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If you want to see the developments in robotics, learn how to make a simple
robot, and compete your own robots with others, don't miss METU ROBOTICS DAYS!
In order to participate in the competitions and join the workshop study, sign up
now from the website of organisation! Robotics Days, the oldest and the most
well-known robotics organization in Turkey, is INTERNATIONAL for first time,
this year. First international robotics organization in Turkey will be held form
21st to the 23rd of March in Ankara, Middle East Technical University (METU)
Culture & Convention Center.
In METU Robotics Days, there will be robot competitions from different
categories which original and creative ideas take their part while innovation is
honored. Participants are always encouraged to share their knowledge. Robotics
Days, apart from holding competitions for those who would like to challenge
their skilled robots, also host the professionals and academicians interested in
the field of robotics to come together in lectures and workshop studies with the
younger amateurs, giving them the opportunity to take a closer to look at this
continiously developing technology.
METU Robotics Days is an activity in which the first aim is to help people to
have an idea about the robotics. We invite you if you are interested... Come and
join us as we Enjoy the Technology..!
http://www.roboticsdays.org
http://www.odturobotgunleri.org.tr/en/
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NovaLUG (Nova Scotia LEGO Users Group) will be displaying at the
Museum of Industry in Stellarton, NS
this Saturday and Sunday, March 10 and 11. We will have a 5 foot by 25 foot
town/train layout, and
a display and demonstrations of some LEGO robotics (both RCX and NXT). The
museum is open 9 am to 5 pm Saturday and 10 am to 5 pm Sunday. Regular museum
admission rates apply. The museum will be supplying a play area to build your
own LEGO creations. This is the first weekend of March Break in Nova Scotia.
The museum itself looks pretty neat as well, and includes
Samson, Canada’s oldest surviving
steam locomotive, built in 1838.
Setup will be a challenge for us, as we can’t get into the museum to start until
8 am on Saturday. We have never tried this large a layout with this few members
(four) setting up in this short a time. We plan on having trains running by 9
am, and hope to have the layout set up (maybe not the greenery or telephone
poles) by 10 am. Please don’t get between me and the timbits I need to pull
this off :). We will also be trying out a new for us RCX train switching
system.
From the museum website
Admissions for 2006*
Adults $7.00
Children $3.00 (ages 6 thru 17yrs)
Children under 5yrs are Free!
Seniors $4.00 (65yrs & over)
Family $15.00 (2 adults & their children under 18yrs)
* Note: All prices include applicable sales tax
Gail Meagher
NovaLUG
Halifax
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Jean Marc - I was just looking at your brickshelf pictures...very cool...
Interesting thing I noticed...that sumo robot looks really similar to the one
you used in August I think :)
Bryan
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Seven stalwart members of NovaLUG participated in the Dartmouth Sportsplex
annual Train and Hobby Show on November 18th and 19th for the fifth consecutive
year. As in previous years, we had our own exhibition room right off the main
entrance and this year we added a sales table offering the only logical choice
for Holiday presents - Lego!
The main layout was 19 by 31 feet in a C shape, using 376½ 32x32 stud plates of
surface area, and offered a city full of interesting vignettes which included a
harbour front and automated tramway. The city expanded from last year to
include a large hospital, a hotel and an office building. There were two train
loops, one city only and the other incorprated the large rural area at one end
of the layout. The main layout is always a crowd pleaser as people discover the
various happenings of the town and enjoy the comings and goings of the trains.
There were smiles of recognition as people identified beautiful models of local
landmark buildings interspersed with others from the land of imagination! The
multi-level rural area included a large mountain where twelve modern-day
apostles listened to a scintillating sermon. As usual, a certain member
finished his layout two hours before the end of the show so he could take
pictures just before we started to tear down the display.
Our children's corner was a big hit not only with the children but also their
parents who either played along or enjoyed a moment of peace while their
children were totally engrossed with their Lego creations. Modifications were
made to the speed regulator to prevent potential train wrecks in the hands of
reckless young conductors. We have learned the importance of constant
supervision of the children's corner which we share in shifts.
There was an impressive collection of Technic and robotic models and the crowd
enjoyed regular demonstrations of Power Pullers, a crane, and a car with
pneumatic suspension, among others. In addition to a few RCX-based robots
including a Killough platform, we ramped up the activity this year by featuring
a sumo-bot wrestling ring, a NXT master-slave pair and a NXT robot who followed
instructions sent from a Bluetooth cell phone. Adults as well as children
enjoyed taking a turn at the controls. Many were surprised and fascinated to
discover this growing area of The Lego Company's product line.
We ended the show with our usual meeting at Tim Hortons for coffee and
discussion and were happy to learn that more and more organizations are
contacting us for both participation in shows and even permanent displays.
We've been playing well in 2006 and we look forward to playing even better in
2007!
Picture links:
Lawrence http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=216779
Gail http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=216749
Jean-Marc http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=216672
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There has not been a great deal of public discussion about having a Great Ball
Contraption at BrickFest '06, but there WILL be a GBC at BF06.
If you missed your chance last year, when we had almost fifty modules, now is
the time to start building. It doesn't have to be a big module with lots of
functions. Actually, those are usually the first to break down.
In fact, it doesn't have to be anything fancy, or exciting. Once the whole
thing is up and running, very few modules stand out, no matter how good (or bad)
they are. The true joy is watching them all work together.
If you're wondering exactly what a Great Ball Contraption is, check out this
page: http://www.teamhassenplug.org/GBC/
Or, this one: http://www.greatballcontraption.com/
If you'd like to see a little footage from last year's BrickFest, check out
Jordan Bradford's video: http://www.blockpartymod.com/brickfest/
Or look at the bottom of the TeamHassenplug page (above).
If you're planning on bringing a module to BrickFest, please send me an e-mail,
or add your GBC MOC to the BrickFest website.
Thanks
Steve
ps Several people have asked me to send them soccer balls. Sorry for the delay,
they will be sent soon.
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