The toilets are NOT over there!

FROG is back at the Royal Alcàzar in Seville. A lot can happen to your tour in a couple of months. A grand refurbishment means that the entrances on one side of the toilets have been blocked. This was where the FROG announced: “The toilets are over there!” while driving to the next point of interest. So, a quick recode was necessary. Should you be in Seville at the moment and should you visit the Alcàzar, you can find toilets near the cafeteria in the gardens.

The toilets are NOT over there!
The toilets are NOT over there!
Workmen are busy improving the facilities and there will be entrances on just one side.
Workmen are busy improving the facilities and there will be entrances on just one side.

 

The toilets near the cafeteria are surrounded by jasmine hedges.
The toilets near the cafeteria are surrounded by jasmine hedges.

IMG_7755

 

He’s back!

Piggy has evolved! He is back in the on-site lab keeping an eye on what’s happening to his friend FROG.

Its Piggy, again!
Its Piggy, again!

And what is happening? Hardware enhancements and improvements on the demo mission.

IDMind executives take to the floor
IDMind executives take to the floor

Paulo Alvito and Carlos Marques have been working together to place 2 new fans, adjust the position of the projector (so that it no longer touches the window in the shell), reinstate the function of the Electronics Power Button (UPO had put in an override to power down the UvA cameras) and install a new device to power down the Dalsas and the lasers, and touch up FROG’s paintwork. You’ll find Piggy on the corner of the desk where he can survey his domain.

Later, Carlos will install a new, small controller board on the docking station. Using sensors, this will detect the robot when it enters the docking station  and consequently turn on the power to the docking station. As soon as the FROG leaves the docking station the controller will turn the power off again. This is an important safety measure. The docking station will be left unattended in the shop at the main entrance to the Royal Alcàzar where (obviously) visitors (and therefore children) can enter at any time.

 

Controller board for the docking station: it will be installed under the surface.
Controller board for the docking station: it will be installed under the surface.

Royal Alcázar Lab 3

We arrived at the Alcázar this morning to find that our lab in the Tennis Court had been taken over by a film crew – the film crew of the TV series Violetta, no less! This was not exactly according to plan but as always the Royal Alcázar came up with a quick solution – a temporary lab for us until after filming.

Yet another beautiful room…
Yet another beautiful room...
Yet another beautiful room…

 

Of course, Carlos had to test the terrain in Lab 3. 
Of course, Carlos had to test the terrain in Lab 3.

Violetta has a large crew and, it would seem, a larger group of uniformed security guys with walkie-talkies. Unfortunately they wouldn’t let us take any photo’s while they were filming so we’ll just have to watch the series to see them in our lab. But, here’s one of the security chaps with a mobile as well as a walkie-talkie.

IMG_7711

… off on the road again ...
… off on the road again …

Discover what researchers really do … 26 Sept. 2014

Luis is easy to listen to!

Luis is easy to listen to!

Luis Merino Cabañas is one of the researchers you can meet on September 26, 2014 during the European Researchers’ Night!

Luis will be in Seville representing the Universidad Pablo de Olavide and also the FROG project.  The theme of the evening is Exploring science through fun learning.

Discover what researchers really do and why it matters for your daily life.

... and a good listener.
… and a good listener.

 

Having a think ...
Having a think …

 

Researchers in an on-site lab...
Researchers in an on-site lab…
Researchers 'in the wild' ...
Researchers ‘in the wild’ …
Researcher being interviewed for radio...
Luis being interviewed for radio…
Luis being interviewed for TV...
Luis being interviewed for TV…

 

 

 

mini-FROG

mini-FROG in the art gallery
mini-FROG in the art gallery

This is mini-FROG – it is actually only 28 cm tall and has been around for some time – but in secret.

mini-FROG was made for an online experiment. It is a simplified model of the FROG robot executed in cardboard, coloured paper and hobby foam – oh, and a drinking straw. It has a glossy see-through film so that different visuals can be put onto its ‘screen’.

mini-FROG’s art gallery was a table top with postcard sized masterpieces hung on the wall behind it. Stop-motion films lasting about a minute and a half were made using this setup . The films were put online and more than 200 people from all over the world answered questions about them to help our PhD candidate with her research.

mini-FROG filming setup
mini-FROG filming setup