Laptop + Arduino + Roomba = Zoomba!

One of the pillars of geekery is the art of robotics. Lives have been given to the pursuit of perceived intelligence that may be bestowed on our creations. Many methods, from autonomy to remote controlled systems all fall within the definition of what a robot can be.  Few however embrace both disciplines in a balance that provides the best of both worlds. Well hold on to your boots bucko, ’cause we’ve got the answer.  Telepresence when applied to robotics is the art of being in control or viewing a robot without actually being present in the robot’s environment.  Many examples of commercial telepresence robots are well known, and there are lots of examples of DIY projects that allow you to modify a prebuilt platform in order to add telepresence.  Despite any of these, making such a robot is actually pretty simple and less expensive than you might think.

Enter our wise teacher, local robotics and tinkering enthusiast Dan Ray.  He’s a pretty cool guy really, and he makes some really interesting robots.  Jartron for example made a splash with Make Magazine, and Dan has made some interesting examples of telepresence robotics that we think will be really fun to learn about.

New braaaiiins...

Participants at this workshop will learn how to use Skype to call a computer connected to a small microcontroller running motors. The concept itself is pretty fun, and to keep it that way, we plan to get the robots running and let them run amok in the shop with games and challenges fit to make able pilots from those willing to take the reigns.  From there its up to you to decide whether you want to add sensors, or create commands to give the robot the ability to explore and sense its surroundings.

In order to make keep the costs of this workshop low, we have made several options. At the most basic level, you can attend the workshop for the admission price of $44.99. This includes the microcontroller board and small components needed to become the brain of any robot you might want to make. Other items like motors will be made available for purchase after the main event, but are not necessary to buy for the workshop.

Participants will need to bring a laptop computer or netbook to use for the interface to their robot.

The workshop will be on June 9th, 2012 from 12pm-4pm.  Anyone under the age of 12 might want an older person with them to help out.

To register for the workshop, please follow the link to the registration page at store.reuseum.com

UPDATE:  Many thanks to Akiba of Freaklabs and Tokyo Hackerspace for helping us bring the cost of the workshop down by providing his FredBoards, they are perfect for tinkering and bear the quality of a gifted engineer.

Lots of people have an idea of something awesome that they would want to build, with the caveat “If I only knew how…”  and that one statement seems to be the only obstacle in their way.  For some the supposed complexity of programming or electronics is daunting and remains an obscure idea to very creative people.  Even just finding a topic to get your feet wet can sometimes be challenging. Learning to program and make cool automated stuff should be fun, and frankly, totally is once you can harness the initial fundamentals of it all.

Open-source Hardware projects like Arduino make the introduction to all of the coding and electronics components orders of magnitude easier to handle. With many exciting examples and learning tools, making ideas work in the Arduino environment stays fun and fulfilling. Participants in the Beginning Microcontrollers workshop will receive their own take home kits including an Arduino microcontroller, breadboard, components for experimentation, and any necessary stickers and fun swag needed for a geek to survive in the 21st Century.

Featured in the workshop is our Arduino Survival Kit

Topics covered will range from downloading and installing the software to be able to program an Arduino, covering the reference and learning resources available online, looking up examples, and programming an Arduino to use sensors and control components such as servo motors or LED lights.  We’ll also be expanding the usefulness of the Arduino IDE to allow programming with the Ardublock environment, which makes the learning curve of programming a lot easier to conquer in many ways.

We would like to encourage everyone to come along and participate, so if you already have an Arduino, or would like to team up with someone to share a kit, or even just would like to watch and take notes, you are more than welcome.

If you would like to sign up and reserve your kit or spot, please sign up on our store page!

The Workshop is being held on Saturday, May 19th, 2012  12pm-3pm

Cost for the workshop with a kit is $54.99+tax

Includes:

-FredBoard Arduino Compatible prototyping platform

-Breadboard

-Components pack (LED’s, transistors, servos, etc.)

-Sensors:  IR Sensors, Ultrasonic, variable resistors, etc.

-Industrial Sticker Pack

-Mystery relics fit for use in your next inventions.

This workshop is produced by David Gapen for Reuseum Educational, Inc.

We couldn’t wait another year to do it again so we’ve decided to celebrate robotics and technology with the rest of the nation this weekend!  This Saturday, April 14th 2012 we’ll be having another Sumo tournament and many local presenters showing off their projects and passion for making things.
Exhibits featuring several local high school FIRST Robotics teams will be demoing their newest creations, fresh from competition in Utah.  Members of Open Lab Idaho will be on hand creating objects printed in 3d and scanning courageous souls with a hacked Kinect 3d scanner.
If you come by, you’ll have the opportunity to make some great projects as well, like a transformed pager robot or a line following explorer robot called a SPURTbot.
Its robot mania yet again this Spring, come down and celebrate with our mechanized robot overlords!

Breadboarded and ready to go!

Have you ever wondered how to make a robot is made? Or how to make an LED light blink?  How does an engineer design a circuit? We are very excited to bring back one of our favorite workshops of all time to answer those questions the Circuit Basics Workshop!  The truth is, once you get your feet wet, you’ll see that many electronic circuits are not only pretty easy to decipher, but can be used with many different purposes in mind.

Anyone looking to get their hands dirty, artists and crafters who would like to add interesting features to their creative designs, or even someone interested in DIY electronics for their tinkering hobby can gain that mastery and empowerment to build their own circuits.  Please come down on Saturday the 14th of April and introduce yourself to something new!

The Circuit Basics Workshop is great for people as young as 7 years old with a chaperone, and there is no soldering required! The workshop will start at 12pm, Saturday April 7th. You can reserve your spot now by purchasing a ticket in advance via Eventbrite. Limited spots are available!

This workshop is brought to you by: Reuseum Educational, Inc.  We’re a 501 (c) (3) not‐for‐profit organization that provides materials & expertise in the support of scientific & technology education.

We’re getting right down to business with our new educational space and we hope to bring you many great opportunities to learn in the very near future.

For our first official Reuseum Educational workshop, we’ll be combining the art of reuse with creative sculpture and some beginner basics for identifying electronics parts. We have numerous bins of components and other bits from many era’s past that are apt to be made into any form of upcycled sculpture you can make real. We’ve already had great success rendering pagers into robots (see pic) and thought we’d try to give everyone an opportunity to try their hand as some freeform.

Here are some great links of other recycled robots that might be fun to look at:

http://www.greendiary.com/entry/recycled-art-amazing-robots-made-from-trash/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0dqVQ2-m7U&feature=fvsr&noredirect=1

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” ~ Thomas Alva Edison.

Participants are welcome ALL DAY from 11am to 6pm on Saturday, March 3rd 2012 to make their found art ideas a reality.  There is a $10 admission per person to cover materials and tools.

If you would like to know about our mission with Reuseum Educational, please feel free to visit the website educate.reuseum.org

As we’ve grown, we have met many great people here that are building things, making art, developing new ideas, or just come to peruse and ponder their innovative ideas.  Some come by on a regular basis to either work on projects at our hack nights and workshops. We’ve even been asked if there were space to store their projects, and we’ve considered it.  When it comes down to the basic function here, we are the parts and supply for anything and everything you want to invent with. What we are being asked for, and what we want to build is an organization that can couple function and tooling with the inventory and ideals that stores like the Reuseum have to offer. What we need is well known in the DIY community as a hackerspace. That word has floated from the mouths of many here and elsewhere in our local community, and now we’re saying it too. For those wondering what a hackerspace is we can explain it as a publicly accessible R&D/fabrication workspace. Our 3d printers will be there, CNC’s, laser cutter and other tooling will have a presence soon as well, we will be able to host creative workshops and safety classes about the various tools.

Self sufficiency is a key to the growth of a group that performs the work a hackerspace can accomplish. Like all of the tools I’ve mentioned, this kind of organization must be crafted by hand, and while it seems like a great idea, logistics and detailed planning are the key to success  That is why, on Saturday, the 22nd of October at 6pm, we will be hosting a meeting for all concerned citizens who are interested in being involved in any way with an organization such as this.  Please come and share your opinions and ideas, that is after all, what a hackerspace is all about.

In our third year of the Boise ‘Bot Competition, we have been  honored to watch it grow in many ways, while staying true to  its purpose in being a grassroots celebration of  technology and  creativity.  We are proud to again have the event hosted than  the Discovery Center of Idaho, their partnership in collaboration  has made many things possible  that would not be otherwise.  This year, we are also thankful to have many other local  individuals and  companies supporting the Bot Comp with their time and participation,  many of which are displaying exhibits of new and innovative technology beyond robotics.

This year our esteemed Tech Fest presenters are;

Opportunities also abound for those who would like to build a robot and compete with it in our Sumo Competition. If you build a bot, you will receive free admission into the Discovery Center that day!  It’s like a geek can of soup.  For information on the types of robots that will compete and the different tournaments, you can visit the Sumo Rules page on the competition website. Don’t forget to register your ‘bot!

We will also have many great activities, presentations and workshops available, fit for all ages,and all about cool and creative ideas, technology and projects. We hope to see you there!

Saturday, October 1st from 11am to 9:30pm we at Reuseum will be displaying demos and tutorials of all things robotics. This is in preparation for our 3rd annual Boise ‘Bot Competition following on the next Saturday 10/8/11. We will have various kits on hand for activities held at the ‘Bot Comp, such as bristlebots, light seeking robots, and sumo kits for those interested in participating in the sumo tournament.  Come explore your imagination and ingenuity and have fun making your own unique creation! There is no cost to come down, there will be materials and components to experiment with.  Kits of several different type of robot will be made available to purchase to make and take home.

UPDATE 10/4/11. There were many great successes at this workshop and we hope everyone had as much fun as we did. Here is a gallery of some of the robots that were made at the event.  Everyone should be proud that they invented a new species of bristlebot!

Its been another year, and ‘bot building season is coming upon us so very quickly!  In our third year, we and our partners in crime, and hosts of the Bot Comp, the Discovery Center of Idaho are putting together an event filled with fun activities and awesome exhibits. For those endeavoring robot builders, our new challenge this year is to make an even smaller sumo robot.  While we will still be having our Mini Sumo tournament (6″x6″ max size) as the main event, advanced builders have the opportunity to condense their handiwork into a 2″x2″ square for our first ever Micro Sumo Tournament. Often just getting the necessary circuitry to fit into the qualifying dimensions is a tougher hurdle than actually competing with such a small robot.

Leading up to the Bot Competition at the Discovery Center, the Reuseum and Discovery Center both facilitate classes and workshops on robotics. Please don’t hesitate to come down, and staytuned for events and workshops themed for the competition.

Groups, individuals and organizations are also welcome to register and promote their passion for technology at the Tech Fest,.  If you would like more information, or would like to reserve a free table, please email boisebotcompetition(at)gmail.com

For a full schedule, information on exhibits and activities and more, you can visit Boisebotcompetition.org We hope to see you there!