News Archives - December, 2000

I missed the full segment of this story last weeks on “Discovery Channel’s @discovery.ca” program, but fortunately, the’ve put the segment online at their website. I seems that JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratories - NASA essentially) is working on a solar-powered, single-footed robot frog. This seems like a GREAT idea for extra-terrestrial planet-surface locomotion. Check out the videos and see for yourself. Additional information at Space.com Even more technical information is here and here, in these Adobe Acrobat files from one of the researchers, Paulo Fiorini. Here’s his homepage. And this is his dedicated Frogbot hompage - lots of interesting info!

Oh, and if you scroll to the bottom of the Discovery Channel / EXN page, you’ll find a nice video clip of our favorite Roboticist, Mark Tilden. They shot this a few years ago, and I’m glad to see they resurrected it to be on this page.

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If you came to the BEAM/WCRG Millennium Games in Calgary last summer, you may have seen Jeff de Boer’s lecture on the aesthetic component of robotics. Jeff is a local Calgary artist (recently inducted to the Royal Canadian Order - a huge honor, considering his age), and was interviewed on CBC radio Monday with Shelaugh Rogers on the “This Morning” show.

Now, why would this specifically interest you, a BEAM roboticist? He mentions a project he’s going to be working on with Mark TildenÂ… This Windoze media “WMA” format plays on Windows MediaPlayer, and WINAmp players.

View our newest kit we have online, the Hex Pummer, a very amusing night display that is charged by the sun. When the lights go out, it triggers the high intensity LEDs to start flashing on and off. They start out very STRONG and then fade away until the next LED "PUMMS" on. These amusing kits will delight anyone who sees them, and they are simple enough for any beginner. If you are interested in a kit to start off your electronics hobby or are an old pro who would like to add a crowd pleaser to your collection; order the HexPummer today!

For A Limited Time! Order a prebuilt HexPummer for only $10 more! We have only a few sitting here so order them before they run out. It’ll make a great Stocking Stuffer!

More News! For those in Texas there is a new distributer in your area. Tanner Electronics is our newest Solarbotics retailer carrying kits. Visit the distributors page to find out more.

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