheel is linked further down the leg to lift it. The wheel’s mounting though isn’t static. It’s floating in a channel held back by some springs. Therefore when climbing, the gear can bind rotating the leg more aggressively rather causing the legs to belly slide up.
Yeah. I need to draw this. Maybe I should finally teach myself how to use Blender. At least enough to do simple mechanical models. I’m not sure if this is simple…

I hot glued together bottles again for the creation of LightBeer. I need to cut wire and solder, bit already I have the bottles prepared. This time I used something like five sticks of hot glue, so hopefully they’ll hold the line. If not, I’ll probably melt the glue away, and look at using a torch to attach them while the Wif is visiting family.
I also fired up my Beaglebone Black and ssh’d into it. I should get that rocking soon.
I also cleaned a very little. I need to clean and organize more. Not that I’m a huge fan of organization, bit I am a huge fan of finding my copy of Mona Lisa Overdrive when I’m looking for a quote.

This means I’m doing it wrong.
I believe strongly that learning from my last experience can guide me to the correct path no matter how wrong the path is.
In high school I took six AP exams and passed five.
Physics – never brought my own calculator, copied the lab book of my lab partners, often didn’t do homework. I at least assume we had homework. Can’t say; didn’t do it.
5
Chemistry – Failed the class with something like 43%. Was given a C due to the teacher needing to give his son a passing grade. No Mr. Bond, I expect you to continue your teaching integrity.
4

English Literature and Composition – the administrator in charge of AP exam registration and what not was also the AP English Literature teacher. He pulled me out of a different class to tell me taking the test was a waste of money as his students had been preparing since the summer before, while I was on slow boating on basic English. After getting my score I had my girlfriend at the time (one of his students) flip him static.
3 or 4, can’t remember.
English Comprehension – The class want even offered. Also earned to not take it.
3 or 4
Calculus – as the first real class if the day for me this was caffeine imbibing time. Wong sheen a couple of Advil and… I totally can’t remember my caffeine pill of choice, washed down with Mountain Dew. Usually got to class 15 minutes late. Told I had to turn in two virtual assignments by the end of year in case the teacher needed a paper trail for my grade.
4 or 5 (pretty sure this was a 4)
Studio art – did all assignments, listened to the teacher instructions and critique.
2

This path had continued to plague me since. I even came up with a basic law.
Assumptions: people will usually do what they’re told, most people aren’t doing too hot themselves, and everyone gets roughly the same advice. Do the opposite of advice.

I should plan ahead. Therefore I think I’ll build something tonight.

My mind got wandering this morning, as tis wont to do somedays. I saw this here giant spider thing, which reading the rest of the article, was partially inspired by Strandbeests. I think something clicked to remind me of one of my dislikes of corporatochracy. They’re in it for the money, which is fine, but… but, they have no vision. In the public sphere, the goal of robotics is to make the most human analog possible.
This shouldn’t be a surprise as the history of the US is free labor coupled with the origin the source of the word robot. It reminds of a white from William Gibson. Unfortunately I’ve lost said quote. Basically it gets down to not assigning humanity to that which is not human…
Right. I kinda tangented there.
Six dollar teddy is going to be a beast. Two(three?) legs per limb, traveling belly down, one of more feet up…
I think the post in the video where guy on his spider is using a 2hp motor is what made me realize that legs are okay.
I have a better idea for the final name, bit I need to look up some words. Someday I need to find some of my favorite quotes which inspire my vision.

I need to get a pair of those spring clip removing things. I loathe spring clips. My goal tonight was to figure out one of my spare “servos”. I quote that because there are a lot of pins going into this salvage. The part number isn’t any help, so I’m thinking I’ll gut one and see where it takes me.

Bayreuther Zwick’l Kellerbier – 5.4%
Smooth like a mountain stream. Nothing bad. Good taste, a bit of syrup feel.

…knee deep in crushing asteroids. The smell of modulated lasers cutting through my pods membrane and burning my olfactory nerves. Frantically alt-tabbing to keep my brain from withering to dust like that last gasp of Golden Omber, and I asked myself,
“Self.” (I like to try to get my attention.)
“Self. Couldn’t you be doing something more useful?”
“Of course! Why don’t I fly my internet spaceships and teach myself at the same time. I finally hooked up and spun a servo as well as used an IR range finder tonight. While my spaceship did ours thing.
Mooltitask!