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BUCKNACKT'S SORDID TAWDRY BLOG We should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive & well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate, bier or wein in hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WHOO-HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!!!!!"
Showing posts with label Robotboat MarkVI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robotboat MarkVI. Show all posts
29 April 2013
Project Update #12: Robotboat Mark VI by Eamon Carri 29APR13
FOR everyone who backed this project (I did), or who is interested, here is an update on ROBOTBOAT MkVI, and it is so WAY COOL!!!! Click the link at the bottom or to see other updates on the Kickstarter website....
01 February 2013
Project Update #11: Rewards shipped forreallyreal, credit where credit is due, and progress 1FEB13
HERE is an update on one of the projects I backed on Kickstarter, Robotboat Mark VI....
Oh hai guuuuys.
We'll have all of the rewards shipped by tomorrow (except the postcards which will be done shortly after the maiden voyage). If you still haven't gotten something drop me a line. SHWEW. We really hope everybody is enjoying the rewards. We tried to make them special. For those of you who will have inscriptions on the boat, lookout for confirmation in the next few weeks followed by some pictures.
We've heard a lot of good feedback about the rewards, particularly the t-shirts, of which we are especially proud. Much as we'd like to take credit for the design, the real maestro behind the shirts was my friend Forrest @ Studio One. I've worked with them on a bunch of projects and I must say, it is always a pleasure. In our estimation, the keychains came out pretty dang rad too, and in keeping with proper attribution I want to shout outJon @ Imprint Items. Jon suffered my franticness and rushed to make sure we'd get them in time (despite a few rounds of misunderstandings). The 3D printed models were made by Stewart @ CRP USA and they are boss. They are made from the same material we've used all over the place on the Mk VI. Windform XT is good enough for F1 cars, good enough for Robotboats & satellites (Walt's design btw), good enough for your bathtub. Like magic.
So with the rewards all sent, we're gonna pack it in, cause this is just too hard and we already have your money...
PSYCH! I assure you that we're working as hard as we can to push this technology.
The Mk VI is coming along. We're continuing our tradition of employing top-notch U.S. manufacturers. May we recommend Solid Concepts for your experimental watercraft needs? FJB for your prototype weldments? We've already received almost all of the small parts and some of the big complicated parts. Below you can see a sweet mast solo and one of the custom made molds for the hulls.
We expect to be on the water in ~1 month (yes we are about a month behind schedule, sorry about that - really thought we were immune, but obviously should have known better, ehem). We'll keep you posted throughout the assembly/calibration stages and during live trials. As always dear backers, please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.
We'll have all of the rewards shipped by tomorrow (except the postcards which will be done shortly after the maiden voyage). If you still haven't gotten something drop me a line. SHWEW. We really hope everybody is enjoying the rewards. We tried to make them special. For those of you who will have inscriptions on the boat, lookout for confirmation in the next few weeks followed by some pictures.
We've heard a lot of good feedback about the rewards, particularly the t-shirts, of which we are especially proud. Much as we'd like to take credit for the design, the real maestro behind the shirts was my friend Forrest @ Studio One. I've worked with them on a bunch of projects and I must say, it is always a pleasure. In our estimation, the keychains came out pretty dang rad too, and in keeping with proper attribution I want to shout outJon @ Imprint Items. Jon suffered my franticness and rushed to make sure we'd get them in time (despite a few rounds of misunderstandings). The 3D printed models were made by Stewart @ CRP USA and they are boss. They are made from the same material we've used all over the place on the Mk VI. Windform XT is good enough for F1 cars, good enough for Robotboats & satellites (Walt's design btw), good enough for your bathtub. Like magic.
So with the rewards all sent, we're gonna pack it in, cause this is just too hard and we already have your money...
PSYCH! I assure you that we're working as hard as we can to push this technology.
The Mk VI is coming along. We're continuing our tradition of employing top-notch U.S. manufacturers. May we recommend Solid Concepts for your experimental watercraft needs? FJB for your prototype weldments? We've already received almost all of the small parts and some of the big complicated parts. Below you can see a sweet mast solo and one of the custom made molds for the hulls.
We expect to be on the water in ~1 month (yes we are about a month behind schedule, sorry about that - really thought we were immune, but obviously should have known better, ehem). We'll keep you posted throughout the assembly/calibration stages and during live trials. As always dear backers, please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.
07 October 2012
Robotboat Mark VI (A KICKSTARTER CROWDFUNDING PROJECT) DEADLINE 12OKT12 UPDATE 9OKT12
JUST AN UPDATE ON THIS PROJECT, they now have $70074.00 in pledges since I first posted this on 7OKT, just $9026.00 away from meeting their goal of $80000.00 by 2PM / 1400 Friday 12OKT12. They have to meet that goal or they get nothing. WAY TO GO EVERYONE WHO HAS PLEDGED!!! If you didn't, will ya consider it? If you can't will you pass this on to others who might? Think about it!!!!
THIS is another project on KickStarter I decided to back because it is way cool, it will be good for the American economy and very good for the world's oceans. When I pledged they had raised just over $30000.00 (of a goal of $80000.00), they are now at $61654.00 and have till 12OKT12 or they get nothing. They are so close! Take a look at the project here http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robotboat/robotboat-mark-vi
and check out the funding update below sent to supporters by Eamon Carrig, on of the projects team members a few days ago. IF you can please make a pledge, and please send this out to family and friends so they can consider supporting the project. Peace to all!
From Eamon...
There are an awful lot of really talented, passionate, and capable people working on trying to figure out how we can better understand and be better stewards of our agua. One of the happiest surprises of the campaign so far has been connecting with some of them. It's a good thing too, because there is not a lot of time to waste. As we round out the 20th day of our campaign, we are proud to be able to say that we've made it just about halfway to our financial goal. We are also very proud that so many people have thought this cause worthy of their time and precious resources (nearly 1000 backers!). We are especially proud of the people who have waded out into the new and exciting world of crowdfunding for the first time to support Robotboat. At the risk of being pedantic (you seasoned backers will have to bear with us), we thought it prudent to point out an important feature of this effort, and indeed all Kickstarter campaigns: if we fall short of our goal, by even one dollar, it will all be for naught. Kickstarter is all-or-nothing in that regard. We feel as though this project is both important and urgent in the context of global water stewardship. And, through the looking glass, your support has become both important and urgent to the project. We have only ten days left and quite a few dollars to go. If you haven't already (we are thrilled and humbled by the fact that so many of you have) would you consider sending a note/link to your friends, co-workers, relatives, neighbors, respected enemies, and anyone else you think might care or be in a position to help? Together we can make the dream of abundant, accurate, ocean data an irrefutable reality.
THIS is another project on KickStarter I decided to back because it is way cool, it will be good for the American economy and very good for the world's oceans. When I pledged they had raised just over $30000.00 (of a goal of $80000.00), they are now at $61654.00 and have till 12OKT12 or they get nothing. They are so close! Take a look at the project here http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robotboat/robotboat-mark-vi
and check out the funding update below sent to supporters by Eamon Carrig, on of the projects team members a few days ago. IF you can please make a pledge, and please send this out to family and friends so they can consider supporting the project. Peace to all!
From Eamon...
There are an awful lot of really talented, passionate, and capable people working on trying to figure out how we can better understand and be better stewards of our agua. One of the happiest surprises of the campaign so far has been connecting with some of them. It's a good thing too, because there is not a lot of time to waste. As we round out the 20th day of our campaign, we are proud to be able to say that we've made it just about halfway to our financial goal. We are also very proud that so many people have thought this cause worthy of their time and precious resources (nearly 1000 backers!). We are especially proud of the people who have waded out into the new and exciting world of crowdfunding for the first time to support Robotboat. At the risk of being pedantic (you seasoned backers will have to bear with us), we thought it prudent to point out an important feature of this effort, and indeed all Kickstarter campaigns: if we fall short of our goal, by even one dollar, it will all be for naught. Kickstarter is all-or-nothing in that regard. We feel as though this project is both important and urgent in the context of global water stewardship. And, through the looking glass, your support has become both important and urgent to the project. We have only ten days left and quite a few dollars to go. If you haven't already (we are thrilled and humbled by the fact that so many of you have) would you consider sending a note/link to your friends, co-workers, relatives, neighbors, respected enemies, and anyone else you think might care or be in a position to help? Together we can make the dream of abundant, accurate, ocean data an irrefutable reality.
25 September 2012
HELP FINANCE ROBOTBOAT MARKVI ON KICKSTARTER BY 12OKT12!!! (I'M A BACKER!!!)
THIS is just so cool, it is local (Silver Spring, MD) and if they get this up and running they will invest in jobs and technology here in the U.S.! Check out their project page on KickStarter and pledge what you can, if you can, And share with others who may be interested. Click the link...
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robotboat/robotboat-mark-vi?ref=live
by Eamon Carrig · You're a backer
We're building a fleet of autonomous sailing robots to study the oceans.
Each boat can sail itself anywhere & send data back to shore.
WHAT IS THIS ANYWAY?
We're asking for your help to produce and test the ROBOTBOAT MARK VI. Each robotboat is fully autonomous, needs no fuel, and will bring to bear myriad sensors at remote points on the surface of oceans, lakes, and rivers. Think of it as a satellite for the seas.WHY?
We need lots of low-cost self-propelled robots to study the health of the world's water. Never send a person to do a buoy's job! The real value of this technology lies at the fleet level, but given the extremely high performance required of each boat, purchasing even a few of them is simply beyond our means. Building one boat represents a huge step towards cheap data. Building more than one boat will allow us to test swarming algorithms, implement complex communication schemes, and take greater risks (e.g. undertake longer, more challenging missions).Bringing this opportunity to the kickstarter community will allow us to develop this technology MUCH FASTER than we could if we have to fund it ourselves; the more resources we can raise here, the faster we can deliver.
WHY SHOULD I CARE?
Perhaps Lilly Tomlin said it best: "I said 'Somebody should do something about that.' Then I realized I am somebody."No matter where you stand on issues like climate change, marine conservation, offshore energy production etc., we hope you'll agree that everyone is better served by policies and behavior based on empirical scientific evidence. We should all care about how we manage our water resources.
We think Robotboat is the best way yet to generate information about the world's oceans.
- More data = better ocean management
- Fully automatic = cheap to acquire data
- Fast = station-keep in high seas; get to points of interest quickly
- Durable = collect longitudinal data; self-righting
- Each boat = millions upon millions of datapoints
WHO ARE YOU?
Walt, Rob, TJ, and Eamon... Hi.We're a professional engineering team. Between us we hold 8 patents and have over fifty years of engineering experience.
Our principals (Walt & Rob respectively) founded these companies:
Planetary Systems Corp. and Tiger Innovations
TJ and Eamon have worked for Walt making satellite subsystems for the last few years (among other pursuits). We've designed and executed dozens of successful missions. We've produced space flight hardware, ground station equipment, and remote sensing systems for the most demanding customers in the world, Collectively, our expertise is in developing robust mechatronics.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PULL THIS OFF?
We've built & tested 5 autonomous sailing robots over the last several years.
We've proved a robust sailing algorithm. In the GPS trace below you can see the boat complete upwind tacking maneuvers without human control.
Neither will the boats. The Robotboat Mark VI features a patent pending self-righting mechanism, the first and only such system in existence. It can prosecute targets day or night, rain or shine, wind or doldrums, thanks to its advanced wing sail and assistive electric propulsion system.
And... we'll need your help. R&D of this nature is not cheap.
- Mechanical and electrical components = $40k
- Tooling (molds & dies) = $30k
- Average cost per test = $1k
- Expected test quantity = 10x
- TOTAL = $80,000
We're trying to build as many of these boats as possible.
World Record
Measure Coral Reefs
Special thanks to our international backers! We'll have to ask you to help mitigate the extra shipping costs required to deliver your rewards. For addresses outside the U.S.A. please add $8 for keychain / $15 for tshirt / $20 for 3D model / $35 for jacket to the appropriate rewards levels at right.
Thanks for checking out the Robotboat!!!
FAQ
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