September International Robotics Trophy Award

Recognizing outstanding individuals in robotics, invention, and computing science: September 2013 - Eric Ostendorff

Eric Ostendorff with a Parallax Scribbler robot

                                                                   

Eric Ostendorff 
Winner of Humanoido Lab's International Robotics Trophy Award
for outstanding contributions in the field of robotics and contributing science to Humanoido Laboratories

There's undoubtedly a time an a place for everything in the universe. Humanoido Labs has taken this time to recognize outstanding individuals in various fields of Science as directly observed by the Lab.

While we want to recognize numerous people, we can only make presentations one at a time. The person chosen for this award is not only gifted with great intelligence and continuing ingenuity, but is also tempered with patience, dedication, helpfulness, friendliness, and has qualities of being polite, courteous, civil, and respectful towards others - qualities which are sometimes difficult to find in today's fast competitive world.

— is there an equal to the mind of Einstein? We think yes! —

Eric is known as Erco on the Parallax Forum. He is also known for his innovation with brilliant robotics projects and a line of inspiring robots which he designed and built. Erco's humor has brightened the days of many people who read his voluminous postings. His many outstanding articles in Robot Magazine and his helping and volunteering status, sharing an abundance of technical information, being generous, and going out of his way to help others are many feathers in his well populated cap, paving the way towards a legacy that will be remembered far into the future.

One of many Ostendorff patents

LEFT: Ostendorff Patent, wrist activated weapons firing exoskeleton suit

Erco uses clever thinking and inventiveness to create toys making children happy across the world.

He has developed a new purveyance of looking at the world with uniqueness of vision, even with simplicity to make the world a better place for others.

He has popularized less costly robot construction materials, for example. In particular, he has pointed out new functions for existing robotics sensors and ascribed multiple solutions to specific robotic needs. His problem solving capabilities are appreciated not only by new entrances to the field of robotics, but to masters as well.

Erco has continually researched parts suppliers and revealed key information about good deals to the followers of the Parallax Forum, helping make many projects affordable and "doable." He has accrued more than enough additional points to win this months award.

Hot Wheels Master

"Eric Ostendorff is a senior staff designer for Hot Wheels®, creating innovative Hot Wheels® toys. Since joining Mattel in 1983, he has designed and developed successful and innovative track sets that are fun to play with, such as Gorilla Attack™, Terrordactyl, Formula Circle™ and his first Hot Wheels® track set – Leapin’ Demons™. Prior to joining Mattel, Ostendorff worked as an engineer at Pratt & Whitney Jet Aircraft Engines. His expertise was used to create engines for F-15 and F-16 aircrafts. He graduated from Virginia Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Ostendorff’s motivation to work for Mattel was so strong, that he secured his interview by claiming he had created a “revolutionary invention,” although he had not yet created it. However, his background of growing up in a family of designers and experience from Pratt & Whitney helped him in making an electro-mechanical flight simulator, a “revolutionary invention” at the time of the interview. The innovation showcased his skill set in design, mechanics and electronics, helping him to secure the very next job opening at Mattel." SOURCE: http://www.hotwheelsmedia.com/i/designers/eric-ostendorff

A/C Air Conditioner Hopping

Air conditioner hopping to keep cool

AIR CONDITIONER HOPPING

WHEN IT'S SO HOT, YOU'RE GONNA DROP!

Global Warming has caused the weather to become so hot and humid that going outside is no longer reasonable. So rather than hide at home under the two air conditioners, a new plan is devised for going outside, called Air Conditioner Hopping. 

Learn the tips and techniques to surviving a journey into hot Hell when Global Warming will become your worst nightmare!

— global warming: your worst nightmare —

THE ART OF HOPPING
Hopping will give your home air conditioners a needed rest when you go out. Your electric billing will also be slightly reduced. First, map out a plan to your final destination. Note, the final destination must be indoors where a good air conditioner is fully functional. Walking outside is limited to only a few hundred feet.

COOL DOWN YOUR BODY
Next, crank up all your air conditioners on high and absorb all the coolness in your body until you are cold to the touch. You may want to put ice packs in your clothes pockets and drink some ice water. Prepare your bag with ice packets and carry it under your arm pressed onto your body. This preparation will generally give you a maximum of 20 minutes outside before you "thaw out."

METABOLIC RATE & SEX
Lower your metabolic rate by having good satisfying sex, or the alternatives of doing one hour of Tai Chi, a half hour of exercise bike, or Yoga indoors. A lowered relaxed metabolism will result in a lower heart rate, blood pumping through the veins at a slower rate and this equates to a cooler human engine.

SHADE & ICE
Warning! Do not become overheated. There is a serious risk of heat stroke and even death. If you are caught in the open, find shade immediately. Use an umbrella when walking to shield from the sun. If you must walk outside any appreciable distance, hold two frozen water bottles or ice cubes. When the water is almost completely thawed out, you may drink the cold water.

ELIMATE HOT WATER
Do excrete your hot water at a local facility and continue to drink cold water.

ATTIRE
Shorts and tshirt may be worn. Special fabric shirts have air flow sections in the pockets, along the back and sides, under the arms. A bug lotion may be necessary when in shaded areas and during the evening hours.

GOING AIR TO AIR
Next, briskly walk to the nearest corner and catch the air conditioned taxi. Go straight to your air conditioned destination. Do not walk in between departure and destination. Note, you may hop from one air conditioned location to another.

GOOD HUNTING
Upon arrival, find the air conditioner vent and stand next to it. Some vents closer to the air conditioner are cooler so browse around for the best vent. You may have access to the source. If so, stand in front of the actual air conditioner. 

DINING OUT
If you are eating in a restaurant, sit near or next to the air conditioner. The local patrons are very understanding when explaining you are overheated, and they may turn on the air conditioner for you, program it, increase the cooling, and aim the directional air fins directly on you. They may also find a fan for you, to your cool-down benefit.

STRANDED OUTSIDE
Should you become stranded outside for some reason, i.e. no available taxi, walk immediately to the nearest air conditioned store. Generally you may find a 711 store on every corner.

TOO HOT
If too hot and overheated, a friend will rub a coin on your back to release the heat. The science behind this voodoo is to open up the skin cells to circulate cooling air across the hot skin and transfer the heat away from the body.

NO AIR
Sometimes there is no air outside or inside, and sweating only makes you hotter, so use your tiny portable emergency electric fan or the larger manual paper Chinese fan until you reach destination. The larger the fan, the better. Yes, you can fan yourself when walking. (If you can chew gum and rub your tummy at the same time, then fanning while walking is a simple multi-task).

PORTABLE ELECTRIC FANS
The small electric fans run on two AA batteries and last only about 5 minutes. Switch to Lithium rechargeable batteries and this can increase fan time to 15 minutes. You can buy larger battery operated fans but they are not easy to carry around. They may be contained in a large bag with an extra set of batteries for maximum cooling.

FREEZER
When you reach the grocery store, pass by the air conditioner and go directly to the freezer food section where you can cool down more quickly. Some freezers are quite large and you may purposefully fit in though usually only partially so as not to draw attention to yourself. Do lean into the freezer and pretend to examine all the food. Take advantage of this.

FROZEN TIPS
As you walk along the freezer section, do place and drag your hands along the cold metal, glass, or feel the frozen food packages. Break off a chunk of ice or snow if possible and hold it. Do not eat it as it will be contaminated. Carry a small towel in your bag to dry yourself as necessary. Buy a bag of ice cubes and some water from the cooler.

EATING FOR A COOL BODY
Do not eat too much or your body will gain weight, retain more heat, and generate more heat due to more digestion. Certain beans can help keep the body cool. Eliminate fat from your body and diet. In hot climate countries, such as Taiwan, a special shirt fabric is invented that keeps the body cool. However, your size will need to be XXXS (very small!).

GLOBAL WARMING
You have no idea what humans are about to face. When the polar caps melt their ice, hot air will have no ice cooling mechanism, and the intensity of hot sunlight will no longer be reflected back into space. This will cause super heating of the Earth globally. Simply calorimetry thermal experiments show a minimum of +60 to +200 degree rise in temperatures with summertime peaks reaching and maintaining oven-like temperatures.

FUTURE
In the future, energy sources are required to cool the air with air conditioners and possible new sources of coolants. Space taps into the cold of outer space may be needed to survive using space program technology. Mixing chemicals and elements to create freeze material such as dry ice and liquid nitrogen may be needed to supply giant coolers. Some humans will find off-planet solutions (i.e. move to Mars). All of this will come at a price.

Hot Air Balloon Launch

Massive when inflated, the hot air balloon is launched!

BIG BRAIN SPACE PROGRAM
LAUNCH A HOT AIR BALLOON
BIG HOT AIR BALLOON NIGHT LAUNCH AT PINGXI

Pipe mounted folded balloon lantern ready for prepping

This is our four sided colored hot air balloon about 4-feet high with a skin made of thin plastic. It has a thin rigid circular wire frame at the bottom with criss-cross members that support a wad of cardboard soaked in low grade diesel fuel.

This eventful night launch was joined by film TV crews and Chinese models to pre-launch the special festival which was attended by thousands of participants and spectators. Many small stores dotted the long winding line of commercialism, selling food, lanterns, toys and souvenirs as walkways were packed with people.

Postcard artwork matched actual scene

The sides are painted, by Chinese tradition, with good luck inscriptions. The balloon is held upright as the fuel source is lit. The balloon is allowed to heat up as the fuel fire grows in intensity. Watch out if the wind comes up and the balloon tips - it happened once and can be very dangerous! Humanoido had to jump across the railroad tracks and large rocks to avoid catching on fire!

Credits & special commemorative stamps

Each "lantern" is prepared by placing it on its own pipe mount. The heavy mount has a base mount and 3 sides with clips - as it holds the lantern with plastic clothes pins, two sides at a time can be scribed with a message. When the two sides are complete, the balloon is unclipped, refolded, and the remaining two sides are painted with more inscriptions.

It generally takes 2 people or more to hold the balloon. Then, let go, and the balloon rises to reach a maximum altitude. At fuel extinction, it continues to rise and gain altitude as long as the air remains hot. These hot air balloons rise so high they become a fire-lit point like a star floating across the sky.

The balloon has lofting power and one could attach a camera as a payload or other scientific instruments, though retrieval could be complicated if the balloon lands over the lake or at night.

Postcard art showing simultaneous launches

This is actually a giant Chinese Lantern at the Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival on Sunday January 27th, 2013. Cost of these large lanterns vary, depending on color, - this one launched was red and cost NT$100 or about US$3.00. Included are paintbrushes and ink to make your own good luck inscriptions and the lanterns are already built with wire frame bottoms and attached fuel. They set flat and are unfolded. Lanterns rise very fast when the temperature is about 59 deg. F, and take only 15 seconds to diminish to a tiny dot in the sky.

80 page book featuring Lantern Festival

Another unusual feature of the launch was it took place directly on the railroad tracks. During launch preparation, everything had to quickly be moved out the way as a large passenger train came roaring through! It was a bit dangerous but it was all part of the night fun! (See the beautiful postcard renditions and one showing the railway tracks!)

All hot air balloon photos shown are hand held captured with iPhone 5's camera in HD. Project cost was around $11.00. ($3 hot air balloon, $2 artwork, $6 Railway & MRT transportation to Pingxi)