Wiki & Classes
First, Beau has been working to clean up the wiki. Check it out! Much thanks to Beau, great work.
Second, there is now a classes topic in the wiki with a list of some topics to get started. It's been a long time coming, but it has finally arrived. You can see the wiki page here.
Art Everywhere submission
Art Everywhere is a yearly event in it's second year where artwork is made and placed into empty storefronts on Granby Street. Some of the lab members have come up with some ideas for Art Everywhere, so we are going to submit them and participate this year. It should be rewarding!
For more information on Art Everywhere, see arteverywhere.net.
AMX Automation System + LED lighting + IRC
The IRC bot that is running on the AMX controller can now pass commands from the IRC chat room (#hackerspace on irc.757.org) through to the LED lighting in the lab. The LED lights run on the DMX-512 protocol. The command to set the colors is "amxled #rrggbb" where rrggbb are hex values (0 to F). "amdled #FF0000" makes it red, "amxled#00FF00" makes it green, etc. This is identical to HTML color codes. The AMX DMX-512 controller fades in the new color over 1 second. Later I might spruce it up more with allow adjustment of the fade variable, but for now, it's rocking (as long as the bot is in IRC.) I plan to add speech synthesis to the AMX next. Enjoy!
Logo Contest
The Lab has entered it's second year as of January 1st and while we've got all the trappings of a good hackerspace we're still missing one key component: a logo! We've had a few internal goes of hacking around with concepts but never set down and picked a deadline to vote on the options members have come up with. So we're going to throw a logo competition and the prize, of course, is that we get a free logo and thank you very much for it. The contest is open to members and non-members alike. The "rules" are as follows:
Submission Format:
- A vector format (SVG, AI, etc) *
- Optionally: An example of the logo in use (t-shirt mockup, desktop,
web page, etc)
*: If you don't have a tool that can produce a vector format send in a
high-res lossless format but keep in mind that it will likely need to
be converted to a vector format at some point so keep the "grungy"
photoshop filters to a minimum.
How to Submit: Email submissions to 757Labs@gmail.com.
Deadline: March 15th (the Ides!)
We know we've got some creative members and lurkers so we're looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with.
InvisiFrogger on AVGN MAGfest Review
During this year's MAGfest the 757 Labs crew brought along InvisiFrogger, a modified Frogger game where the forg is invisible. During the con James of Angry Video Game Nerd (AVGN) fame stopped by to take a look at the game, check out his coverage of at Cinemassacre.
New parts for the Cray Supercomputer
Thanks to the generosity of Cray Inc, we now have hard drives that will work in our system. This means we should be good to go ahead and finish up the UNICOS installation and bring the system online! This is a vintage system that is historical and not considered fast by modern standards, but has use in learning about vector computer systems. Much thanks to Cray Inc!
Underwater ROV project underway
Build out of the underwater ROV has started. The first step is to build what will be pretty much a standard ROV design. Initially it will have lighting, video, and propulsion controlled from the surface. We are going to build (and release) a new module to facilitate digital communications with the vehicle from the surface. After this part is complete we have some ideas for new sensors and driver boards that can be developed that should be useful to the ROV community at large.
If interested, there is a ROV specific mailing list in addition to the main 757 Labs mailing list.
Snowcon 2011 Begins
The moose is out in force, and the ground is covered in white. It's Shmoocon time again, and we're here to cause our usual stir. From an umbrella that looks like a Katana, to a grape soda delivering bomb disposal robot, heads are already turning.
Registration was smooth, and we're less than 30 minutes away from opening talks. A lot of familiar faces, and a brief visit to ReverseSpace has this years geek fest off to a good start.
Looking forward to the friends, the parties, the mindless goofing off, oh yeah and the talks too.
RockTheSlot.com – Internet connected IGT Slot Machine
Inspired by the internet connected claw machine, Kyle has built an internet connected slot machine. But it's not what you might think. There is no money flow in or out of the machine. The machine is connected to a host PC (running Linux) and allows software on the PC to command the machine to play. It also reads out any pay outs from the slot machine, and tricks the machine into thinking that the coins were paid out (there are no coins in the machine.) With every play an entry hits a SQL database logging the play, and any payout that may have occurred. Thousands and thousands of plays later there is data to be played with. Live video of the machine is also streamed onto the internet via the machines web page, and visitors can claim a spin of their own. Nothing is payed out, it's all in the name of fun and numbers. Information on the last plays is reported on a flat panel display that was repaired at the lab (thanks Jerry!) so that those curious can look in and see how it's going.
Kudos to Kyle for a job well done on a unique project!
More project information is in our wiki page about the project.
MAGFest (Jan 13th+) and Frostfest (Feb 5th)
Some members of the lab will be at MAGFest in Alexandria this weekend manning a table that will be representing Hampton Roads to a crowd of possibly 3000 people. We've done behind the scenes work for this years MAGFest including the InvisoFrogger frogger arcade hack, and some work to get past security measures on the Arkanoid arcade game board to get it to display custom made levels. InvisoFrogger has the frog removed for more difficulty, and some custom text.
Also of interest is the Frostfest ham fest in Richmond on February 5th. It sounds like it's going to be pretty large. We're hoping to get a table once again to represent the creative wizardry going on in Hampton Roads. www.frostfest.com has more information on the hamfest. I'm thinking we will bring information from our high altitude balloon project.
Flyers will end up at Shmoocon in DC. If anyone is interested in doing a video stream watching event at the lab, speak up on the mailing list.
And later this year in June it will be off to Maker Faire in Raleigh, NC. Another exciting event!
More info on that as it nears.
Location
Google Calendar
@757Labs
- No public Twitter messages.
Links
User Groups
- 757 CCC Comic & Cartoon Creators
- 757 Objective C Group Objective C and Cocoa programming group.
- 757 Python Users Group
- 757.rb Ruby Users Group
- HR Geeks Hampton Roads Geek Community