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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=218320101-23052008><FONT face="Courier New"
color=#0000ff size=2>Oh, sorry to reply to my own post, but I guess I should
mention a progress report for Eddie and Shawn. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=218320101-23052008><FONT face="Courier New"
color=#0000ff size=2>We chatted on IM this afternoon, then I logged in with
Polycom to the class room at UNI, and the Tripod robot has changed considerably.
Along with 1) the removal of the EMaxx differentials, and the swiss motors moved
to direct drive on the wheel shafts through the universals which considerably
improved the speed and eliminated most of the backlash and slop in the drive
chain, it has 2) new smoother tires and 3) a nice big caster wheel
replacing the omniwheels. They already tested it on the grass and report it
rolls through grass quite reasonably.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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color=#0000ff size=2>I should give these guys credit where it is due, and I
thought you'd all like to know they're listening to your comments and
suggestions as I forward them on to them. For those of you providing comment,
nothing expresses flattery like an idea taken to heart.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=218320101-23052008><FONT face="Courier New"
color=#0000ff size=2>Then the discussion moved on to 4) reworking the
odometry with the new configuration, 5) adding sonars for avoidance, 6) how to
do avoidance and still keep ones final goal in tact, and 7) integrating the IMU
and then we touched priliminarily on what it would take to add vision.
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=218320101-23052008><FONT face="Courier New"
color=#0000ff size=2>So they're really working hard on this project
still.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=218320101-23052008><FONT face="Courier New"
color=#0000ff size=2>Randy</FONT></SPAN></DIV><FONT face="Courier New"
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> Randy M. Dumse
[mailto:rmd@newmicros.com] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, May 22, 2008 8:01
PM<BR><B>To:</B> 'Kenneth Maxon'; 'Steve Hassenplug'; 'dpa'<BR><B>Cc:</B>
'dprglist@dprg.org'; 'em504346@uni.edu'; 'breuk@uni.edu'; 'Dale W.
Olson'<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [DPRG] Re: ORC<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=312495600-23052008><FONT
face="Courier New" color=#0000ff size=2>Hi Ken, I'm following their list and
have my students watching their event as well. See <A
href="http://www.chibots.org/drupal/">http://www.chibots.org/drupal/</A> They
may not go, but are keeping it in mind. Eddie and Shawn are still both
working on Robomagellan after the lab courses ended and into this summer, with
Eddie planning to go to Robogames in San Fransisco at least.
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=312495600-23052008><FONT
face="Courier New" color=#0000ff
size=2>Randy</FONT></SPAN></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>