Dilbert - The Knack
S1axter's Tech Log of Crazy Stuff
This video is for all engineers...and all those who have "The Knack". Enjoy :-)
Code base update
S1axter's Tech Log of Crazy Stuff
Well the Geeksinside code base got a MAJOR update over the past week. I pretty much re-wrote the entire site, complete with a three-tiered architecture. Oh yeah, database, data access layer, application layer, presentation layer. Really cool stuff! There are still some things that need to be done to make the base totally complete like adding in more admin classes for projects and files.
Who knows when I will release the GICB, might be soon!
Geeksinside gets a facelift
S1axter's Tech Log of Crazy Stuff
Well here it is, the new look of Geeksinside.com! Firewire and I have been working hard the past few days to make Geeksinside a little more user friendly. Also we did a code overhaul to get things into top shape for 2007 and beyond.
As you can see the two major changes are going from a three column layout down to two and adding the navigation tabs. The two column layout allows for more article area, plus we thought the three column layout was a little cluttered with pointless information. To streamline the navigation we opted for the tabbed menu on the left to better indicate where on the site a reader is.
There are a bunch of other parts that we worked on including the projects page, article posting page, phpBB interface, user blogs, and about page.
Take some time to look around and come back. With this new layout I can promise, without a doubt, more posts (since it's easier to add articles).
Like the new look or hate it? Tell us here: http://geeksinside.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=101
:-)
Cool site of the day: Browsershots
S1axter's Tech Log of Crazy Stuff
Well I have to say this site gets the "Geeksinside Cool Site of the Day" award, even though there isn't an award before this.
Http://www.browsershots.org takes a URL and loads it into a number of different browsers on different platforms and presents you with a screenshot. This is a really useful tool for anyone who ever struggled with making a site look exactly the same in IE 6, IE 7, Firefox 1.5, Firefox 2.0 and Safari...trust me it's a pain. Getting crossbrowser compatibility is equivalent to making it to the major leagues, it shows a site can play with the big boys.
Take a look if you make pages.
Oh yeah, Geeksinside.com in its current implementation is cross browser compatible :-P
NOTE:
Firewire posted the other day that we are working a new look for the site. We use browsershots to check compatability, here is a shot of the new page. Take a look and let us know what you think! http://www.geeksinside.com/images/newlook1.jpg
Geeksinside gets a new face
Firewire's Tech log
I just wanted to send a little note out to all of our viewers. S1axter and I have some free time and are rewriting Geeksinside so that it has a better appearence and a better user flow. If anyone has any ideas of anything they would like implemented feel free to let us know. Ill keep you updated with the progress. It will probably take a week or so to finish the entire rewrite.
Were gonna go for a new layout that has a tab system to let users navigate more easily through the different article sections.
-firewire
Mars Rovers get new Firmware
S1axter's Tech Log of Crazy Stuff
A number of sites are reporting on the recent firmware upgrade of the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity. The rovers are beginning their fourth 'Mars year' on the surface of the read planet. While it is the fourth 'Mars year', today, January 4th, we celebrate the third 'Earth year' anniversary of the touchdown of Spirit.
The new firmware is designed to field test four new skills including image processing/recognition, visual target tracking, target reaching ability calculations for the arm on the rovers and terrain mapping algorithms. NASA has been developing these systems for next gen craft, which they dub "thinking spacecraft". What better way to test new technology then in the field...especially when the field is over 35 million miles away.
This software upgrade is the largest modification of the flight data computer since they left earth.
Here's hoping year 4 will be a good as the last three!
http://marsrovers.nasa.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/20061228a.html
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16454435/from/ET/
Sony Segway-Skateboard?
S1axter's Tech Log of Crazy Stuff
Major electronics maker Sony has filed a patent for what resembles a hybrid between a Segway PT and a skateboard. Taken from the US patent website:
"...a vehicle which can travel in the front and back direction and which can turn by right and left wheels rotated when a rider riding on a step-board moves the position of rider's balance from the center of a vehicle base."
The patent also mentions three and four wheel models based on the same principles. Obviously from the success of the Segway
[Wiki Link] the technology (Both logic and battery) to provide compact, robust, fault tolerant transport system for consumers is available.
There are a number of projects around the net that show the ability of machines to self balance. However the rocking to remain upright inherent in almost all of them isn't the ideal method, and some serious sensors and processing power needs to be used to keep the device level.
The patent was filed in July 2004 and published on November 23rd, 2006. I don't expect this one to come out for a few years, but when it does, signs might start reading "No Skating or Step-boarding".
US PTO Patent link:
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...LONGURL
Embedded.com Article:
http://embedded.com/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=MMTXT1CTLHR5IQ...LONGURL
New Scientist Tech Article:
http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn10874
S1axters Hack comment:
What caught my eye in the patent is in section 0089 where it talks about a "electrostatic capacity pressure transducer" to determine pressure. While determining the capacitance between two plates with a stiff, compressible material between them can be done, I have a simpler solution for those who want to make a step-board before Sony! I remember reading in a simple circuits book like 'Engineers Mini Notebook' years ago about using anti-static foam as a pressure sensor. Anti-static foam's resistance decreases as it is compressed so if you put it between two plates and apply a voltage you can get a nice analog output. While cool, I think Sony will use something a little stronger than anti-static foam found on ICs.
Link for those who don't believe the anti-static foam :
http://www.eecs.tufts.edu/~dsculley/tutorial/sensors/sensors2.html
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