[Robotgroup] Robotic Accomplishments (was: New Subscriber! :)

[Don Colbath]

So, what would you do with this robot if you built it?

Or are you talking about an ongoing project like COG at MIT.

You can always start a SIG within the group.  Seems like the

collaborative projects work best away from the meetings.  This

is in part due to workshop space and to the nature of

meetings.  The real work of R2D2s, haunt lights, spin art

machines etc. seems to be weekends at Verns or such.

In answer to your historical question, The Robot Group

were a group that was helping out with exhibits at Discovery

Hall science museum, the predecessor to the Children's

Museum.  The group was a subset or SIG who had robotic

interests.  This is where I met Brooks.  I was there for a

Haloween haunt way back in the 80's.   When the museum

failed due to some internal politics the group lived on, meeting

at a Greek restaurant down the street.   Even in those days

there were folks into indoor blimps (with attempts at autonymosity)

Pit Bull was a pneumatically actuated gator like thing that couldn't

be described as a robot in most terms.  If you haven't seen it you

need to see a copy of Grassroots Technoculture and see what the

early group was like.


Personally I like the open nature of the group and some of the fun and silly

stuff but I could also enjoy getting into some more meaty stuff.

Sounds like Les would be more inclined towards something like th DARPA

challenge.   I would like to work with Marvin and others on getting some

robot music instruments going.

Don