Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Back and busier than ever.
I'm back in NY/NJ and working for the apple store on 5th avenue. Things are crazy there, since the new iPhone 3G is out in stores.
At home, I'm working on my entry for the 2008 Parallax Propeller Design Competition. I don't think I should talk much about it here, but it's going to be a lot of fun, even if it doesn't work quite right.
I'm also doing a lot of reading from the NYU Library's AI section in order to gear up for a project I'll be doing this fall semester. I'm not sure which, but I'll either be programming a chatbot or a program that guesses at pictionary. Either one would be a blast. I'm leaning towards the latter, but my advisor for the project is going to be Professor Dougherty, (a computational linguistics professor), so I think he's going to lean towards the former. In any case, I'm giving myself a crash course in AI concepts and techniques, so I can be ready (and build my resume) for grad school in 1 year.
I hope you all are AOK.
At home, I'm working on my entry for the 2008 Parallax Propeller Design Competition. I don't think I should talk much about it here, but it's going to be a lot of fun, even if it doesn't work quite right.
I'm also doing a lot of reading from the NYU Library's AI section in order to gear up for a project I'll be doing this fall semester. I'm not sure which, but I'll either be programming a chatbot or a program that guesses at pictionary. Either one would be a blast. I'm leaning towards the latter, but my advisor for the project is going to be Professor Dougherty, (a computational linguistics professor), so I think he's going to lean towards the former. In any case, I'm giving myself a crash course in AI concepts and techniques, so I can be ready (and build my resume) for grad school in 1 year.
I hope you all are AOK.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
A New Kind of Something?
I'm here at NKS Summer School and I'm learning a lot. There are about four lectures every day by very interesting people on very interesting topics. I'm also working on a very ambitious machine vision project. It's half modeling (of the human visual pathway) and half technology (I hope it will be useful).
I've met and talked with Stephen Wolfram a little, and he seems to be an intensely smart person (I guess there's a reason he got his PhD at 20). NKS makes a lot of broad pronouncements, but I think there is some truth to be found, and I hope to find it.
I've also made some friends, some of whom also go to NYU, but others who are scientists or programmers, or some combination thereof. I'm having a lot of fun, and working diligently on my project. Wish me luck.
I've met and talked with Stephen Wolfram a little, and he seems to be an intensely smart person (I guess there's a reason he got his PhD at 20). NKS makes a lot of broad pronouncements, but I think there is some truth to be found, and I hope to find it.
I've also made some friends, some of whom also go to NYU, but others who are scientists or programmers, or some combination thereof. I'm having a lot of fun, and working diligently on my project. Wish me luck.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Mac Specialist, Rob Lockhart
I got the job at the Apple Store and I spent the last week training. Tomorrow I'm moving back home to NJ. My life is changing very quickly, I hope for the better.
I am now a part time Mac Specialist. I am making my preparations for NKS Summer school the priority now, and putting the fabber off until I return.
There is also an Apple store project I would like to undertake, but I need to find a genius to work with me. As with everything specific at Apple, I can't talk about it.
Keep on keepin' on.
I am now a part time Mac Specialist. I am making my preparations for NKS Summer school the priority now, and putting the fabber off until I return.
There is also an Apple store project I would like to undertake, but I need to find a genius to work with me. As with everything specific at Apple, I can't talk about it.
Keep on keepin' on.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Time to Focus-- On What?
Wai's shoot is over, so I'm staring a month of free time in the face. I have obligations, of course, but I also have several projects lined up--
1. The Fabber. I may have an opportunity to get paid to do this. If not, I can't afford it.
2. Mathematica. I want to work on either image recognition or behavioral algorithms. Image recognition seems a lot more difficult, but more worthwhile in a way. Behavioral algorithms has the advantage of working in #3.
3. Sun SPOT. I won two of these amazing microcontrollers at an ACM meeting and I haven't done a damn thing with them. I feel that I should, and soon.
4. Propeller design competition. I haven't started my entry which is due in September.
in addition, I HAVE TO edit Thoroughly Modern Millie, a high school production I taped and which must go on sale soon.
Write me and let me know how you think I should prioritize these projects.
1. The Fabber. I may have an opportunity to get paid to do this. If not, I can't afford it.
2. Mathematica. I want to work on either image recognition or behavioral algorithms. Image recognition seems a lot more difficult, but more worthwhile in a way. Behavioral algorithms has the advantage of working in #3.
3. Sun SPOT. I won two of these amazing microcontrollers at an ACM meeting and I haven't done a damn thing with them. I feel that I should, and soon.
4. Propeller design competition. I haven't started my entry which is due in September.
in addition, I HAVE TO edit Thoroughly Modern Millie, a high school production I taped and which must go on sale soon.
Write me and let me know how you think I should prioritize these projects.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
My Last Act as Film Student
I am currently helping with what could possibly be the last film I ever work on. That is not to say that this film is driving away, I have just decided on a different path for my life. A more robot-cluttered path.
Meantime, making the film is a lot of fun. The director is Wai Choy (yes, The Wai Choy), a close personal friend of mine, and a really good director. I am assistant directing and sound mixing (how can someone do both??) A side benefit is that my food expenses have decreased to zero. A side disadvantage is that I have no time to study or look for another job. In retrospect it was probably very unwise to help with this film, but I agreed to it long before I knew the problems I would be facing.
It's not easy being a robot guy in NYC. It's shocking how the tech entrepreneurship atmosphere is so different in California. If you have a good technology idea, you can pretty much crowdsurf to the bank.
The similarities between filmmaking and startups are notable: Both are based in California. Hollywood has Producers, Silicon Valley has it's VCs. A film and a great piece of technology both take thousands of man-hours and involve a technically-informed style of creativity. I can't think of any more, but there are likely many.
Meantime, making the film is a lot of fun. The director is Wai Choy (yes, The Wai Choy), a close personal friend of mine, and a really good director. I am assistant directing and sound mixing (how can someone do both??) A side benefit is that my food expenses have decreased to zero. A side disadvantage is that I have no time to study or look for another job. In retrospect it was probably very unwise to help with this film, but I agreed to it long before I knew the problems I would be facing.
It's not easy being a robot guy in NYC. It's shocking how the tech entrepreneurship atmosphere is so different in California. If you have a good technology idea, you can pretty much crowdsurf to the bank.
The similarities between filmmaking and startups are notable: Both are based in California. Hollywood has Producers, Silicon Valley has it's VCs. A film and a great piece of technology both take thousands of man-hours and involve a technically-informed style of creativity. I can't think of any more, but there are likely many.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Back to Work
Right now I am living very much as I imagine an apprentice classical composer must have lived. I take on students, I do work for my maestro(s), and I try to fit in some time to work on my own projects- hoping that one day my work will have an audience.
-Rob
-Rob
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Visit to Wellesley
I am visiting Courtney (my girlfriend) in Wellesley, MA today. I arrived yesterday after an interminable bus ride just in time to be whisked away to a Third Eye Blind concert. I'm not a big fan, but I was surprised to find that I already knew the words to a few of their songs. It was very enjoyable.
When I tell people that I build robots for a living, there are a few different reactions. Some people just say "no way." Some people don't really listen the first time, so they say "Cool... Wait, What?" I get a kick out of that.
It's amazing how big a gap there is between the general public awareness of the state of the art and the actual state of the art, but it's almost never the same twice. Not that I'm particularly working at the state of the art right now, but I have a more accurate perspective, I think.
Some people think robots are just about ready to take over the world, and some think they're really not much more than funny toys. Unfortunately, the latter is closer to the truth, but there have been quite a few advances. Especially in terms of hardware, the technology is really advancing by leaps and bounds. As far as software goes, I haven't seen anything worth writing home about, or on my blog about for that matter.
Maybe my work with using cellular automata for behavioral algorithms will shed some light. Maybe not. In any case it's worth a shot.
-Rob
www.thinkroboteducation.com
When I tell people that I build robots for a living, there are a few different reactions. Some people just say "no way." Some people don't really listen the first time, so they say "Cool... Wait, What?" I get a kick out of that.
It's amazing how big a gap there is between the general public awareness of the state of the art and the actual state of the art, but it's almost never the same twice. Not that I'm particularly working at the state of the art right now, but I have a more accurate perspective, I think.
Some people think robots are just about ready to take over the world, and some think they're really not much more than funny toys. Unfortunately, the latter is closer to the truth, but there have been quite a few advances. Especially in terms of hardware, the technology is really advancing by leaps and bounds. As far as software goes, I haven't seen anything worth writing home about, or on my blog about for that matter.
Maybe my work with using cellular automata for behavioral algorithms will shed some light. Maybe not. In any case it's worth a shot.
-Rob
www.thinkroboteducation.com
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Inaugural Party
Think Robot (www.thinkroboteducation.com) had our very first birthday party today. We built the hover-bot that I designed. I'll provide a link to the photos soon. It was a great experience and I can't wait for the next one!
I also had Cognitive Neuroscience class today, but had to walk out because I needed to get to the birthday party. I hope he understands. Unfortunately, I was in a place where the only way out was by walking around to the front. Awkward.
Tomorrow I depart for Wellesley, MA. May 5th is Courtney's birthday, and we decided that would be our anniversary, too. Unfortunately, I won't be able to come up to Wellesley that weekend. I miss her like whoa, but tomorrow should fix that. The Fung Wah bus awaits. Meanwhile, I need to get a whole lot of homework done.
Next week is the last week of classes and I'm freaking out. I've got to get good grades if there's any hope of Graduate school. Oh, and I also have $ -278 in the bank. Yes, negative. It's times like these that I remember the sage advice of my dear mother, Barbara: "Don't screw up."
I also had Cognitive Neuroscience class today, but had to walk out because I needed to get to the birthday party. I hope he understands. Unfortunately, I was in a place where the only way out was by walking around to the front. Awkward.
Tomorrow I depart for Wellesley, MA. May 5th is Courtney's birthday, and we decided that would be our anniversary, too. Unfortunately, I won't be able to come up to Wellesley that weekend. I miss her like whoa, but tomorrow should fix that. The Fung Wah bus awaits. Meanwhile, I need to get a whole lot of homework done.
Next week is the last week of classes and I'm freaking out. I've got to get good grades if there's any hope of Graduate school. Oh, and I also have $ -278 in the bank. Yes, negative. It's times like these that I remember the sage advice of my dear mother, Barbara: "Don't screw up."
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Startup School
My name is Rob Lockhart. I'm a student at New York University and I work teaching robotics and designing robots here in NYC.
My Goals Are These:
1. To Create a Successful Tech Startup (more about that later)
2. To get into grad school for Robotics (despite the fact that I am earning a BFA in Film&TV production [with minors in Math and Computer Science, I must always add])
3. To solve the "hard problem."
At a glance, it might seem as if the first two are mutually exclusive. They are. If #1 doesn't work out, I'll do #2, and vice versa. Right now I'm pursuing both equally.
What is the "hard problem?" It is also called the mind-brain problem and also known as artificial intelligence. How close am I to this goal? Not in the same universe.
I just got back from Startup School in California, and I'm still a little high on the liquid optimism that flows 6 feet deep through Silicon Valley. Check out this talk by DHH: http://www.justin.tv/hackertv/97862/DHH_Talk__Startup_School_2008
He really brought the house down.
I'm sure I'll spend a lot of time talking about my own startup prospect- My First Fabber. We're working on it. I met a lot of talented developers out there and I'm sure a lot of their work is going to blow up pretty soon. Here are some of the folks I'm talking about:
http://www.biographicon.com/
http://www.noloh.com/
http://www.ijigg.com/
And many more...
As for myself, since I'm not really a software guy- not yet, anyway- a lot of what was talked about went over my head. I'm a hacker of a different sort, but I was treated well despite my ignorance.
I'm also trying to learn Mathematica in preparation fro NKS Summer school in Vermont, avidly missing my girlfriend in Wellesley, MA, and trying to get all my homework done AND pay rent. I've got a lot on my plate.
I hope that I will have enough to share with all of you folks as the months stretch on. I have a feeling that this blog will serve to distract me more I will like, but all the better for you readers. Well, I'm off to ask my friends on the NYU programming team to help me debug some Sun software, then to a dinner party.
Keep Thinking Robot,
-Rob
www.thinkroboteducation.com
My Goals Are These:
1. To Create a Successful Tech Startup (more about that later)
2. To get into grad school for Robotics (despite the fact that I am earning a BFA in Film&TV production [with minors in Math and Computer Science, I must always add])
3. To solve the "hard problem."
At a glance, it might seem as if the first two are mutually exclusive. They are. If #1 doesn't work out, I'll do #2, and vice versa. Right now I'm pursuing both equally.
What is the "hard problem?" It is also called the mind-brain problem and also known as artificial intelligence. How close am I to this goal? Not in the same universe.
I just got back from Startup School in California, and I'm still a little high on the liquid optimism that flows 6 feet deep through Silicon Valley. Check out this talk by DHH: http://www.justin.tv/hackertv/97862/DHH_Talk__Startup_School_2008
He really brought the house down.
I'm sure I'll spend a lot of time talking about my own startup prospect- My First Fabber. We're working on it. I met a lot of talented developers out there and I'm sure a lot of their work is going to blow up pretty soon. Here are some of the folks I'm talking about:
http://www.biographicon.com/
http://www.noloh.com/
http://www.ijigg.com/
And many more...
As for myself, since I'm not really a software guy- not yet, anyway- a lot of what was talked about went over my head. I'm a hacker of a different sort, but I was treated well despite my ignorance.
I'm also trying to learn Mathematica in preparation fro NKS Summer school in Vermont, avidly missing my girlfriend in Wellesley, MA, and trying to get all my homework done AND pay rent. I've got a lot on my plate.
I hope that I will have enough to share with all of you folks as the months stretch on. I have a feeling that this blog will serve to distract me more I will like, but all the better for you readers. Well, I'm off to ask my friends on the NYU programming team to help me debug some Sun software, then to a dinner party.
Keep Thinking Robot,
-Rob
www.thinkroboteducation.com
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