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color=#0000ff size=2>Hi Rud,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=968560421-08062008><FONT face="Courier New"
color=#0000ff size=2>Welcome to the group. There are several hams or ex-hams
here. Kip Moravec recently got his license. I had one 30+ years
ago.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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color=#0000ff size=2>Dean Hall is in the Houston area, and is organizing a
RoboMagellan group. Think the name is something like SHARP? Maybe he's reading
in and will say something. They're going through the same issues of getting to
waypoints right now. Dean is a fan of Python btw.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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color=#0000ff size=2>There is interest in the iCreate, but I haven't seen one
myself. I've answered a few questions on them by reading the manual. Feel free
to ask questions or comment on your work more. I'm sure people here will find it
interesting. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=968560421-08062008><FONT face="Courier New"
color=#0000ff size=2>Randy</FONT></SPAN></DIV><BR>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> dprglist-bounces@dprg.org
[mailto:dprglist-bounces@dprg.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Rud
Merriam<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, June 08, 2008 3:41 PM<BR><B>To:</B> Dallas
Robotics<BR><B>Subject:</B> [DPRG] Introducing Myself<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
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<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2>Hi, </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2>I am in The Woodlands,
north of Houston. I am a semi-retired software developer (C/C++, Windows,
embedded systems) and ham radio operator. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2>I started playing around
with robots a few years ago by working on a platform that would carry laptop
as the computer. That got put aside. A short while ago I got an iRobot Create
and the Command Module (CM) for it. The CM is an AVR 168 microcontroller
system with a reasonable amount of capabilities.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2>I have it running a
behavior based system after Jone's "Robot Programming". It does the drive,
bump, and escape. It has a battery charger docking station and I am working on
the docking behavior. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2>The next major effort is
I2C communications with a compass module and 8 IR sensors. The goal with the
IR sensors is for it to wander the house without bumping into everything.
Percolating in the back of my head is how to get it to start from the docking
station and hit specific waypoints given only their coordinates. (HAH! First
major trick is what is the coordinate system?)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2>I will wander through your
web site and email list for information. Already have some of D. Anderson's
work and would love to get a jBot. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2>I have a least one question
but that can wait for another email. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=2>Any one on the list also in
the Houston area? All the Houston groups I find on the web seem to be defunct.
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">- 73 - </FONT> <BR><B><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Rud Merriam K5RUD</FONT><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></B><BR><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#000080>ARES AEC Montgomery County, TX</FONT> <BR><I></I><A
href="http://TheHamNetwork.net"><I><U></U></I><I><U><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=#0000ff>http://TheHamNetwork.net</FONT></U></I><I></I></A><I></I>
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