Friday, 13 November 2020

CGECKOUT

Monday, 20 July 2015

Seahorse's Amazing Tail Could Inspire Better Robots

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Slinky snake robots could get a better grip when climbing, thanks to new research on how a seahorse's tail works, according to a new study.
Seahorses are of special interest to robot researchers because of their unusual skeletal structure, which scientists say could help them design bots that are hardy and strong yet also flexible enough to carry out tasks in real-world settings.
"Human engineers tend to build things that are stiff so they can be controlled easily," study co-author Ross Hatton, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering at Oregon State University, said in a statement. "But nature makes things just strong enough not to break, and then flexible enough to do a wide range of tasks. That's why we can learn a lot from animals that will inspire the next generations of robotics." [The 6 Strangest Robots Ever Created]

In particular, seahorses have square (rather than round) bony plates that surround the "backbone" of their tails. These odd features help the fishes bend, twist and get a stronger grip on their surroundings. But, the square structures also make them more resistant to being crushed by predators, the researchers said.
Researchers today are concerned about how to make "hard" (mechanical) robots safe when working around "soft" humans, such as when a robot assists with surgery or hands off a tool to a factory worker. By mapping out the seahorse's tail using 3D printing, some new ideas may emerge, Hatton said.
The researchers found that the structure of the tails provide "adequate dexterity and a tough resistance to predators, but also that it tends to snap naturally back into place once it's been twisted and deformed," Hatton said in a statement. "This could be very useful for robotics applications that need to be strong, but also energy-efficient and able to bend and twist in tight spaces."

The researchers printed out a simple 3D model of a seahorse's tail and put it through several punishing tests. Twisting the tail showed that the square plates stopped the tail from crushing too far. Compressing it was difficult because the seahorse has joints just at the spots where a typical solid structure would cave in — making them resistant against water birds, their main predator.
"It's a good opportunity, outside the simulations, to physically demonstrate how the tail works," Hatton said.
The new study could also inspire more effective designs for soft-bodied robots, the researchers said. For example, snake-inspired bots move using a silicone balloon that has different inflatable sections. Much like how a person lifts and lowers a leg to walk, these robots inflate and deflate balloon parts to wiggle along. But in the real world, Hatton said, the robot's body is vulnerable to cutting and abrasion.
"The seahorse tail gives us an idea of how we might add armor on to these," he told Live Science, specifically because the tail has a mix of hard and soft sections.
The study was led by Michael Porter, an assistant mechanical engineering professor at Clemson University in South Carolina. Detailed findings were published online today (July 2) in the journal Science.

Supersonic Jet Could Fly People from NYC to London in 3 Hours

A new luxury jet could get you (and 17 of your closest friends) from New York to London in just 3 hours.
Spike Aerospace's S-512 Supersonic Jet was introduced in 2013, but the Boston-based company recently announced a few exciting updates to the plane's design that could make it safer for jetsetters. And the updated design could also make the superfast plane even speedier, company represenatives said.
Spike Aerospace's engineers claim the S-512 could reach a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 (1,370 mph, or 2,205 km/h), which is 1.8 times the speed of sound. For comparison, the fastest Boeing 747 commercial "jumbo jet" can reach a maximum speed of Mach 0.92 (700 mph, or 1,126 km/h). If the S-512 really is built to reach these supersonic speeds, it would be as fast as an F-18 Hornet, a military fighter jet with a max speed of Mach 1.8. This would also make the supersonic jet about 450 mph (724 km/h) faster than the fastest civilian jet, according to Spike Aerospace. [See photos of Spike Aerospace's S-512 Supersonic Jet]

High-Flying Photography: Drones Snap Spectacular, Contest-Winning Images

dronies, dronestagram, Snorkeling with Sharks

Whether they're capturing panoramic views of tulip fields or snapping thrilling images of cliff divers plunging into the sea, one thing is for certain: Drones can take awesome pictures.
A recent photo contest hosted by Dronestagram — a mobile app that lets users share pictures they take with their flying robots — sought to find the greatest drone-captured image of them all. More than 5,000 pictures were submitted to the second annual Drone Aerial Photography Contest, and winners were selected from several categories, including Nature, Places and "Dronies" (selfies taken via drone).
Both amateur drone enthusiasts and professional photographers sent their pictures to be judged by a discerning panel of critics that included Dronestagram's CEO and founder Eric Dupin, National Geographic Deputy Director of Photography Ken Geiger and National Geographic France Editor-in-Chief Jean-Pierre Vrignaud. [See the Winning Photos from the Dronestagram Aerial Photography Contest]

What was the panel looking for in a winning photo? "Creativity, photographic quality and respect of the theme," according to National Geographic, which was one of several organizations that sponsored the competition.
"Drone photography is a new kind of visual language," Dupin told National Geographic. "It's a new way of seeing the world."
Indeed it is. All of the winning photos offer glimpses of the world from very unusual vantage points. Rather than seeing underwater images of a group of sharks hovering near a pair of scuba divers, for example, the winning photo in the Nature category depicts this same scene from above. The clear blue water that surrounds the divers adds a sense of serenity to the photo that might not come through if the scene had been captured from underwater.
Geiger (who happens to have won a Pulitzer Prize for a photo he took during the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona) also focused on the new perspectives that drones provide, telling National Geographic, "Drone images can be made where no other image can." For example, they can be made at the tippy top of a soaring cathedral's steeple, which is where the winning photo in the Places category was taken.
And then there's the winning "Dronie" picture: a giant self-portrait of revelers at a Cyprian carnival, all of whom happen to be dressed as the red-and-white striped Waldo (or Wally) from the popular kids' book series. A selfie stick would never have done this group picture justice.
All of the first-, second- and third-place winners in the contest's Nature and Places categories were awarded subscriptions to National Geographic Magazine, as well as a published picture in the publication's French edition. Some of the top winners also took home new drones and drone-compatible camera equipment.

Saturday, 18 July 2015

Windows keyboard shortcuts overview

TSTAR WORLD

Windows keyboard shortcuts overview

Use shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in Windows. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier for you to interact with your computer.
Click a heading, or press TAB to highlight a heading, and then press ENTER.
General keyboard shortcuts

Press	To
CTRL+C	Copy.
CTRL+X	Cut.
CTRL+V	Paste.
CTRL+Z	Undo.
DELETE	Delete.
SHIFT+DELETE	Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.
CTRL while dragging an item	Copy selected item.
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item	Create shortcut to selected item.
F2	Rename selected item.
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word.
CTRL+LEFT ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.
CTRL+DOWN ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph.
CTRL+UP ARROW	Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph.
CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys	Highlight a block of text.
SHIFT with any of the arrow keys	Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document.
CTRL+A	Select all.
F3	Search for a file or folder.
ALT+ENTER	View properties for the selected item.
ALT+F4	Close the active item, or quit the active program.
ALT+Enter	Displays the properties of the selected object.
ALT+SPACEBAR	Opens the shortcut menu for the active window.
CTRL+F4	Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously.
ALT+TAB	Switch between open items.
ALT+ESC	Cycle through items in the order they were opened.
F6	Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.
F4	Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
SHIFT+F10	Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
ALT+SPACEBAR	Display the System menu for the active window.
CTRL+ESC	Display the Start menu.
ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name	Display the corresponding menu.
Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu	Carry out the corresponding command.
F10	Activate the menu bar in the active program.
RIGHT ARROW	Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.
LEFT ARROW	Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.
F5	Refresh the active window.
BACKSPACE	View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
ESC	Cancel the current task.
SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive	Prevent the CD from automatically playing.

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

Press	To
CTRL+TAB	Move forward through tabs.
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB	Move backward through tabs.
TAB	Move forward through options.
SHIFT+TAB	Move backward through options.
ALT+Underlined letter	Carry out the corresponding command or select the corresponding option.
ENTER	Carry out the command for the active option or button.
SPACEBAR	Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box.
Arrow keys	Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons.
F1	Display Help.
F4	Display the items in the active list.
BACKSPACE	Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box.

Natural keyboard shortcuts
You can use the following keyboard shortcuts with a Microsoft Natural Keyboard or any other compatible keyboard that includes the Windows logo key (

) and the Application key (

Press	To
	Display or hide the Start menu.
+BREAK	Display the System Properties dialog box.
+D	Show the desktop.
+M	Minimize all windows.
+Shift+M	Restores minimized windows.
+E	Open My Computer.
+F	Search for a file or folder.
CTRL+ +F	Search for computers.
+F1	Display Windows Help.
+ L	Lock your computer if you are connected to a network domain, or switch users if you are not connected to a network domain.
+R	Open the Run dialog box.
	Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
+U	Open Utility Manager.

Accessibility keyboard shortcuts

Press	To
Right SHIFT for eight seconds	Switch FilterKeys on and off.
Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN	Switch High Contrast on and off.
Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK	Switch MouseKeys on and off.
SHIFT five times	Switch StickyKeys on and off.
NUM LOCK for five seconds	Switch ToggleKeys on and off.
+U	Open Utility Manager.

Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts

Press	To
END	Display the bottom of the active window.
HOME	Display the top of the active window.
NUM LOCK+ASTERISK on numeric keypad (*)	Display all subfolders under the selected folder.
NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric keypad (+)	Display the contents of the selected folder.
NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric keypad (-)	Collapse the selected folder.
LEFT ARROW	Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder.
RIGHT ARROW	Display current selection if it's collapsed, or select first subfolder.

Wednesday, 15 July 2015

How to make a very simple robot

this is my 1st instructable,so please tell me if it is good.

so im going to show how to make a very simple robot:the beetle robot!

it uses no chip,no programation,only the simple 3th connection

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Step 1: Get all the materials needed!

Picture of get all the materials needed!

ok so get all these.i got them mostly from broken toys,i'm sure you can find them at radioshack.

- a AA battery holder -> holding the batteries
- some solder wire -> soldering
- some wires -> connecting motor to switch,to batteries
- 2 AA batteries -> powering the motor
- 2 1.5V motors (preferably identical) -> making the robot move
- a slide switch -> ON,OFF
- 2 SPDT (Single Pole Double Throw) switches -> used for antenna
- 1-2 paperclips -> glue on the antennae so it is longer
- some glue sticks -> use with the hot glue gun

Step 2: Get all the tools needed!

i borrowed all the tools from my father,once again,they should be available at radioshack

- wire cutter and stripper ->cut wires and strip them
- pliers ->shape the antennas
- hot glue gun -> glue the switch and the SPDT switches on the battery holder
- a soldering iron -> solder and connect wires together
- a multimeter -> check the battery

Step 3: So,let's get started!

check the battery's power - =D

if its' on <<good>> use it

if it's on <<bad>> change it (in my case,regharge it)

Step 4: Some wires

solder the wires to the AA battery holder - i made the wires extra long on the blue battery holder so i don't mess it up,=)

don't forget the 3th connection!!!

it's the wire that connects the 2 batteries together

i changed the battery holder

Step 5: The antennae,part 1

glue it with the hot glue gun in front of the holder try to do it as perfect as possible

<-i'm a perfectionist->

try to do as in the picture

Step 6: The antennae,part 2

with the pliers,bent the paperclip into a straight line.

do your best, =\

Step 7: The antennae,part 3

cut the antenna with something pointy =)

I used the wire cutter/stripper

you will now have 2 small lines...

Step 8: The antennae,part 4

with the pliers,bend each line like in the photo

try to make them identical by putting one on top of the other or bending them together

How to make a very simple robot

by coolrobot

this is my 1st instructable,so please tell me if it is good.

so im going to show how to make a very simple robot:the beetle robot!

it uses no chip,no programation,only the simple 3th connection

Remove these ads by Signing Up

Step 1: Get all the materials needed!

Step 2: Get all the tools needed!

Step 3: So,let's get started!

check the battery's power - =D

if its' on <<good>> use it

if it's on <<bad>> change it (in my case,regharge it)

Step 4: Some wires

Step 5: The antennae,part 1

glue it with the hot glue gun in front of the holder try to do it as perfect as possible

<-i'm a perfectionist->

try to do as in the picture

Step 6: The antennae,part 2

with the pliers,bent the paperclip into a straight line.

do your best, =\

Step 7: The antennae,part 3

cut the antenna with something pointy =)

I used the wire cutter/stripper

you will now have 2 small lines...

Step 8: The antennae,part 4

with the pliers,bend each line like in the photo

try to make them identical by putting one on top of the other or bending them together

How to make a very simple robot

by coolrobot

this is my 1st instructable,so please tell me if it is good.

so im going to show how to make a very simple robot:the beetle robot!

it uses no chip,no programation,only the simple 3th connection

Remove these ads by Signing Up

Step 1: Get all the materials needed!

Step 2: Get all the tools needed!

Step 3: So,let's get started!

check the battery's power - =D

if its' on <<good>> use it

if it's on <<bad>> change it (in my case,regharge it)

Step 4: Some wires

Step 5: The antennae,part 1

glue it with the hot glue gun in front of the holder try to do it as perfect as possible

<-i'm a perfectionist->

try to do as in the picture

Step 6: The antennae,part 2

with the pliers,bent the paperclip into a straight line.

do your best, =\

Step 7: The antennae,part 3

cut the antenna with something pointy =)

I used the wire cutter/stripper

you will now have 2 small lines...

Step 8: The antennae,part 4

with the pliers,bend each line like in the photo

try to make them identical by putting one on top of the other or bending them together

Step 9: The antennae,part 5

the last part!

glue the 2 metal things on the top of the SDPT switches