Author Archives: peter

Adapting a Course for Asynchronous Learning

Posted on September 11, 2024 by peter

This post starts off a series of posts about adapting a course for asynchronous online learning. The University that I teach at, UMass Amherst, is interested in expanded its catalog of online-only asynchronous courses. I start with a long-winded description … Continue reading →

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Cross-Body Bag / Purse Project

Posted on September 9, 2024 by peter

Today’s post is another sewing project, a cross-body bag/purse. This is a self-drafted design inspired by other designs I encountered in patterns and video tutorials. The bag is made of a durable 500D Cordura Nylon with a ripstop nylon lining. … Continue reading →

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Robot Control with Machine Learning

Posted on July 29, 2024 by peter

This week’s project is combining my 1D EggBot controller with the Machine Learning textbook that I’m reading this summer. The goal of the controller is to help the EggBot stay upright or at a specified angle. The robot’s accelerometer indicates … Continue reading →

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Learning Materials – Reinforcement Learning for Robots

Posted on June 29, 2024 by peter

This post is just an info dump about reinforcement learning for robots. Mostly YouTube videos. Am I missing anything? I had been looking at Gymnasium, but clearly I should also look at NVIDIA’s Isaac Sim.

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Egg Robot – Version 5 – Walking Update II

Posted on June 14, 2024 by peter

Last week, the walking version of the Egg Robot was updated to include an outrigger brace to prevent bending of the legs inward as the robot leans. This unexpected bending inwards caused the upward leg to drag as it advances. … Continue reading →

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Egg Robot – Version 5 – Walking Update

Posted on June 7, 2024 by peter

The walking version of the Egg Robot walked last week. Unfortunately, it also distorted its legs so that it drags the raised foot on each step, disrupting its path. To fix this, I added a brace to support the legs … Continue reading →

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Stilt Shorts Progress Update

Posted on June 7, 2024 by peter

This week, I received the material for the shorts and finished drafting the shorts pattern. Next week, I’m going to make a muslin of the shorts to be sure I’ve got the right fit. Making sure that the details of … Continue reading →

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Stilt Pants – Materials and Copying Pattern

Posted on June 4, 2024 by peter

Today’s task is choosing materials for the stilt pants and creating a pattern for the shorts baseball stilt pants. Last week I created a test pants pattern, sewed it, and put it on Leah. When the shorts fabric arrives, I … Continue reading →

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Egg Robot – Walking Version

Posted on June 2, 2024 by peter

Today I finished the assembly of the walking version of my Egg Robot. Egg Robot wobbles like an egg (or a penguin). The basic mechanicals and electronics were assembled this week. I’ve function tested the electronics with a basic program. … Continue reading →

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Stilt Pants Planning

Posted on May 22, 2024 by peter

This blog hasn’t really contained much of my circus or sewing hobbies. That changes today I guess. These entries will document my process for developing a set of stilt pants for my dear friend. She is currently borrowing a pair, … Continue reading →

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