What Engineers Must Do

As an engineer, I am forced to spend my idle brain cycles on thoughts of control loops, microcontrollers, and the eternal question: "Hmm, I wonder how that works?" I saw a youtube video of one of these and knew then that I had to build one for myself.

The gizmo in the video is known as an SBR, or Self-Balancing Robot. Until Dean Kamen built his Segway, things like this were known as inverted pendulums. I bought the Lego set for work last year ($250 @ Hobbytown or Toys R Us) to inspire innovation within the lab team. One of the guys built and tweaked some of the designs in the instruction book, I built a CD-labeler with it, another engineer built a mini-mower, and that's been it.

The kit includes a cool little controller that you can talk to via USB or bluetooth, three servo motors, a sound sensor, light sensor, a push-button switch, and a bunch of lego parts. The controller is programmed with a pre-school version of LabVIEW (the language I use @ work to make real things), or it can be programmed with a real programming language called NBC. The key to a self-balancing robot is the $50 aftermarket solid-state gyro that I bought for it from www.hitechnic.com. We truly live in a fantastic time.

I did all of the programming from scratch in the pre-school NXT LabVIEW. It's controlled entirely by a PI loop. I have it setup for a PID loop, but was able to get it working well enough with just P & I that I grabed the camera and shot some video. I need to tune it a little better and I want to be able to drive it around via a bluetooth coversation from my pocket PC. The code is ugly and has a lot of hard-coded crap in it that needs to be fixed so that the user can modify settings via the front panel display buttons.

Once the NXT version is working, it will be time to build a PIC-based unit...

Go to YouTube and search for NXT videos. It's amazing what everyone is making with legos.

Concert in the Rough

No sex, no drugs, but we have the rock & roll. Check back in 6 or 7 years - the band should be in shape then.

Tornado Concerto

During our last tornado warning that we spent in the basement, I took the video camera along in case we had a real tornado.

Sunset Clouds

Yesterday afternoon, some summer storms popped up and rolled over. The sky started to clear at sunset.

Yesterday was the day we completed the deck - I put up the remaining boards on the pergola and ran the speaker wires into the house thru a hole in the wall rather than thru the window.

Our neighbor, SD, finished up his berms and installed four trees yesterday. He worked really hard ALL day.

17th Anniversary Party

Yesterday, we went to our neighbor's house for a combination anniversary and birthday party. MT, our other neighbor, turned 29 again. We had a beautiful day. We played horseshoes and I think that we may need to install a horseshoe pit in the back yard this year.

MN in NE

MN and her son CN came from Woodstock for a visit this last weekend. She and JP spent most of their time on the deck enjoying the cool summer and blue skies.

Sunday I put up my Father's Day outdoor speakers and finished the main part of the pergola. We have some 2x4's to rip down to 2x2's to run across the top for a finishing accent.

JP has been cooking out every day and is enjoying being able to cook on "low" instead of the "Raging Flames of Hell" setting. I am enjoying the tasty food.

We have to call the inspector one more time, and then hopefully we will be done.

...except for installing the lights.

and running the speaker cables thru a hole in the house.

and hanging the wind chimes.

and fixing the storm door.

and putting down a few pieces of sod.

and fixing the sprinkler head so that it doesn't spray on the deck.

and planting some climbing vines on the south side.

and making a sign that says " WELCOME TO MARGARITALANDVILLE"

GP's 1st Baseball Game

Sunday we went to GP's first baseball game. We were supposed to play last weekend, but got rained out.

GP is in the "Coach Pitch" 1st grade league. The coach gives each batter 4 pitches then the tee comes out until the ball is hit. Each inning has a 6-run limit, and the games have a 1-hour limit. Nice.

Armchair Stormchaser

Tonight we had quite the storm blow thru. It started last night with a downpour at 2:00 am and then 25 mph winds out of the south until 7:00 pm when the storm hit. We had a wall cloud over us for about an hour. It was amazing to watch the wisps of cloud form as the hot Kansas air blew in and up into the storm.

The worst of the storm passed north of us. It got dark enough that the street lights all turned on. There were reports of a tornado in central Lincoln, as well as 56th and Pine Lake (Campbell's Nursurey), just 3 miles away. The "Come out and look" sirens went off for a couple of hours. We all stayed out until it got too scary looking and it was raining too hard to see anything. Salt Creek will be over 14th Street again tomorrow morning. 14th street was closed for a couple of days last week after Steve's storm dumped up to 5 inches of rain south of here.

It's now quarter 'til 10 and most of the storm has passed south of us. The radar shows a whole bunch of stuff yet to come, so it will be a restless night. The boys are sleeping in the basement.

GT Turns 40!

Sunday was GT's B-Day. His wife planned a hawaiian themed surprise party for him and we all had a fun time.

Last weekend, GT babysat 11 kids, so JP made a shirt for him.

GT is the Anhueser Busch brewery rep. Mmmmmmm. Beer.

Saltdogs

Last Saturday night, we took our chances with the weather and went to see the Saltdogs crush the Shreveport Sports.

We all had a good time; it was Exmark night and we had some spectacular seats. CP was bummed that he did not catch a foul ball.

Steve's Storm

The other day, I learned that a childhood friend passed away after a long battle with ALS. That night we had an incredible display of lightning as storms passed to the north and south of us. I dedicate these pictures to Steve, who I will always remember as a tan kid riding with me on the bow of a boat.

Riding up on the front deck was my favorite place to be after a long day of watching our dads surface breathless from chasing fish or Spanish treasure (ballast stones) all day. It seemed like we were always four hours out to sea (in pre-GPS and too-poor-for-Loran-C days where we relied on dead reckoning, word of mouth, a sketchy depth finder, and gut feelings for navigation to and from where the fish lived). The noise of the wind, bow waves, and engine droned out everything so that the front deck was a place where sign language and facial expressions ruled. We were innocent and didn't know about beer and women. Who knew that there could be more to life than travelling across the open water with the sun and salt spray against your face?

When we travelled back to shore, sometimes we went with the waves so that, although we were running at 20 mph, the water appeared to be moving by slowly, like a slow, endless river. The glare on the water and the slow motion of the boat through the swells was mesmerizing. Sometimes we dangled our feet over the bow. Other times we just sat back and soaked in the sun as the cool salt spray blew over. Each of us had our own stream of consciousness driving our grins. For me it was dreaming of the monster shark we would hook into that night. For Steve, I knew it was the same, which made me grin more.

Steve was at home on the water. Tan, windblown hair, and a big white-toothed smile. Farewell, Steve.

Deck Railings

Today started with the obligitory trip to Menard's for a box of screws and some more lumber. We had another gorgeous day of sunshine and no wind. I completed 3/4 of the railings. I need to get a few more screws to complete the last bit and then it will be on to the pergola.
The Budweiser neighbor watched all the neighborhood kids (eleven total) all day. I owe him a big one.
We cooked out and before we finished our meal, we had friends join us. I'm beginning to wonder if this all might be too much of a good thing.

The Fence

Saturday was as beautiful as it gets here: 85, low humidity, sunny, and only a slight breeze (no wind).
We worked on adding a privacy fence to the south side of the deck. It will give us and our neighbors some privacy as well as block the eternal wind so that we can cook on a setting lower than plasma torch.

JP's goal for the deck steps was that they would be a good place to sit. Turns out that she hit her target - everyone likes sitting on them. I think next year we need to build a stone patio adjacent to the deck. It's a natural place to gather.

Even though our neighbors across the street sponsored the evening's cookout, everyone ended up back at our house. We had 9 kids running around the yard. I had work-related work to do last night, but it's hard to refuse a beautiful night and good neighbors.

Today we will try to finish the stair railings. I need to get another box of screws and two more boards. Next weekend: the pergola?