Author: Mike Scioli

Retired university science instructor turned welder, welding inspector

Luke Keyes to give introductory talk on Artificial Neural Networks at the November 5th meeting

“Hey everyone,

As I discussed at the last meeting, I plan to hold a presentation at the next Robot Group meeting this upcoming Tuesday – 11/05. Here’s a brief blurb on what I plan to present.

MACHINE LEARNING 101: INTRO TO NEURAL NETWORKS

Have you heard of Neural Networks but wanted to understand what they are and how they work? This talk will give an introduction to Artificial Neural Networks – their biological inspiration, a brief history, and a general architecture.

Then, we will walk through a hands-on implementation in Python using ANNs to detect a handwritten number from its 28×28 pixel representation (MNIST dataset).

Hope to see you there!

Luke”

Blast from the past 1996, part I

This will be my penultimate post concerning the folder rescued during the move-out from the old Robohut in February 2005.

Bumper-sticker from The Robot Group, Inc.'s RoboFest 7 held in September 1996.

This RoboFest 7 bumper-sticker reveals something about a couple of exhibits from the September 14-15, 1996 show. Once again, Brooks Coleman’s Mechanical Pitbull can be seen front-and-center. Around that are sketches of what I first though were bombs being dropped. Actually, those are the remote-control hydrogen-filled Cybernetic Airships that thrilled attendees.

Blast from the past 1995

Here is another of the items that I found in an old file folder from The Robot Group, Inc.’s move from the old Robohut in February 2005.

This is a postcard-size flyer advertising RoboFest 6 that was held on April 1-2, 1995. The front side features a photo of Brooks Coleman’s Mechanical Pitbull. The opposite side is a list of sponsors.

Postcard-size flyer advertising RoboFest 6 held in April 1995. The front features a photo of Brooks Coleman's Mechanical Pitbull.

That list of sponsors is a fair indication of how Austin has evolved. Aside from the City of Austin and the Austin Circle of Theatres (morphed into the Austin Creative Alliance as of 2011). Motorola became Freescale then NXP. Origin Systems was purchased from the Garriott brothers by Electronic Arts and dissolved. Jon Lebkowsky and Paco Nathan of still around but Fringeware is but a memory. Most of the other sponsors have vanished.

Postcard-size flyer advertising RoboFest 6 held in April 1995. The reverse side contains a list of sponsors.

Blast from the past 2005

I very recently ran across the postcard below, a souvenir of a visit from Boston-based artist, Ross Miller.

The Robot Group, Inc. had recently vacated the old Robohut and was seeking a new home. In the interim, we were meeting at the Dobie Mall food court. Denise Scioli (who was teaching classes for the Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria), talked Ross into coming over to speak at a gathering of members.

It was nearly a twenty year ago and the details are hazy. Ross was in town under the auspices of Randy Jewett’s Austin Green Art (now-defunct?) organization. He spoke briefly about his own work integrating art into public places then went around the group asking each attendee to explain their interests in art and robotics.

It has long been an inside joke among members that, “If it moves, it is a robot. If it doesn’t, it’s art.”

Front side of postcard with a photo (dated 2005) of one of Austin's Moonlight Towers looking up from ground-level. Courtesy of Ross Miller and Austin Green Art.
Reverse side of the postcard with a paragraph providing a few details and some historical concerns about the Moonlight Towers. A second paragraph details the locations (current as of 2005) of the 17 remaining towers. Courtesy of Ross Miller and Austin Green Art.

Officers and Board Members for 2022

At the Annual Business Meeting, held virtually on 2021-12-26, the ballots were counted, and the results ratified by the Board of Directors.

Our officers are board members for 2022 are

Thank you for stepping up for service in 2021!



Officers and Board Members for 2021

At the Annual Business Meeting, held virtually on 2020-12-06, the ballots were counted, and the results ratified by the Board of Directors.

Our officers are board members for 2021 are

Thank you for your service in 2020. You are hereby sentenced to another year!

Outreach : Gateway CPS

F1 in Schools is an international STEM competition for school children, in which groups of 3–6 students have to design and manufacture a miniature car … using CAD/CAM design tools. The cars are powered by CO₂ cartridges and are attached to a track by a nylon wire.

Wikipedia

Some of Christy Williams’ students at the Gateway College Prep School in Georgetown, TX have formed a team to compete in the F1 in Schools program. That team, Aspire TX, sought help from The Robot Group and Brooks Coleman and others have risen to the occasion.

You can see the preliminary results in the YouTube video linked below.

The first prototype completed.
The Aspire, TX team’s first 3D-printed prototype. The team consists of several of Christy Williams’ students from Gateway College Prep School in Georgetown, TX.

Officers and Board Members for 2020

At the Annual Business Meeting on 2019-12-08, an election was held and the results were ratified by the Board of Directors.

Our officers and board members for 2020 are

Hats off to the new leadership for their service in 2020! Thanks to the previous leadership for keeping the thing rolling with wheels on the road in 2019!

The meeting minutes can be read here.