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The Central Georgian
Mercer University will host a Robotics Camp through June 24th
on their Macon Campus. Camp participants will be introduced to several
different robots to program. Each camper will program each of the robots
to achieve various outcomes. Interactions between robots will be explored
and multiple robot competitions will be conducted. For more information,
call Bob Allen at (478) 301-2823 about this event. This camp is scheduled
to run between 8:30 in the morning to 3:30 in the afternoon.
On
Saturday, July 2nd, "Second Saturday" will be featured at
the Georgia Children's Museum--located at 370 Cherry Street. Fun,
family-friendly activities. The event will begin at 10:30 a.m. and will
end at 2:30 p.m. Admission $4, free for Macon residents with ID. For
more information, call, (478) 755-9539 and also visit their website
http://www.GeorgiaChildrensMuseum.com.
Reichert comments
about Dodge County's use of Confederate symbolism
Houston-Warner Robins: Groundbreaking ceremony for new Law Enforcement
Center
Sports:
Braves go out
West in weekend series versus Sand Diego...
Atlanta Hawks select Oakland's Keith
Benson in second round of NBA Draft
Decision 2011/
Special Election: Tues., July 19th
Macon-Bibb NAACP hosted a political forum at
Macon City Hall for mayoral, Georgia House and Senate candidates
Politics & Government (Macon-Bibb):
SW High, Tenn. St. grad Danny D. Glover wants 'One
Macon', seeks Council seat
On Friday, June 17th at Macon City Hall, candidates for mayor and
the Georgia House and Senate attended a political event sponsored by the
local Macon-Bibb NAACP branch. In the 90 minute event, moderators were
allowed to quiz the candidates on various questions. Some of the issues
were varied and pertained to consolidation, bringing jobs to Macon-Bibb
and how to tackle crime.
STATE
SENATE 26:
Multiple candidates, low Bibb turnout
could invite Republican upset ; open door to Peake's consolidation plans
HOUSE DISTRICT 139:
Dr. James Beverly and Dr. Anissa Jones
vie for David Lucas' old House seat
MACON MAYORAL RACE: Robert Reichert, C. Jack Ellis, Robert Brown and Paul
Bronson
Decision 2011:
Candidate Paul Bronson believes he can make a
difference as Macon's next mayor
New robotics course starting spring 2011 at
FVSU
(FVSU) When some of the nation’s leading historically black colleges and
universities battle one another in a high-tech game of fetch next year,
Fort Valley State University students won’t be watching the competition
from the sidelines.
During the 2011 Tapia Robotic Competition, held April 3-5 in San
Francisco, Cali., FVSU students will maneuver small robotic dogs remotely
to perform simple tasks like locating boxes around corners and finding
scraps of paper. The Advancing Robotics Technology for Societal Impact (ARTSI)
alliance — a collaborative education and robotics research project — named
FVSU as one of its partner schools. In spring 2011, the university’s
mathematics and computer science department will begin offering students
its first robotic course.
“Young people love interactivity (with video games, the internet and cell
phones), and robotics is hands-on,” says Dr. Cheryl Swanier, an associate
professor of computer science, who helped initiate the new courses.
Currently, FVSU’s computer science program has 90 students. Swanier says
that the new classes will also increase the number of computer science
majors.
“Robotics classes are a great way to attract students and give our
department visibility,” she says. “It allows students to see that FVSU’s
has an outstanding computer science program that offers more than the core
basics.”
In January 2010, the FVSU associate professor contacted Dr. Dave S.
Touretzky, a Carnegie Mellon research professor and principal investigator
for the “Broadening Participation in Computing” grant, targeted to boost
the number of minorities in computer sciences and robotics. Swanier told
Touretzky FVSU was interested in starting robotics courses. Touretzky
agreed to add FVSU to the grant, after he submitted it for renewal this
year. The proposal was approved.
Swanier travelled to Duke University this summer, then Carnegie Mellon
University to receive training. Carnegie Mellon is donating two Sony
Artificial Intelligence Robotic (AIBO) dogs outfitted with an ASUS
computer framework at $785 each. Additionally, FVSU will receive iRobot
Create (with two wheels, bump and cliff sensors, I/O ports for additional
expansion, computer science majors will use Sony’s Tekkotsu software to
program commands that will control the AIBO dogs. Touretzky will visit
FVSU to help set up the robots.
Swanier believes the robotics course will provide computer science
students with more job opportunities after graduation.
“I’m excited about these new class because computers are omnipresent in
all areas of life,” Swanier says. “It’s big in the medical field,
especially for people with disabilities. Robots already help deliver
medicines in hospitals.”
According to Swanier, two more robots (at $785 a piece) and additional
funding is needed to get started. To give a financial contribution or for
more information, contact Dr. Cheryl Swanier at (478) 825-6733. For more
information regarding the robotics competition, visit http://www.tapiaconference.org/2011.
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