== Meeting Notes == This section is used to keep a summary of the happenenings at the meetings. They are presented one summary per page in reverse chronological order (i.e. the most recent is at the top) MeetingFebruary8_2007 Betty taking notes in Denise and Gray's absence Visitor - filmmaker John Funk Showed his miniature movie set. Eureka! Artists Interpret the Laws of Science - Feb. 24th 10 - 5, San Marcos Activity Center "Paid gig" all participating members will have their Gas money reimbursed Robofest trademark - Mike and Vern need to draft a letter Show prior art After establish ownership then license it? Discussion: Do we want to put on another Robofest? Is a huge job, other events already in place. We could be umbrella event? Described old Robofests - rented out city coliseum -- Displays, booths, electric cars (human driven), interactive stuff, music stuff, blimps, brought people in, Brooks' stuff, seminars If we have a Robofest - charge a lot? Have a big one? Have a small one? Who will do the coordinating, calling, artwork, media, etc. Corporate sponsorship? tabled as discussion was too widespread for a single agenda item DONATION PRESENTATION (VERN) Daniel Wheeler univ professor donated to us: MOS technologies KIM-1 computer system mounted in a case won't power up (fuse popped in power supply?) Also a bag with tons of electronic components bought back then Vern's proposal: Inventorying them would be too labor intensive - just do mystery box like Jameco - have bagging session possibly guarantee one or two good parts PARTS COMMITTEE Debate about best way to report what parts people have Send description, quantity, etc. in an email? To the wiki? To a database? Want to make it easy so people will do it - eventually person writing a grant proposal can quote the line item that they need. SHOW AND TELL "IT DOESN'T HAVE TO WORK TO BRING TO SHOW AND TELL" *Eric - robot base. From Edwin Wise garage sale. Need to get wheel encoders working. *Vern - five minute book review: Hacking the NXT. Useless book. *Nick - made an NXT creation during meeting. Now needs to program it. *John Funk - brought movie set - small scale (GI Joe sized actors) LEDs motorized swivel chair, is engineering section. Also has halls, lounge, models of ships, more characters, etc. for his movie: Mary Lou Turbine and the Quest for the Dark Planet. Needs old toys and models (will get a movie credit). See his cozmicfunk.com website. *Paul RoboSpinArt strobe "art freezer" designed to make it possible to see the "finished" art work by using a timed strobe to make the paper appear to "stop" so you can see the paint. Original design used a 555, but there were issues in making ot operate properly so paul made a program in SPIN on the Propeller chip. Adjusted LED dwell time and rotations per minute. Rick made a holder collar ... "Spin" is pun - propeller software is called spin... massive overkill, value-wise, but good proof of concept. *Kit robot from a few weeks back. (name?) Now it is built with wood and tiny screws. Took 2 days. Not recommended. In contrast, BOEbot took about 15 minutes to build. Has whisker sensors. Demonstration. *Vex controller if members were thinking of getting the $30 deal. Also Vex robot (Betty) *Mask (Gray's) Celluclay, mold foil to face then put it on. Mask form fit to your face. *Propeller chip with an LCD. (Gray's) Update speed disappointing. Still being explored to discover why *Orders being made: Soundgin $15 with board $25 Propeller chips too. ------------------------------------------------------- Thursday Feb 2, 2007 EVENT: "Eureka! Artists Interpret the Laws of Science" Saturday Feb 24th 10am-5pm in San Marcos This is a paying event we have signed up for, so there will be some reimbursment for gas/expenses. At least spin art machines will be there. We will be able to sell shirts there. EVENT: SxSW?/EFF? party at Shultz Beer Garden Date: ???? We have agreed to be there and it should be fun but they have not committed any funding to us so our level of participation is on an individual level. We will be able to sell shirts and spinarts there. EVENT: Screen Burn Mar 10-11 noon-6 (sat and sun) We have not decided anything definate on this. Parts Committee - not getting emails, will use wiki to post possessions Associate Member Classes -Working on setting up low cost techniques classes for things like basic construction, soldering, motors and switches. Need to work on therapings - A date of Saturday Feb 17th was proposed. ------------------------------------------------------- Thursday Dec 14, 2006 8:10 Call to order Looked at printout (1) 30 min social/eat Business meeting to follow - short - 15 *Committees - getting things done to move forward 8:15 Comm. reports 8:30 Show&Tell - proj/speakers Socializing, working, networking - Plan for website - front page w/current info - Not good adv. to have old info. - Creation of 'Associate'(Replaced with 'Junior') Members - non-voting 500 - R.G. Laminated card, certificate, shirt? 5 or 10? To gain student/children members -Should we be restricting mailing list to members only? -Have been problems in the past, Need a closed list? -Update name on mailing lists? *Committees - PARTS - Bits & pieces scattered far & wide. Need to make sure they get inventoried so they can be used. Quantity- where, etc. -People can write a proposal for what they need -Parts committee can look it over, create a timeline. -if completed, you keep the parts. If you dont, it needs to be returned. -Sell excess parts Storage Location? Using donations should return value to donors. Logo presence, usage, air time, etc Committee to put a value on the grant - Get a deposit? before or after? Anyone want to seed the pot by donating parts? PROMOTION committee - outreach? Balance paid+ed. outreach FUND DRIVE committee - reasons for charging for functions - fund raising - phone calls MEMBERSHIP DRIVE committee - outreach, flyers, work with prom. committee Invent ASSOC. Committee member committee - Educational outreach committee outreach - kids proj Knowledge + excitement re:proj. gather material/project kits Conduct workshops on basic skills bridge gap w/non skilled/skilled ------------------------------------------------------- Thursday Dec 21, 2006 8:04pm 1. Web Site Restructuring, consolidation/administration Sonia fixed DNS robotgroup.net or org both point to robotgroup.net Front page - contact us button - gmail account - will describe meetings, members, etc perhaps photos of emails to prevent spammers and a link to the calendar Gray updates calendar now Rick covering gmail account Robomarkov - chat name of Mark H. -He's volunteered to maintain the website Vern will try to set him up w/a password etc&approve of what he does creation of associate membership extra shirts are made - we have 75 total -Kim can make the ID tags -Sales tax on shirts -receipts for shirts -+ -need to talk to someone for requirements see if Ed wants to do badges? Wait until next meeting - will discuss prices then -Kim can make them for free -Membership price - is $20 enough? Fundraiser opportunity - for every meeting - Ticket sale raffle at the door (arbitrary cost) - Winner wins 1/2 of "Kitty" Comm - - Recruitment, parts, fundraising Meridian energy systems - was visited by Marvin, they may come to the R.G. Report on committee formation - everyone busy - Everyone forgot to bring theirs. Will revisit after 2nd meeting in the new year last item - Simulcast - Server at txis - can serve audio -better for people w/kids, live north, or are at work - can listen in - audio is less intensive than video - can send frames (meta refresh) so we could have a snapshot, or IRC channel - Ques. can be typed recorded in the meeting - allows remote participation - contacted admin at office WRT546L router - can put in software for catch&release -Pro bono! - Searches for router 54G has smaller flash space 8-9 Show & tell Strobing system Parallax USB oscilloscope - very small + portable ------------------------------------------------------- Thursday Dec 28, 2006 No meeting was held ------------------------------------------------------- Thursday Jan 4, 2007 8pm Call to order - Happy new year! How can we get more participation to get help? Direct emails, group email? Asked group, most agreed that it was fine -threaded emails shown to some members to show how to do it -more advanced notice would be helpful -important info to some people may need a phone call, but...that would take too much time. We use one of Evan's server, Puremagic March 12 is the EFF party - paid event - they are having a mtg tonight so we will know more info soon Corporate seal located 3 new members were there Our site is being moved to a new server (making it relocatable), work continues SHIRTS - If you worked you got a shirt the cost was $8 plus design and tie-die labor Prices for others $10 for members $25 for non members The RG paid for the shirts for our membership drive We need to figure out how to deal with receipts 1ST NIGHT - We began 1st night 30 min early and ran over 10 minutes - went through all 800 cards - 0 failures of machines - Maybe more uses of machines in the future - Spansion - 3 people who were our sponsors mentioned that they sponsor other things and we could possibly get involved - The second check should cover all spin art FUND RAISING COMMITTEE working on curriculum We need a form for events that an interested party would submit for us to decide on ASSICIATE/JUNIOR MEMBER COMMITTEE shirts, id cards? lots of interest from parents if we would teach a class PARTS COMMITTEE -Ed WEB SITE COMMITTEE - working on the port Awards were presented for the 1St night crew ------------------------------------------------------- Thursday Jan 11, 2007 8pm Call to order - Received 2nd payment from First Night Web restructuring continues A Proposal to the PARTS COMMITTEE was recieved - How will we handle that? - How to decide if we will fund it? - Parts People were not present to answer EVENT: EFF - nothing done yet EVENT: SxSW - At the Shultzes Garden after party - ? EVENT: Wells Branch Science Fair - Rick & PY interested, its Tuesday the 18th Ed is working on prototype cards Show & Tell Cypress PSoC (Programmable System on a Chip) evaluation kit http://www.onfulfillment.com/cypress/landing_page.asp?source_code=M572 The Soundgin is a serially controlled Sound Synthesizer in a PIC. We may be able to get a group discount. http://oopic.com/soundgin/ ------------------------------------------------------- Thursday Jan 18, 2007 8pm Call to order ... Check from Heritage received EVENT: Wells Branch - Some are going and need to coordinate EVENT: SxSW - a fun event. we will bring robots, lights. Is it indoors? Do we need to bring the cannopy? *Committees - PARTS - inventory is being collected have 35-40 gearhead motors How it works: Items are labled with a retail or surplus price. you make a request, if approved a price (retail or surplus) is calculated and a due date, you write a check for the amount which is held. If you complete the project and agree to present at several RG events then the check is returned. If you dont complete you can return the parts or let the RG deposit the check. 8:35 Show&Tell - Laser scan photography - SoundGen device http://oopic.com/soundgin/ - Big 4 wheel robot, wireless camera, router, web server, ~$900 retail in parts - Art carvings from router & photograph - PIC based Led flashing circuit ------------------------------------------------------- Thursday Jan 25, 2007 New Members intro Robofest trademark discussion Get archived posters or examples of prior art (current robofest prople have a "registered mark" SM at the end of the phrase) - We need a time for EFF party - also, we have been invited to the Screenburn weekend SxSW event - gamers/industry people, should be fun. Kids classes/assoc members report - a meeting will happen this Sunday at 11:30 am - details to be provided to RG list in a day or two meetup.com - we have a presence no cost to members but vern signed up for 3 months. It can be rated - meetings/venue/etc -Vern will put up the info so people can participate We need to change the front page so it says we will be at Pokey Joes most of the time but also support the Dorkbot schedule every other month. (thus not always at Pokey Joes) ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- Thursday Dec 7, 2006 Elections Dues $20 Open item - 2 voting members to nominate Quorum 2/3 must approve How to vote out members that are gone and dont pay dues? Need 2 days notice to call a board meeting Dorkbot (subject to change) Jan 11, Mar 8, May 10, Jul 12, Sep 13, Nov 8 SxSW Bar Camp EFF Oct 20-21 Maker fair Show & Tell Nortec 200mhz pc box 4"x4"x1" $100 at ewayco.com Note: These are meeting notes as entered by the secretary or appointee. Feel free to make additions or corrections. A suggested correction template is: [Your Name: date: Change reason] new text here [End Change] Example: [Robosapien: 1/1/2001: Additional]Robots need Batteries.[End Addition]