Robot Tech | Best of the third Austrian Hexapod Championships: Dance Category

Published on November 15, 2008 in cyborgs, fun stuff, news and robots. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

We at CyborgCamp are interested in discussing things like the future of Robots. In our opinion, the future has to be fun, or humans won’t be interested in adopting it.

Hexapods

Sure they may look weird, but we’re all about embracing strange amalgamations of humans and computers. With that in mind, here are some dancing robots from the “Best of the third Austrian Hexapod Championships: Dance Category’.

A hexapod is a six-legged robot. Technologists prefers to install wheels for locomotion purpose, but nature equips its creatures with legs, which are advantageous when it comes to moving securely across uneven terrain. The video is from Hagenberg/Austria.

Just like in a “real” soccer match, the stars of the robot football European championship will be cheered on by their supporters. But these aren’t flesh-and-blood fans; they’re so-called hexapod robots.

The Top 10 in the Austrian Hexapod Championship’s Dance category will be livening things up during halftime breaks.

Running is a very complex process. Robots with six legs have proven to be the simplest and most secure variant. The Hardware/Software Systems Engineering program at Hagenberg Technical College stages an annual championship for six-legged robots. This year, 39 teams from schools throughout Austria took part. The aim is to get as many students as possible fired up about robotics.

Anyone who’s interested can get a free Hexapod 2008 DVD from the 2008 Hexapod Championships. Read more at the EUROBY2008 website.

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What does this have to do with CyborgCamp? Everything. Well, not everything. It’s just fodder for thought. Also, comic relief. Finally, we are seeing robots with enough motor control to entertain us a little more than usual. Here are robots with personality!

Online Registration for CyborgCamp PDX ’08 is Now Open

Published on November 12, 2008 in news and registration. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Yes — that’s right. You can now register for CyborgCamp online at CubeSpace’s website. Registration costs $10, and that goes to cover delicious food. If we didn’t serve delicious food, the event would be free — but delicious food is generally a good thing to keep the mind going, so we decided it was imperative to have it.

I’m not sure how many people are going to dive to register, but around 80 people RSVP’d on Yahoo’s Upcoming, so we’re expecting a sizeable amount to fully register with this official little registration button you see here. You can pay with your credit card.

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Wiki Inventor Ward Cunningham to Speak at CyborgCamp PDX

Published on November 11, 2008 in news and speakers. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

If you don’t know already, Ward Cunningham is the computer programmer who developed the first Wiki. He’s one of the most interesting and brilliant people I’ve ever met. He’s currently living in Oregon and is the chief technology officer for AboutUs.org (a wiki-based guide to all websites.

Last night, I asked Ward if he’d like to give as speech at CyborgCamp and the answer was yes. Ward’s presentation will be 30 minutes long, and he’ll be participating in the unconference sessions as well. An update on what he’ll be speaking on will be posted here shortly. Needless to say, it’s going to be great to hear from him. Perhaps he’ll bring some cool inventions and programs with him too.

About Ward

Ward co-founded the consultancy, Cunningham & Cunningham, Inc., has served as a Director of the Eclipse Foundation, an Architect in Microsoft’s Patterns & Practices Group, the Director of R&D at Wyatt Software and as Principle Engineer in the Tektronix Computer Research Laboratory. Ward is well known for his contributions to the developing practice of object-oriented programming, the variation called Extreme Programming, and the communities supported by his WikiWikiWeb. Ward hosts the AgileManifesto.org. He is a founder of the Hillside Group and there created the Pattern Languages of Programs conferences which continue to be held all over the word.

Ward also created Cybords, the biologically inspired computer methodology for natural kinetic sculputure shown at DorkBotPDX and MakerFair. He and his son collaborated with the Graffiti Research Lab to make the Throwie Talkie exhibited at Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria.

What Next?

We’ll keep you posted on developments as they happen. Of course, you can get really quick updates (and sweet news on Cyborgs from all over the web) by following @cyborgcamp on Twitter.

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Speaker Highlight – Bill DeRouchey

Published on November 10, 2008 in news and speakers. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , .

We’re honored to have Bill DeRouchey, a Sr. Interaction Designer in the Interaction Design group at Ziba Design present at CyborgCamp ’08. He is a witty, brilliant person, and a fun guy to be around. We’re all looking forward to his speech.

Is Machine Language expanding Human Language?

“As technology creeps more and more into our everyday lives,” DeRouchey explains, “the language of technology also permeates our culture. It’s expanding our language, giving us new metaphors for thinking and communicating. The play symbol, the mouse pointer, the @ sign are all examples of symbols with deepening layers of meaning and becoming true icons within our language. This session will spot trends of how humans and technology are forming a symbiotic language, hopefully leading to a fun and esoteric discussion”.

About

Bill is a frequent speaker at industry events such as the Interaction 08, Webvisions and Adaptive Path’s User Experience Week. He is also on the board of directors of IxDA, the Interaction Design Association.On the side, he’s working on his electric ukulele.

He’s the author of Push. Click. Touch, a blog tracing the past, present and future of how people and technology interact. (Formerly known as History of the Button.)

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CyborgCamp Speaker Highlight

Published on November 8, 2008 in news and speakers. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

How being a Cyborg Keeps Me Alive, by Lia Hollander / @missburrows

Lia will talk about the electronics that help keep her healthy and alive, the difficult decision to be attached 24/7 to an insulin pump and that “cyborgs” do in fact have sex.

There will be time for Q&A, open discussion on defining the role in medicine and actual insulin pumps and glucose meters for you to play with.

About

A graduate of Simmons College, Lia has worked in diverse work environments including the Psych. ward at Children’s Hospital Boston and the Human Resources department at Sharp Labs of America. She co-created Treasurelicious (a free widget that you add to your website to show your treasures off to your friends).

An avid believer in comprehensive sex education and female empowerment, Lia volunteered with Planned Parenthood of the Columbia Willamette for four years, during which she led community outreach events, met with Washington State Senators and Representatives, and had numerous letters to the editor published in newspapers and magazines.
The blogger behind A.R. and Proud, Lia is also co-creator of Camp Naughty and a regular on the Strange Love Live podcast.

Interested in Speaking?

Simply add yourself and your topic to the speakers page of the CyborgCamp Planning Wiki on CyborgCamp.org.

And you can always come up with a topic to put on the grid when you get to CyborgCamp. It’s a unconference with a few scheduled speakers to lead the discussion and excite the neurons.

Questions?

E-mail Amber Case caseorganic@gmail.com if you have any questions, or follow her on Twitter@caseorganic.

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Thank You, CyborgCamp Sponsors!

Published on November 8, 2008 in news and sponsors. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

An enormous thank you to all of the companies who have sponsored CyborgCamp thus far. Supporting Cyborgs is a noble goal that comes with great honor and responsibility.

Interested in Sponsoring?

Nate Angell is coordinating sponsors. If you know of someone who might like to sponsor please contact him at xolotl@cyborgcamp.org on Twitter @xolotl. Or you can contact Amber Case at caseorganic@gmail.com on Twitter.

RSVP on Upcoming (if you haven’t already)

Until we get the registration system ready, RSVP on Upcoming to let us know you’re going!

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