The three fingers of the underactuated gripper for the track robot are done and assembled (not pinned yet). Now to make the palm and motorize for grip and rotate. Gimp hand Doppelgänger!
Click on image to get larger view
Many pages of paperwork later, Mark finally got the Parker Macrospray ITAR ( International Treaty of Arms Regulation) regulated fuel spray nozzles for the Motoman Flamethrower. Note the restrictions listed on the invoice.
These are test nozzles for combustion research. The same macrospray design is used in all the latest fighter jet engines. They generate 99% optimum fuel particle size for best combustion. Perfect for kick ass flamethrowers.
This was spotted at Google’s booth at Maker Faire this weekend. Oddly reminiscent of the one we showed at the indoor/outdoor SRL events at Maker Faire 2007 sans protective plastic and using real peoples’ hands!
(Thanks David Pescovitz for the video!)
Compare with the more efficient moves and style of the SRL robot:
Mark Pauline joins Bruce Sterling, Rudy Rucker, Scott Fisher
and others on a panel on the Origins of Cyberpunk Culture at USC on April 24 2015.
More information on Cyberpunk: Past and Future here
The Ray Stark Family Theatre
University Park Campus
USC School of Cinematic Arts 108
April 24 2015
10am
This is an underactuated gripper digit that will be used for the 3 finger gripper on the Track Robot. The linkages (which are spring loaded) cause the finger to behave like a real finger and allow it to automatically grip nearly any type of object securely. Its 8 inches long. It only requires a single actuator. Great for robots in the wild.
See more on the Track Robot gripper here
SRL was invited to perform at the 2015 SF International Arts Festival, This is actually a theatre festival, with performers coming to SF from around the world. SRL agreed to perform for free; collecting revenues from ticket sales to the SRL show only.
This would have been the third major SRL performance at Ft. Mason. (SRL has also staged several small events over the years at FT. Mason). The director of Ft. Mason was certain that the Ft. Mason National Parks Service Fire Marshall could be convinced to allow the performance, based on his work with the Fire Marshall over the years.
However, when he approached the NPS Fire Marshall, he was told that under no circumstances would SRL be allowed at Ft. Mason. The Fire Marshall cited several videos of past SRL shows he viewed online. Specifically referencing the SF MOMA Groundbreaking show, where the SFFD was seen chiding Mark Pauline at the end of the video.
What he most certainly did not know was that the entire post show scene was a charade hatched by the SFFD brass themselves.
The morning of the SF MOMA show, Fire Dept officials drove me to the Main Fire Station for a “strategy” meeting. The SF Fire Chief himself told me that they were being forced to allow the show to proceed by the Mayors office (Frank Jordan) and that they needed cover. They said that after the show, they would make it appear that they were cracking down on me hard and I needed to play along.
At the end of the show, right on cue, I was harangued by various SFFD officials in plain view of the public. At one point, a city Fire Marshall (who had been at the morning meeting) was writing “tickets” to me. I looked down and saw it was just gibberish. He whispered to me “don’t worry, just play along”. The tickets were all fakes, of course, but the repercussions reverberate to this day.
SFFD is the finale of the SRL SFMOMA Groundbreaking Show
This is a lecture delivered at Chabot Planetarium 2/21/15. First public run of the rebuilt Track Robot. Shows the Oculus Rift 3d telepresence system operating with some video interference generated by the wireless mics being used there. Also features my kid, Jake Eddie Pauline, skillfully driving the Track Robot. This is also the first video made of an SRL public lecture.
Video shot and edited by Steve Bage.
Aside from speaking at Chabot and demoing the newly refurbished Track Robot, Mark Pauline also installed a new 3D camera tracking system on it and says, “Got the 3d Oculus system on the Track Robot up and running all the way today. Tilt/pan/roll using the Oculus headtracking output, 3d camera with dual 1 watt video transmitters. Looks like over 1000′ range through buildings etc ie: urban setting. Ran it for about 20 min in the shop and the yard. Made me feel kind of sick and disoriented but works great. Really feel like youre in the machine!”
Mark got the Track Robot running with the new controllers and the 3D vision system which he’s bringing on Sat Feb 21 to his presentation for East Bay Nerd Nite The last time the track robot was taken out for a spin was for the Shipyard show in Berkeley 2001!
Come see Mark Pauline present at Nerd Nite in Chabot Feb 21 8-10pm