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
Monday, April 28, 2008
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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