[Robotgroup] Notes on presenting at dorkbot5

[David Nunez]

Hi guys,

I  wanted to thank you again for agreeing to present at dorkbot5,  
Thursday night, 8:30 at Cafe Mundi.  We're all thrilled about this  
month's lineup - I think we found a really strong mix of talented  
people doing very different things, and that always makes for an  
evening folks will not forget.

Some logistics:
	* My cell phone number: 512.796.9545 and I'll be available 100% for  
dorkbot-related running around tomorrow after noon.  If you need  
anything at all to help get ready, consider me "on call."
	* If you need a table to set up and have a table, please bring it!   
We may be running short on table space.
	* I will be at the venue at 6:30 to start setting up.  If you don't  
know me, this is what I look like, (although I think I'm leaving my  
yellow gloves at home): http://www.flickr.com/photos/glassyhse/ 
267286053/
	* parking is always a challenge at this venue, but please eel free  
to pull into the lot to unload (and snag an available parking spot).
	* It's getting colder.  We set up dorkbot in the parking lot of Cafe  
Mundi, so be prepared to make yourself warm (i.e. sweater, jackets,  
etc).
	* Because we have an above average amount of stuff going on this  
time around, I want to give everyone a heads up that we're going to  
be extra strict with time limits.   Each presenter will have 10  
minutes, maximum, to present and 5 additional minutes to field  
questions from the audience.  We're not going to hesitate to use the  
hook ;) (one of us will stand up near you as your time is running out).
	* We're also going to be running a tight ship as we move from act to  
act.  We'll be talking with you the whole night to let you know when  
you're up and what the timing is like, but we'd like to limit the  
time between speakers to 7-10 minutes (the projected order of  
presentation is below.)
	* As you're presenting, don't let it throw you if one of us steps up  
and adjusts your microphone.   The acoustics are all over the place  
outside at Mundi, and we just want to make sure everyone in the back  
can hear you.
	* you should expect 150-200 people in the audience, but we did some  
extra promotion for this dorkbot, so we could have many more - hard  
to predict.
	* The robot group will have robots rolling around, presumably,  
throughout the evening.  They will keep them under leashes during  
actual presentations, but I fully expect utter robo-chaos before the  
show starts, between acts, and after the final presentation.
	* If you haven't already, feel free to promote your appearance to  
your own personal mailing lists - friends, family, kids, co-workers,  
co-club members, etc. are all very welcome.
	* Brief comments about your process, demonstrations, discussion of  
the technology behind your devices, and what you expect to do next  
all seem to be crowd-pleasing topics.

Thanks again and you have our respect and gratitude for stepping up  
this month to show off your amazing work.

Here is the lineup again, in order:

* Ian Cion runs an Austin design studio and creates work that  
influences positive social change.  He is working on a refugee camp/ 
emergency shelter beautification initiative, and will demonstrate the  
idea of beautifying camps through community derived artwork using a  
range of materials from local craft technology to large format  
digital printing.  <http://iancion.com/>

* Marvin Niebuhr will demonstrate his biomechanical hybrids and  
photovoltaic cage system: "The Bio-Mechanicals originated in the lab  
at Intelligent Designs. Through genetic engineering and animal-plant  
interfacing with mechanical-electronic additions, the bio-mechanicals  
were created. Unfortunately, some of the BMs escaped their  
confinement and roamed the lab at night creating rogue versions of  
themselves. Some were able to escape into the countryside, but most  
were gathered up during the annual trophy hunt." -- http:// 
www.spiritcanyondesigns.com/  [Marvin is looking for collaborators  
for future projects!]

* Seven will debut his Planck - a one-of-a-kind instrument he  
recently finished.  It is played by tapping 8 strings and can be made  
to sound like a sitar or steel guitar.  Seven is a long-time inventor  
in Austin; his many projects include electric bicycles and Jacob's  
Ladders.  He has been featured by Bre Pettis (from Make Magazine) in  
the "I Make Things" video podcast (http://www.imakethings.com/ 
2006/03/22/musical-instrument-innovation-and-high-voltage-electricity/).

* Also: The Austin Robot Group will bring a large assortment from  
their menagerie of twisted, mechanical creations.   They will  
showcase some of their newest pieces and will give the dorkbot  
audience a once-in-a-lifetime, rare opportunity to interact directly  
with their machines! <http://www.austinrobotgroup.net>

David Nunez, Rodney Gibbs, Luke Iseman, Rich LeGrand
dorkbot-austin instigators
http://www.dorkbot.org/dorkbotaustin