Sacramento Bee | Why the next space explorers could be autonomous robots Sacramento Bee AI-controlled missions could boost space exploration because communications between spacecraft or instruments and Earth are limited by the speed of light. The further away you send your message, the longer it takes to arrive and receive a signal back. |
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Why the next space explorers could be autonomous robots - Sacramento Bee
June 21, 2017
When Apollo astronauts on the moon spoke with Mission Control on Earth, there was a noticeable time gap between a statement from Tranquility Base and its immediate acknowledgment from Houston. The gap lasted almost three seconds, or 10 times longer than human reaction times would account for.
What was happening? The answer is simple: space. The moon orbits far enough from Earth that light (and radio) take 1.3 seconds each way to travel the distance. At exploration targets farther away, the delay increases; for exploring Mars, signals take between 5 and 40minutes, depending on the varying distance between the two planets.
"During the Apollo missions, the astronauts were making scientific observations and relaying what they saw back to scientists on Earth. Both were collaborating on decisions about observations and which samples to collect and bring back to Earth to yield the most scientific value," said Kip Hodges, Foundation Professor in ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration.
"This worked reasonably well for lunar explorations, but the time delay is likely to dramatically reduce the quality and scientific value of such collaborations in exploring faraway places like Mars."
So far, Hodges notes, fieldwork is being done remotely on Mars by scientists on Earth using robotic tools such as the Curiosity rover. But it's slow.
"Even though signals commanding observations and measurements take only minutes or tens of minutes to reach Mars, a single research activity on Mars, from command to data return, can take a day or more," he said.
In the June 21 issue of the journal Science Robotics, Hodges and collaborators Dan Lester at Exinetics and Robert Anderson of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratorysuggesta new approach to scientific exploration that they call exploration telepresence.
"To the extent that much scientific research is a process where awareness drives action," the authors say, "the communications delay between humans on Earth and planetary exploration sites is limiting."
The ideal is to keep these delays, or "latencies," within the length of human reaction times. One approach is to have the astronaut scientists working directly on the surface of a planet. But landing humans and keeping them safe is an expensive and dangerous strategy.
A safer and less expensive approach, according to the authors, may be exploration science using telepresence, a strategy widely used on Earth now for activities as delicate and demanding as surgery.
"Telepresence means humans operating robotic systems from a distance close enough where the delay between human action and the robotic response is a fraction of a second," Hodges explained.
For Mars research, astronauts might go to Mars orbit, but not to the surface. From orbit, the communications travel time would be such that an astronaut/scientist could work with a robotic surrogate, experiencing the surface environment virtually, and doing scientific investigations as if she or he were on the ground.
Moreover, humans in Mars orbit could control instruments in real time at many different sites across the planet. And by preventing contamination of Mars with terrestrial biology, exploration telepresence from orbit also offers advantages overin situhuman explorers.
While the authors add that scientific research by humans working directly on the other planetary surfaces is the ultimate goal, exploration telepresence could be an important next step.
Today we do good science on Mars using long time-delay telerobotics, but we could do much better science much more quickly with humans on the surface, Hodges said. Exploration telepresence would be a reasonable compromise until that day comes."
Moreover, he said, "There are important targets for scientific exploration for which we currently don't have the technology to land humans safely. Exploration telepresence could greatly expand the number of destinations where humans can do great science."
Top photo:When scientists control Mars rover Curiosity, the turnaround time from deciding to examine a rock to getting the raw data back from the rover is one day at a minimum, due to the time delay for sending a command and getting a reply from the rover. But astronaut-scientists in Mars orbit could one day control, in real time, telerobotic landers, rovers and other surrogates all over the Martian surface. Image by NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
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New virtual approach to science in space - Arizona State University
Both space and ocean exploration can boast world firsts, extreme risks, unknown challenges, and mind-boggling discoveries that captivate our imagination and advance our understanding of our world and, fundamentally, of ourselves. So why does space exploration and research capture our collective attention and imagination more than ocean exploration and research?
The answer to this question has remained elusive for ocean professionals and enthusiasts alike. A case can be made that until the mid-20th century the oceans held an equal, if not a greater, fascination for the general public as compared to space. What changed? A frequently given reason for this shift in public interest is the 20th century space race, which triggered greater funding for space exploration and resulted in greater outreach. Added to this, space is generally considered to be more exciting and more visible; people need simply to look up into the night sky and see billions of stars and imagine the vast possibilities. Conversely, the oceans remain psychologically distant from the human mind (e.g. Schuldt et al., 2016), only directly visible to those who live along or visit a coast; even then, most people just see the sea surface the wonders that lie beneath remain hidden. But are these the only reasons?
For decades, the ocean community has worked to engage the public in ocean issues by, for example: highlighting the potential solutions for food security or pharmaceutical discoveries; raising the alarm over the damage we are causing and the long-term consequences to our own livelihoods; and making it more relatable by emphasizing the human connection. Some progress has been made but the fact still remains that space, although inaccessible for the majority, is more appealing to the general public than the oceans. Consequently, given the magnitude of discoveries waiting to be made, ocean exploration and research are generally underfunded. This can clearly be seen through a number of metrics including social media, which can be used as a proxy for the level of interest by the public. For example, search engines show at least four times as many hits on space exploration versus ocean exploration (e.g. Schubel, 2016) at any given time.
Lets take a deeper look at how weaving the human element into a narrative makes the story more appealing and relatable for people. In November 2011, NASA launched the Mars Curiosity Rover, a mission that successfully landed a robot 54.6 million kilometers from Earth, on Mars, in August 2012. This phenomenal achievement made front-page news globally and, with each new finding, continued to generate massive global interest. At approximately the same time, in March 2012, Mr. James Cameron, one of the worlds best known movie directors, personally embarked on an extremely dangerous mission to the bottom of the Mariana Trench (~11 kilometers deep and ~300 kilometers from the nearest land). As the third person in human history to do this (Mr. Jacques Piccard and Capt. Don Walsh made this journey for the first time in 1960), it was an incredible testament to human achievement. In one example, we have a robot on a daring mission of exploration and discovery. In the other example, we have a very famous person on a daring mission of exploration and discovery. Both showcase the sense of adventure and human achievement. Yet the epic journey by Mr. Cameron is not as well-known (a Google search shows 251,000 hits for James Cameron reached Mariana Trench) compared to the Mars Curiosity journey (a Google search shows 446,000 hits for Mars Curiosity Rover landed). Clearly, the ingredients for a compelling and memorable story are more complex than the human element alone.
The $7 million Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE is a three-year global competition challenging teams to develop deep-sea robots that will allow us to fully explore a new planet our own planet. The Ocean Discovery XPRIZE has many goals in common with space exploration, and thus it provides us with an opportunity to look into and revisit how we talk about ocean exploration, discoveries, and research and adapt lessons learned from space communications. To begin to address this, a first step is to look at how space stories are portrayed in the general media versus how ocean stories are portrayed. There are a number of clearly identifiable differences:
As an ocean community, we should continue to talk about the importance of issues such as conservation and protection, but to reach a broader audience there are lessons we can learn from the space community. We should take these to heart and turn the tide on ocean communication. And perhaps, as space becomes more commercialized and easier to access, the space community can take lessons from the recent experiences of the ocean community. By inspiring the public we shape public perception, which in turn influences policymakers and, more practically, changes funding levels. We need to embark on a Quest to Inspire the Public about the oceans for the sake of everyone.
This post originally appeared in Marine Technology News online.
Dr. Jyotika Virmani is Senior Director for Planet & Environment at XPRIZE and prize lead for the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE. Dr. Virmani has over a decade of professional experience in oceanography. She has a Ph.D. in physical oceanography.
Schubel, J. R., 2016, Positioning Ocean Exploration in a Chaotic Sea of Changing Media. National Ocean Exploration Forum, October 20-21, 2016
Schuldt, J. P., K. A. McComas, and S. E. Byrne. 2016, Communicating about Ocean Health: Theoretical and Practical Considerations. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 371: 20150214. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2015.0214
Tversky, A., and D. Kahneman, 1981, The Framing of Decisions and the Psychology of Choice. Science, 211(4481): 453-458. doi: 10.1126/science.7455683
Weiss R. K., and A. Cochrane, 2010, Days of Future Past: Film Visions of Space Exploration, Commercialization and Tourism. IAC-10.E5.3
Both space and ocean exploration can boast world firsts, extreme risks, unknown challenges, and mind-boggling discoveries that captivate our imagination and advance our understanding of our world and, fundamentally, of ourselves. So why does space exploration and research capture our collective attention and imagination more than ocean exploration and research?
The answer to this question has remained elusive for ocean professionals and enthusiasts alike. A case can be made that until the mid-20th century the oceans held an equal, if not a greater, fascination for the general public as compared to space. What changed? A frequently given reason for this shift in public interest is the 20th century space race, which triggered greater funding for space exploration and resulted in greater outreach. Added to this, space is generally considered to be more exciting and more visible; people need simply to look up into the night sky and see billions of stars and imagine the vast possibilities. Conversely, the oceans remain psychologically distant from the human mind (e.g. Schuldt et al., 2016), only directly visible to those who live along or visit a coast; even then, most people just see the sea surface the wonders that lie beneath remain hidden. But are these the only reasons?
For decades, the ocean community has worked to engage the public in ocean issues by, for example: highlighting the potential solutions for food security or pharmaceutical discoveries; raising the alarm over the damage we are causing and the long-term consequences to our own livelihoods; and making it more relatable by emphasizing the human connection. Some progress has been made but the fact still remains that space, although inaccessible for the majority, is more appealing to the general public than the oceans. Consequently, given the magnitude of discoveries waiting to be made, ocean exploration and research are generally underfunded. This can clearly be seen through a number of metrics including social media, which can be used as a proxy for the level of interest by the public. For example, search engines show at least four times as many hits on space exploration versus ocean exploration (e.g. Schubel, 2016) at any given time.
Lets take a deeper look at how weaving the human element into a narrative makes the story more appealing and relatable for people. In November 2011, NASA launched the Mars Curiosity Rover, a mission that successfully landed a robot 54.6 million kilometers from Earth, on Mars, in August 2012. This phenomenal achievement made front-page news globally and, with each new finding, continued to generate massive global interest. At approximately the same time, in March 2012, Mr. James Cameron, one of the worlds best known movie directors, personally embarked on an extremely dangerous mission to the bottom of the Mariana Trench (~11 kilometers deep and ~300 kilometers from the nearest land). As the third person in human history to do this (Mr. Jacques Piccard and Capt. Don Walsh made this journey for the first time in 1960), it was an incredible testament to human achievement. In one example, we have a robot on a daring mission of exploration and discovery. In the other example, we have a very famous person on a daring mission of exploration and discovery. Both showcase the sense of adventure and human achievement. Yet the epic journey by Mr. Cameron is not as well-known (a Google search shows 251,000 hits for James Cameron reached Mariana Trench) compared to the Mars Curiosity journey (a Google search shows 446,000 hits for Mars Curiosity Rover landed). Clearly, the ingredients for a compelling and memorable story are more complex than the human element alone.
The $7 million Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE is a three-year global competition challenging teams to develop deep-sea robots that will allow us to fully explore a new planet our own planet. The Ocean Discovery XPRIZE has many goals in common with space exploration, and thus it provides us with an opportunity to look into and revisit how we talk about ocean exploration, discoveries, and research and adapt lessons learned from space communications. To begin to address this, a first step is to look at how space stories are portrayed in the general media versus how ocean stories are portrayed. There are a number of clearly identifiable differences:
As an ocean community, we should continue to talk about the importance of issues such as conservation and protection, but to reach a broader audience there are lessons we can learn from the space community. We should take these to heart and turn the tide on ocean communication. And perhaps, as space becomes more commercialized and easier to access, the space community can take lessons from the recent experiences of the ocean community. By inspiring the public we shape public perception, which in turn influences policymakers and, more practically, changes funding levels. We need to embark on a Quest to Inspire the Public about the oceans for the sake of everyone.
This post originally appeared in Marine Technology News online.
Dr. Jyotika Virmani is Senior Director for Planet & Environment at XPRIZE and prize lead for the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE. Dr. Virmani has over a decade of professional experience in oceanography. She has a Ph.D. in physical oceanography.
Schubel, J. R., 2016, Positioning Ocean Exploration in a Chaotic Sea of Changing Media. National Ocean Exploration Forum, October 20-21, 2016
Schuldt, J. P., K. A. McComas, and S. E. Byrne. 2016, Communicating about Ocean Health: Theoretical and Practical Considerations. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 371: 20150214. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2015.0214
Tversky, A., and D. Kahneman, 1981, The Framing of Decisions and the Psychology of Choice. Science, 211(4481): 453-458. doi: 10.1126/science.7455683
Weiss R. K., and A. Cochrane, 2010, Days of Future Past: Film Visions of Space Exploration, Commercialization and Tourism. IAC-10.E5.3
The Morning Email
Wake up to the day's most important news.
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Ocean Exploration and the Quest to Inspire the Public - HuffPost
NanoTech Entertainment, Inc. (OTCMKTS:NTEK) trumpets itself as a pioneer in bringing the most visually stunning streaming TV experience to consumers focused on all aspects of the entertainment industry. The Company has created a number of products including the Nuvola NP-1 which is the worlds first streaming media player that supports 4K UltraHD movies. However, the companys UltraFlix 4k streaming service might have the highest ceiling (more on that below).
The Silicon Valley-based NTEKs Nuvola NP-1 is the worlds first streaming media player that supports 4K Ultra HD movies. It can connect via Ethernet or Wi-Fi to any network with 6Mbit/s or greater for watching TV in Ultra High Definition. Nuvola can stream 4K Ultra HD movies and videos from a variety of sources including the bundled NanoFlix UHD channel.
NanoTech Entertainment, Inc. (OTCMKTS:NTEK) operates a 4k movie streaming service called Ultraflix that they hope becomes the Netflix of 4k. The main hindrance seems to be lack of quality content but this is changing as more studios embrace the format.
Find outwhen $NTEK stock reaches critical levels. Subscribe to OracleDispatch.com Right Now by entering your Email in the box below.
Not all HD is the same, and by starting with the highest quality master files available, UltraFlix streams are visually superior to those delivered by other services. With the worlds largest selection of 4K Ultra HD movies delivered to customers on devices from phones to the latest 4K Ultra HD televisions. UltraFlix is working to establish itself as the premiere destination for top quality video streaming.
UltraFlix says they already have 500 hours of 4K content, including films from the MGM library, 34 IMAX documentaries, 50 rock concerts, and 100 hours of free content and its already bundled with the new TVs from Hisense, Samsung, Sony or Vizio with the UltraFlix app.
NTEK has generated positive reviews and took home the Envisioneering Innovation and Design Award at the ShowStoppers event held during the 2015 International CES.
NTEK signed a licensing agreement with Paramount Pictures that will give UltraFlix users access to over 950 films. This significant agreement will further establish UltraFlix as the leading provider of the best quality content of any streaming network.
NanoTech Entertainment, Inc. (OTCMKTS:NTEK) is an interesting gamble and they have been on a tumble since the start of the month. NTEK carries a $4.29 million marketcap with 143.84 million shares outstanding. The company is looking to expand and might be able to license out some of its technology if 4k does not catch on. There has not been mention of this by any means, but the company does have some debt ($2.8 million) on the books and might have to start to tackle that soon. For continuing coverage on shares of NTEK stock, as well as our other breakoutpicks, sign up for our free newsletter today and get our next hot stock pick!
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This week's Spotlight on Research is with Dr Padraig Murphy Lecturer in science communication at the School of Communications, DCU
You study science communication - how did you develop an interest in that?
I like it because it combines my interests in science and in the sociology and philosophy of how people talk about and understand issues.
When I was a teenager I liked biology and English in school and I chose science I did a degree in environmental and biological pollution sciences in Wales and I enjoyed it.
Then I worked in the pharmaceutical industry and I was even trying my hand at acting. I saw an ad in the paper for the Masters in Science Communication in DCU, so I decided that would combine my interests in communication and science.
Now you research and teach at DCU. What kinds of issues have you explored?
I now run the Masters in Science Communication and teach on the programme. Ive done a lot of research work on the environment and biotechnology, and how people perceive new technologies in those areas.
One project funded by the EPA was to set up a citizens jury to deliberate a new project that was starting in Ireland to grow GM potatoes that are resistant to potato blight. That was an interesting process.
People came forward from the local community to hear from experts about the project and its implications. In the end, people were quite comfortable with the project; they were more concerned about aspects like patenting discoveries arising from the work.
Another big area is climate change. I have worked with the FuJo Institute here in DCU to look at Irish coverage of climate change in media and social media.
We found that there were low levels of denialism but in general coverage has been low. That said, it spiked around the time of COP21 in Paris in 2015, and since then climate change has been covered more as a political issue in the media here.
Im interested now in looking at how popular broadcasts and services like weather forecasts could be used as a public engagement tool for increasing awareness of the science of climate change.
You have also looked at the sights and sounds of nanotech whats that about?
Nanotechnology has been a big interest of mine for many years, particularly because it was seen by some initially as a potentially dangerous thing but those fears dont seem to be as acute now, although they still exist.
"I have worked with Dr Norah Campbell from Trinity College Dublin Business School and Dr Cormac Deane from IADT on how nano is portrayed visually in TV programmes, films, ads and so on.
We have found that the visual aspects can represent nano in an alien way. Theres an element of strangeness there. We are now looking at sounds in nano media too."
You are part of big European projects to encourage responsible research and innovation what are you doing there?
Responsible research and innovation, or RRI, is a bit of a buzz term at the moment, and the underlying premise is to make sure that research and innovation is designed thinking about the outcomes and impacts on wider society.
DCU is involved in a European Horizon 2020 project called NUCLEUS (New Understanding of Communication, Learning and Engagement in Universities and Scientific Institutions) that looks at ways of embedding RRI in university research.
We look at how science can be more responsive to grand challenges like population growth and food and water security and constantly asking are we doing the right kind of research for society and how we can involve the public.
We have 17 institutions across Europe and also institutions in South Africa and China involved.
RRI is a really prominent area of interest for me, as it brings in the philosophical and ethical dimension of how we talk about science, and how it cant be too teachery and removed, and how it could engage all aspects of society.
You were also a co-editor of the 2017 book Little Country, Big Talk: Science Communication in Ireland. How did that come to be?
The book celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Masters in Science Communication in DCU and it features contributions from graduates.
It also showcases some research conducted by our Celsius research group on engagement with science and technology.
Brian Trench was the driving force, and with Dr Declan Fahy here at DCU and myself we brought it together reflecting on how the landscape of science communication has changed in Ireland over those decades.
And how has it changed?
There is definitely greater public engagement with science in Ireland and researchers are being encouraged to communicate more, but I think we need to develop better forms of engagement around more politicised issues like water, wind farms and incinerators, and we need more of the media engaging in serious coverage of science.
What do you do when you are not teaching and researching?
I still have the theatre bug, and Im currently involved on the production side of a play called An Experiment with an Air Pump by Shelagh Stephenson, which explores science and ethics and will be performed in Smock Alley in Dublin from July 4th.
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Needle moving action has been spotted in NanoTech Gaming Inc (NTGL) as shares are moving today onvolatility-7.04% or -0.0004 from the open.TheOTC listed companysaw a recent bid of 0.0050 and300shares have traded hands in the session.
One of the most famous sayings in the stock market is buy low, sell high. This may seem like an oversimplified statement, but there are many novice investors who often do the complete opposite. Many investors may be looking too closely at stocks that have been on the rise, and they might not be checking on the underlying fundamental data. They may be hoping to ride the wave higher, but may end up shaking their heads. On the flip side, many investors may hold onto stocks for far too long after they have slipped drastically. Waiting for a bounce that may never come can cause frustration and plenty of second guessing. Successful investors are typically able to locate stocks that are undervalued at a certain price. This may take a lot of practice and dedication, but it may do wonders for the health of the portfolio.
Deep diving into thetechnical levels forNanoTech Gaming Inc (NTGL), we note that the equitycurrently has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of -128.43. Active investors may choose to use this technical indicator as a stock evaluation tool. Used as a coincident indicator, the CCI reading above +100 would reflect strong price action which may signal an uptrend. On the flip side, a reading below -100 may signal a downtrend reflecting weak price action. Using the CCI as a leading indicator, technical analysts may use a +100 reading as an overbought signal and a -100 reading as an oversold indicator, suggesting a trend reversal.
NanoTech Gaming Incs Williams Percent Range or 14 day Williams %R currently sits at -78.84. The Williams %R oscillates in a range from 0 to -100. A reading between 0 and -20 would point to an overbought situation. A reading from -80 to -100 would signal an oversold situation. The Williams %R was developed by Larry Williams. This is a momentum indicator that is the inverse of the Fast Stochastic Oscillator.
Currently, the 14-day ADX for NanoTech Gaming Inc (NTGL) is sitting at 68.80. Generally speaking, an ADX value from 0-25 would indicate an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would support a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would identify a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would lead to an extremely strong trend. ADX is used to gauge trend strength but not trend direction. Traders often add the Plus Directional Indicator (+DI) and Minus Directional Indicator (-DI) to identify the direction of a trend.
The RSI, or Relative Strength Index, is a widely used technical momentum indicator that compares price movement over time. The RSI was created by J. Welles Wilder who was striving to measure whether or not a stock was overbought or oversold. The RSI may be useful for spotting abnormal price activity and volatility. The RSI oscillates on a scale from 0 to 100. The normal reading of a stock will fall in the range of 30 to 70. A reading over 70 would indicate that the stock is overbought, and possibly overvalued. A reading under 30 may indicate that the stock is oversold, and possibly undervalued. After a recent check, the 14-day RSIforNanoTech Gaming Inc (NTGL) is currently at 43.81, the 7-day stands at 38.16, and the 3-day is sitting at 25.96.
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NanoTech Gaming Inc (NTGL) Shares Moving On Volume - Evergreen Caller
The Express has reported that "#Russia was surrounded on all sides by #NATO forces yesterday as America and Britain kicked off a summer of war games in Kaliningrad, amid World War III fears."
The NATO army, led by a huge number of U.S. nuclear bombers that mainly consist of B-52, B-1, and B-2 stealth airplanes is surrounding Russia along the borders of their western enclave in order to confront Putin's Baltic fleet. In this operation, now called Sabra Strike, the British will provide any help that might be necessary with some of the very best of their war planes.
According to Lieutenant Richard Clark, a U.S.
air force commander, NATO clearly wants to show that they will do anything in their power to prevent any kind of conflict that might occur in the future. There is no doubt this is a bold move from NATO as these joint forces of the UK and USA clearly show that they are ready to swoop in when even the slightest possibility of conflict arises, and, if needed, they are even ready to confront Russia along the way.
Apparently, Operation Sabra Strike was launched because Russia sent a couple of their own nuclear bombers last week across the #Baltic Sea. These bombers just happen to be Tu-160 Blackjack strategic nuclear bombers, the world's largest aircraft.
There's no doubt that Russian President Vladimir Putin is absolutely furious because of this bold move. It was reported that Mr.
Putin denies any kind of rumors that Russia is planning an attack on Baltic countries. He also stated that it is, in fact, NATO that is threatening the stability of whole Eastern Europe by increasing their military presence and demonstrating these types of war games.
Lieutenant Steven Venter, a U.S. Commander explains the real reason behind Operation Sabra Strike. He said that it is all for defense purposes as their main focus is to defend NATO from any kind of future attacks that might occur. According to him, there is no better way to stop the aggression than to be not only ready but a razor sharp and lethal as well.
As NATO officials firmly believe, this serious conflict in the Baltic sea will definitely lead to Moscow holding an even greater military exercise in September than was originally planned. Apparently, this exercise, that goes by the codename "Zapad", will be taking place in Russia and Belarus and it might involve up to 100,000 troops.
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NATO army surrounds Russia in war games -- strikes WW3 fears? - Blasting News
BERKELEY, Calif. In his new book, Changing Our Minds: Psychedelic Sacraments and the New Psychotherapy, award-winning author and former religion reporter Don Lattin looks at how therapy sessions with psychedelic drugs are helping heal the psychological and spiritual woes of cancer patients, alcoholics, war veterans and the seriously depressed.
As Lattin details in the book, there are sometimes positive spiritual and religious changes for those who take these drugs under clinical supervision a key component of the treatment. During sessions to treat addictive behavior, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, some patients report a greater oneness with the universe.
Lattin, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, is about to embark on a summer book tour from the Telluride Mushroom Festival in the Rocky Mountains to a psychedelic consciousness convention in London. He sat down with RNS to discuss changing attitudes toward these drugs psilocybin (magic mushrooms), ayahuasca (a psychoactive tea brewed from two Amazonian plants), MDMA (ecstasy) and more and how they can bring religious and spiritual insight to some people.
This interview has been edited for space and clarity.
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Q: How is taking psychedelics therapeutically different from taking them recreationally?
A: Well, the first difference between recreational use and the clinical trials underway into psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is a difference of legality. Taking these drugs for fun is illegal, not to mention dangerous, because when you buy psychedelics on the street you are never sure what you are getting. The clinical trials are legal approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. The purity and the dose are clearly established. Many people in my book are trying to overcome some serious psychological problem, or they are people in ayahuasca churches who are seriously trying to commune with God. Both are in it for the long term and will tell you this was not always a fun or easy experience. But it was cathartic. It was healing. This is not the way most people take psychedelics many thousands of people take MDMA every weekend and most have a good time. The difference here is the intention healing or insight and that those who take these medicines or sacraments are being guided through the experience and get help to integrate whatever insights they have into their real lives.
Q: Speaking just about those seeking a connection to God is taking a pill to do that just too easy?
A: There is some truth to that critique. Someone in my book calls the psychedelic experience gratuitous grace. In a recreational drug context, it is too easy, and it becomes too easy to just dismiss it as some weird experience. But people in some of the clinical trials I write about say what they experienced in a couple of sessions with a therapist and psychedelics was like 10 years of normal therapy. It can take less time. But psychedelics are not a magic bullet. They can show you another way to be. The goal of a lot of this work, whether it is therapeutic or spiritual, is to help people make some lasting changes in their lives. (Researchers and spiritual guides) are trying to take psychedelics more seriously than one does at a party or a concert or a festival. Even though it can take one to a mystical place, the goal is to bring all this back down to Earth.
Q: Drugs are chemicals. Can God or any experience of the divine be reduced to brain chemistry? Are such experiences real?
A: You can have a mystical experience through lots of different means. You can have it by fasting a very accepted practice in almost every religious tradition. What happens when you fast? Things happen in your brain, a biochemical reaction. If you go on a hardcore meditation retreat with sensory deprivation, you are having a biochemical reaction in your brain. So whether it is through fasting or meditation or drugs or plant medicines, I believe what is happening in your brain is the same an alteration of consciousness through brain chemistry. It can happen through prayer and through meditation, and it can happen with psychedelic drugs. That is why the experiences are so similar. But the rubber hits the road with what you do with the experience. Does it make you a better person, kinder, more aware? (Religion scholar and mystic) Huston Smith used to say of psychedelics, It is not about altered states, it is about altered traits.
Q: Is there a role for organized religion to play in destigmatizing these drugs?
A: There are actual churches in the U.S. that can legally have psychedelic communion with ayahuasca under a 2006 Supreme Court ruling, but they must be affiliated with one of two Brazilian sects. Outside of those brands of organized religion, I dont see much destigmatization. Religious leaders, like a lot of other people, have a very black-and-white attitude toward drugs. Roland Griffiths at Johns Hopkins is doing a study of religious professionals with clergy burnout to see if these substances could revive their interest in their calling through a mystical experience that might hit the reset button for them. But he has found it very hard to find clergy who want to volunteer. That said, I think psychedelics are slowly are being destigmatized by the universities and medical centers across the country that are sponsoring research. Peoples minds are changing about these substances when used in the proper context. The media coverage of the clinical trials has been very positive. At the same time, I think it is important to say these drugs are not for everyone. They are probably not for most people. But there are a large number of people these medicines can help.
Link:
'Changing Our Minds' explores psychedelic drugs and spiritual healing - The Daily Tribune
LBF or rather lovingly Lumi is all set to celebrate its 10thyear anniversary with the festival starting on 22ndof June. With the biggest names from the world of Trance having performed over the years, heres a list of some of the most anticipated acts set to perform this year.
If you are still looking to buy ticketsTickets: http://www.luminosity-events.nl/tickets Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1819200368309000
Firstly, the headliners! We have ATB, Ferry Corsten, Markus Schulz and Paul Oakenfold taking over the mainstage spotlight from Thursday till Sunday. These superstars are no strangers here and we can surely expect some solid music blasting through, especially from Ferry Corsten having just released a supermassive album! These Trance mega giants absolutely never ever disappoint.
For the first time ever Pure NRG is all set to perform! Now, both Giuseppe and Rich have performed solo in the past, however this new duo live concept surely is a definite no-miss.
Talking about live acts, We have Roger Shah returning as Sunlounger. Now this isnt exactly Ibiza, but where theres sand, there Shah! The Balearic maestro will provide some excellent melodic contrast to the otherwise hardcore uplifting madness. Absolute relief!
Orkidea returns back this year too. Now when we talk about Trance, we talk about the roots, the future, whats right, whats wrong, and whats pure. The Finnish Trance legend dominates the pure genre and it should be safe to say we can expect a lot of new unreleased material too.
No summer beach festival could be complete without a little bit of Genix. The Anjunabeats star is all set to make this a very fun party. Genix set shouldnt be missed. No! not even going to the bar during this one!
Sied can be a Rielly funny guy, we know it. No were not talking about his Vodka Booth here (maybe its rielly going to happen), but hes also here to play. Now Id recommend getting destroyed first at the bar, and then at the floor. You wake up next day and dont remember a thing. Classic Sied Van Riel.
Talking about destroying dance floors, we have Jordan Suckley! If youre ready to get Damaged (not permanently of course), this Tech Trance legend is surely set to deliver something epic. Hes a Trance DJ that scratches (really), how many even exist?
And finally on the list are German legends, Kyau & Albert. Maybe I am biased here, but probably no other artist makes those stabby euphoric club anthems like Kyau & Albert. Oh! And those vocals. Bliss
While every artist in the lineup is exceptionally talented and that one should absolutely try not to miss any, this list consists of artists you CAN NOT MISS. Youll be banned if you do (and what will you tell your friends?).
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Artists you cannot miss at Luminosity Beach Festival - Trance Hub (satire) (press release) (blog)
Bliss: Transcendence came and went, but reflecting on it revives some fun memories. A few of the biggest names in trance took to the stage at Seattles WaMu Theater last month for a night of music, love, and unity. Among the performers: Irish trance maestro Bryan Kearney.
Known for his high-energy sets, Kearney slowed things down at one point during his Bliss performance, unleashing a score of vocal anthems. One of those?: An untitled collaboration with American singer-songwriter Plumb. Untitled no more, Kearney dropped the curtains on All Over Againlast week on Armin van Buurens A State of Trance radio show. Featuring Plumbs angelic vocals and Kearneys uplifting score, this emotional ballad of love and forgiveness will give you all the feels- just ask anyone who was there when he played it at Bliss. Take a listen!
This isnt the first time the two have worked together. Kearney remixed Plumbs smash hit Need You Now (How Many Times) back in 2014, turning a poppy love song into one of the years best uplifting trance anthems. All Over Again.a stunner of a sequel.
While it currently does not have an official release date, according to Kearneys Soundcloud, this song will be released this forthcoming summer.
What do you think about All Over Again? Let us know in the comments below!
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Tested at Bliss, Bryan Kearney Premiers Uplifting All Over Again - Dance Music Northwest
Published: June 21, 2017 10:27 AM
On May 18, Tallmadge Middle School students participated in the Junior Solar Sprint and KidWind Competitions at Kent State Universitys Aeronautics and Engineering building.
Tallmadge Middle Schools Gateway to Technology eighth-grade students who participated included: Aaron Andrea, Josh Vernotzy, Jacob Becks, Tommy Naiman, Dylan Case, Hunter Eslinger, William Hudak, Ethan Hudak, Jackson Queen, Brandon Blatt, Gunther Zehner, Evan Mauck, Halle Kalaman, Emma Sandy, Emma Ryder and Mallory Cox-Shreffler.
The students enjoyed learning about alternative energies, designing, building and competing against other students with their alternative energy cars and wind turbines, said Justin Christopher, Tallmadge Middle Schools technology education teacher, robotics advisor and soapbox derby advisor. This was a great opportunity to showcase what the students have learned in their Gateway to Technology class.
The Junior Solar Sprint competition tasked students to create a lightweight car chassis to hold a solar panel that supplies the electrical energy to propel the car. Students had to use the given supplies to increase the cars torque and speed. Their design had to fit the given parameters and attach to a tethered fishing line along the 20-meter race track.
The KidWind competition tasked students to design a wind turbine that would produce the greatest amount of electrical output measured in volts. Students were required to design and construct a wind turbine that fit the parameters of the wind chamber using a specified generator.
This was a great competition for our students to experience, said Superintendent Jeff Ferguson. It provided the perfect opportunity for students to be creative and apply what theyve learned to create their own design and compete against their peers. I would like to thank Kent State University for allowing our students to be a part of this learning experience.
Students were invited to participate through Tallmadge Middle Schools Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Boards partnership with Kent State University.
Students winners received alternative energy products, including solar phone chargers, solar flashlights and other prizes.
For more information about the Tallmadge City School District, visit http://www.tallmadgeschools.org.
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TMS students join in Junior Solar Sprint, KidWind Competition - Tallmadge Express
Posted on June 21, 2017
Lithuania-based Neurotechnology has announced a new upgrade to its MegaMatcher multimodal biometric platform.
MegaMatcher 10 offers several improvements to its previous iteration. The company says its fingerprint algorithms offer enhanced accuracy on lower-quality images, and improved interoperability with other vendors technology; while its face scanning offers better age detection, and iris scanning has been improved to enable the capture of eyes from various angles and in the visible light spectrum. Voice recognition also now offers greater accuracy.
Other improvements include updated standards support, such as for ICAO; new liveness detection capabilities for Android applications; and a new version of the Automated Biometric Identification System with various improvements.
The update arrives hot on the heels of the launch of SentiVeillance Server, Neurotechnologys new facial recognition solution for video surveillance; and very soon after last months announcement of a new version of its MegaMatcher Accelerator large-scale biometric matching system.
June 21, 2017 by Alex Perala
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SentiVeillance Serverisa ready-to-use solution that integrates with surveillance video management systems (VMS). Based on the companys deep neural network technology for facial recognition from surveillance camera video, SentiVeillance Server enhances VMS with advanced capabilities, such as the ability to quickly and accurately recognize faces in video streams and trigger analytical event notifications whenever an authorized, unauthorized or unknown person is detected. This greatly improves the workflow of VMS operators, allowing them to quickly react to changing situations and to easily view video of past events and filter them by gender, age or person ID.
SentiVeillance Server enables advanced analytics in many video management systems where it was too complex or too expensive before, said Aurimas Juska, Neurotechnology software development team lead. Users can benefit from an enhanced surveillance system with only a small amount of configuration and no need for programming.
SentiVeillance Server supports most popular video management systems: Milestone XProtect VMS and Luxriot Evo, Evo S and Evo Global. SentiVeillance Server can process up to 10 video streams from multiple video management systems, all in real time.
SentiVeillance Server includes Neurotechnologys latest deep neural-network-based facial detection and recognition algorithm which significantly improves identification accuracy and speed. The algorithm is based on more than 13 years of development and research and has been tested in the NIST Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT) Ongoing. It is also included in other Neurotechnology products, such as the VeriLook and MegaMatcher software development kits (SDK), which have millions of deployments worldwide.
Neurotechnology also offers the SentiVeillance SDK for development of solutions using facial identification and object recognition from surveillance video.
SentiVeillance Server and the SDKs noted above are all available through Neurotechnology or from distributors worldwide.
For more information and trial version, go to:www.neurotechnology.com.
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No sending the kids off to school, no demands to be met,and waking up when you feel like, may seem like a distant dream for most parents. Even then, leaving thechildren behind while going on a vacation drowns many parents in guilt. But trust us when we say taking a child-free vacation is not only healthy for your relationship, but is also one favour you must extend to your kid. And thats why you must take cue from Twinkle Khanna and Akshay Kumar, Bollywoods coolest couple who are on a European holiday.
What's more, Twinkle Khanna herself advocates going on a childfree vacation. Check out the picture she posted from her holiday in Paris last month. And dont miss the caption.
And heres why you too should take a break for yourself and your partner.
It keeps frustration from building up: You yelling at the children and they snapping back leads to exhaustion, which in turns leads to more yelling and more snapping back. Take a few days off your duties as a parent to prevent this frustration from building up.
It takes your conversation beyond kids: More often than not, being parents mean your interaction with your partner revolves around your child. Make up for the lost partner time by reliving those old carefree days by talking to, and just about, each other.
It will make you love your child more: Theres a reason why they say happy couples make for happy parents. A relaxed, rejuvenated you will return re-energised to fulfill your responsibilities as a parent.
Makes kids bond with other family members: Asking your parents or siblings to babysit gives them and your child an opportunity to know each other and bond well. This is not only essential as a family, but it also gives your child their first lessons in social interaction.
Teaches kids responsibility: Even though you will ensure a support system to take care of your kid, your absence makes them learn to do little things on their own from putting themselves to bed, to packing their schoolbags, having food on their own, and so on.
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As an unmarried, 30-something woman, I get asked the kids question a lot, mostly from people who don't know me well or wishful-thinking relatives. My brushoff that I'm not going to have kids is usually followed by, "But why?!"
I could (and do) list off a handful of reasons: I don't want to take on the enormous responsibility of raising a child. The thought of being pregnant terrifies me. I'm an uberintrovert who loves my alone time and can't imagine constantly being surrounded by another person. I get so much more excited about being an aunt than being a mom.
And while all of those are true, they're not the real reason I decided to forgo kids. It's actually a lot simpler than that: I just don't want them.
Before you roll your eyes and say "no duh" (why would you do something you don't want to?), hear me out. From a young age, I always assumed I'd get married, have children, and start my own nuclear family in my mind, having kids was just something you did. I grew up in a big, tight-knit family, and my sisters, cousins, and I would fantasise about when we'd have our own children and could all get together for the holidays, just like our parents did. I even had baby names picked out Jack for the oldest, Harry and Ralph for the twins. (Yes . . . Ralph. You're welcome, nonexistent future child.)
It wasn't until I neared 30 and began to take stock of my adult life that I realised that not only had those things not happened and didn't seem like they were going to happen anytime soon, but I also didn't want them to happen. I have zero baby fever or maternal drive. When I see a child, my first thought is "oof, no thanks" rather than "I want one!" My daydreams about the future include settling down with a partner, buying a house outside of the city, spending copious time with my loved ones, and exactly zero kids bopping around.
My friends and family wonder if I'll change my mind, including my older sister, who recently had her first baby and told me she was on the fence about having kids and still doesn't feel "ready." And sure, when I met my nephew for the first time, I instantly fell in love. I walked away from a 10-day visit to meet him counting down to the next time I'd see him, replaying videos of his adorable laugh, staring at his picture on my phone's homescreen and still 100 percent certain I don't want kids of my own.
Because here's the thing: I'm not on the fence. I'm very happily sitting in the childfree side of the pasture with my cat, a glass of wine, and unlimited alone time. In that way, I'm much more similar to someone who definitely knows they want kids than someone who's undecided.
People tell me I would make a great mom, and in some ways, I probably would. I'm pretty patient, easygoing, and responsible to a fault, and I haul around what can only be described as a mom purse (gum and Kleenex, anyone?). But being good at something shouldn't be the only reason to do it, especially something as huge as having children.
If you're a parent or you want kids, I salute you in my eyes it's hands down the hardest, most monumental thing you could do with your life. But it's just not for me, and I'm so relieved that I could make that choice.
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The 1 Simple Reason I Decided Not to Have Kids - POPSUGAR UK
National Center for Science Education (blog) | (Star)bursts of Genetics and Evolution! National Center for Science Education (blog) Since our last kit activity was about climate change, it was time we sent our leaders an activity about evolution. To do this, I teamed up with my longtime friends and Iowa City Science Booster Club interns Laura Bankers and Joseph Jalinsky, who helped ... |
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(Star)bursts of Genetics and Evolution! - National Center for Science Education (blog)
OnePlus unveiled its new flagship smartphone yesterday, and there were few surprises, given the myriad leaks leading up to the launch.
We knew the OnePlus 5 would sport a dual-lens camera, and we were fairly certainit would ship with a Snapdragon 835 processor and offer up to 8GB of RAM. What wasnt quite so clear, however, was the pricing.
After an hour-long event yesterday, OnePlus finally confirmed the one metric that perhaps matters most to people.The OnePlus 5 will retail for $479 in the U.S., said OnePlus cofounder Carl Pei.
However, that statement didnt tell the full story, given that there are two versions of the OnePlus 5 it would be more accurate to say that the OnePlus 5 retail price begins at $479. After a little bit of digging through the various press paraphernalia VentureBeat was issued, we discovered that the 128GB incarnation will cost around $539.
To be clear, the OnePlus still represents a good value, given the specs it delivers, but what is even clearer is that it is edging steadily away from the Wow, thats ridiculously cheap end of the pricing spectrum.
Above: OnePlus 5
It may help to look back at the pricing evolution of the various OnePlus flagship devices and compare them to other flagships at the time. OnePlus is often spoken of in the same breath as Samsungs Galaxy handsets and Apples iPhone, so for the sake of simplicity, well use those two brands to see how OnePlus prices have evolved since its first device went to market in 2014.
A quick note: While some may argue that OnePlus devices havent always been true high-end phones compared to the likes of Samsungs Galaxy and the iPhone OnePlus has always positioned its phones as flagship killers. Plus, it is fair to say that they are broadly comparable to and have often been better in many respects than other premium smartphones. Weve tried to compare specific versions of devices as like-for-like as possible, in terms of display size and storage capacity, two key factors when buying a device. But that wasnt always 100% possible due to the specs offered by the companies in question.
We also havent factored in differences in features that may make one device more appealing than the other for example, Samsung Galaxy devices have expandable storage, while Apple and OnePlus dont offer this feature.
This is purely an exercise designed to highlight OnePluss pricing evolution.
The OnePlus One was announced in April 2014 and priced at $299 (16GB) and $349 (32GB). This was two months after the unveiling of the Samsung Galaxy S5, which went to market in the U.S. for an off-contract price thatstarted around $600 for the 16GB version.
September 2014 saw the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the latter sporting a similar-sized screen to the OnePlus Ones (around 5.5). It cost $749 (16GB) off-contract.
Using the 16GB version of the three companies respective flagships, we can see that OnePlus One weighed in at roughly 50 percent the price of the Samsung Galaxy and 40 percent that of the iPhone.
In July 2015, the OnePlus 2 went to market at$329 (16GB) and $389 (64GB). This came four months after the announcement of Samsung Galaxy S6, which shipped with 32GB and 64GB versions the latter went to market in the U.S. for an off-contract price starting at $700, while the funkier Galaxy S6 Edge cost around $100 more. Later that year, Samsung shipped a bigger-screened Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+, which sported a screen a little larger than the OnePlus 2, for around $860.
In September 2015, Apple launched the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. The latter, which again sported a screen roughly comparable to that of the OnePlus 2, went to market in the U.S. for $849 (64GB).
Looking at the 64GB version of the devices, the OnePlus 2 crept up to around 55 percent of the price of Samsungs main flagship (though down to 45 percent compared to the S6 Edge+), and 45 percent of Apples.
The OnePlus 3 went to market in June 2016, priced at $399 (64GB). But the company wasnt happy with that and rushed out theOnePlus 3T five months later in November, for $439 (64GB) and $479 (128GB).
Earlier, in February, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge were announced, the latter sporting the same sized screen as the One Plus 3 / 3T. The U.S. market was only privvy to a 32GB version of the Galaxy S7 Edge, which started at around $720 off-contract.
In September, as usual, Apple launched the latest version of its flagship. The iPhone 7 Plus came in three variants $769 (32GB), $869 (128GB), and a whopping 256GB version that cost close to a grand.
Its difficult to make completely like-for-like comparisons here, given that Samsung only brought a 32GB Galaxy device to market in the U.S., but using the lowest level OnePlus (64GB) as a guide, we can see that the OnePlus 3 remained at around 55 percent of the price of the Galaxy before rising to 61 percent when the OnePlus 3T went to market.
Comparing the respective 128GB versions of the OnePlus 3T and the iPhone 7 Plus showed that OnePlus was now at around 55 percent of the iPhones price.
Fast forward to 2017, and Apple has yet to release its newest flagship, something that will likely happen in September. But we can at least get a glimpse of how OnePluss U.S. pricing compares to the Samsung Galaxy S8.
Launched yesterday, the OnePlus 5 costs$479 (64GB) and $539 (128GB). This followed the Samsung Galaxy S8 (64GB), which was unveiled a few months ago and which originally cost around $720 off-contract, though Best Buy and Samsung arenow selling it directly for $625 only a fraction more than the price of the 16GB Samsung Galaxy S5 back in 2014.
Using the original off-contract pricing through carriers, we can see that OnePlus has jumped up in price to 66 percent of Samsungs Galaxy flagship at launch, and almost 77 percent when we use todays unlocked Samsung Galaxy S8 price.
There is little question that OnePlus still offers great value devices they are high-end in nearly every way, irrespective of spurious benchmarking.
But while OnePlus could once boast about a sub-$300 smartphone, today its base-level device is a smidgen under $500. Compared to two big-name competitors, its price point has shifted from around 40-50 percent cheaper to only around 20 percent less pricey than the big guns.
This isnt a criticism. As noted, OnePlus does offer great hardware and it is still markedly cheaper than other flagships on the market. But it is no longer the young upstart seeking to blast the competition out the water with ludicrously low prices and high-end specs. It has had to up its game on many fronts, including providing decent customer support, which it has been increasingly investing in. But all that comes at a price, and that price, it seems, translates to more expensive smartphones.
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OnePlus price evolution has made its smartphones less competitive - VentureBeat
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | Pittsburgh robotics company to work on autonomous aircraft Pittsburgh Business Times A Pittsburgh robotics company is working with the Air Force to convert aircraft that would normally have human pilots into a system that would be autonomously controlled. RE2 Robotics said Wednesday that the recently awarded $1.49 million contract from ... RE2 Robotics Receives Air Force Funding to Develop Robotic Pilot for Autonomous Aircraft |
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Pittsburgh robotics company to work on autonomous aircraft - Pittsburgh Business Times
With crazy experiments, mystical creatures and robots on view, Bagley Hall at Northeastern State University has an unusual week ahead of it.
Students from the Cherokee County area are currently participating in NSU's Robotics Academy of Critical Engagement. The RACE academies offer kids of all ages an opportunity to explore and discover robotics, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics - collectively known as STEAM.
There were a few academies students could choose from this week, one being "Wacky Science" for 4- and 5-year-olds. On the second day of Wacky Science, students have already used chemical reactions to create concoctions like silly putty, slime, artificial snow and more.
"I try to do chemical reactions that they would understand," said Karissa Pierson, junior at NSU. "So when we made lava lamps, I talked about the different densities between oil and water and how the food coloring stayed in the oil."
A byproduct of the Wacky Science experiments is a messy classroom, but Pierson said that's all part of the learning.
"I think it's very important for them to get messy and to actually be doing it themselves, so they will remember it and be interested," she said. "Because if we just read about chemical reactions or something, they definitely would not want to do it or remember it."
While the tiny scientists conduct their experiments throughout the week, witches and wizards will continue with their jobs, capturing mystical creatures. The Fantastical Mechanical Beasts class, for ages 6-8, offers students a chance to explore the world of Harry Potter. Not only have they been tasked with catching magical animals, they've also been challenged to create their own.
Teacher Dave Fuller said the children will have to design their creatures, draw them, and by the end of the week will have produced them via a 3D printer.
"We're kind of combining the movie ["Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"] with the robotics program," he said. "Their beast has to be one that doesn't currently exist. They have to think how big it is, what color it is and what its weaknesses might be."
Most of the kids' ideas for their mystical beasts involve a mixture of several animals. One idea suggested Tuesday included a "Gryffindor Hodgepodge," which is cross between a tiger and a dragon. Another one was "gorilla gator," a combination of the two.
Not far from the witches and wizards, a group of young engineers will work throughout the week to build their own robots in the VEX VRC Robotics Academy.
"They're creating claw robots that will be able to complete the objective of the game, which is to lift cones onto different stands and things," said Shelby O'Neal, NSU student. "So they're working on their robots for the new In the Zone competition."
The VEX Robotics Competition is the largest one of its kind, each year creating an engineering challenge - presented in the form of a game - for students around the world to accomplish. The kids at NSU's RACE academies will look to complete the challenge on Friday.
"I think kids in general are more technologically advanced than we were when were younger, so it's a great way to kind of keep their brains moving throughout the summer," said O'Neal.
While some kids in the class admit that building a robot form the ground up can be challenging, 10-year-old John Ryan said it "really just takes a long time."
"It's pretty easy, if you ask me," he said. "After we build it, we can add on things like spikes for the wheels, extra claws, extra wheels -- pretty much anything."
Ryan said that he enjoyed the camp so much last year, his parents signed him up again for 2017.
"Getting to know other people from Tahlequah" was an another perk he liked about the class.
Check it out
For more information on NSU's Robotics Academy of Critical Engagement, call 918-444-3739.
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Students make creative messes at robotics academies - Tahlequah Daily Press
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Watched by Kaleidoscope Discovery Center volunteer Matt Trimble, Houston 4-H Club member Allie Benoist works on a robotic helicopter.
Technology and youth education combined for several hours during a 4-H robotics workshop June 12 in the conference room at the Lone Star Annex in downtown Houston.
About 25 kids ages 8-to-18 in attendance had the opportunity to build, program and operate robots made from Lego kits. The event was orchestrated by the University of Missouri Texas County 4-H program and conducted by volunteers with the Kaleidoscope Discovery Center in Rolla.
Members of 4-H clubs in Houston, Licking, Plato and Laclede County participated, along with a few kids not affiliated with 4-H. Kids ages 8-to-10 worked with kits from the Lego Education WeDo series, while the 11-to-18-year-olds worked with kits from the Lego Mindstorms EV3 series.
After putting their robots together, kids used special tablets to program them to perform their tasks.
The goals include having them build the robot correctly and program it to do what they want it to do, said Serena Halger, who leads the Licking 4-H club along with her husband, Bobby. But it introduces the kids into engineering, and robotics applies to a lot of real life situations. It also helps them learn to work together, and kids at this age need practice communicating, sharing and taking turns.
This really helps them get some practice with those skills.
Robots are cool, and teach kids programming and engineering skills, and they have fun doing it."
HOUSTON 4-H CLUB CO-LEADER WAYNE BITTLE
The Kaleidoscope Discovery Center is a non-profit organization designed to offer activities to youth in several counties with regard to engineering, science, technology, the environment, arts and math (ESTEAM). Volunteers on hand at the robotics workshop were all students at Rollas Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Our goal is to get kids exposure to these subjects, said Kaleidoscope volunteer Matt Trimble, especially in communities where they might not normally have access to it. The specific thing were doing here is part of the robotics outreach initiative, and were trying to go to areas where schools might not have the funding or opportunity to have these kinds of robot kits in the classroom.
Trimble said the visit to Houston was fruitful.
Its working out well here, he said. Its always really fun to see the kids get excited about working with these kits. And nine times out of 10, they end up being quick learners and picking things up faster than youd expect.
Platos Clover Kids 4-H Club has had an active robotics program for a couple of years. Leaders in the Houston and Licking clubs plan to introduce robotics as a project option, and preparation is taking place for a regional Robotic Rumble competition July 29 in Plato.
Kaleidoscope Discovery Center volunteer Drazen Gonzalez assists Houston 4-H Club members, from left, Hunter Swingle, Ethan Lee and Ben Cook.
Were training them with kits that will be used in the competition, Trimble said. Hopefully that will give them a jump start on it.
Robots are cool, and teach kids programming and engineering skills and they have fun doing it, said Houston club co-leader Wayne Bittle.With the techno age we are in, it comes natural to kids and the sky is the limit on what they can do.
For more information about 4-H clubs and activities in Texas County, call MU Extension regional youth development specialist Janice Emery at 417-967-4545.
The conference room at the Lone Star Annex in downtown Houston was abuzz with activity during a 4-H robotics workshop June 12.
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Area 4-H clubs participate in robotics workshop - Houston Herald