Robotic Farming

An article in the NY Times discusses the challenges of building robots that have the capability to sense and respond. Turns out its much harder than researchers thought and there are only a few areas where such robots are a reality. One area that may prove promising is robots for gardening.

"In Dr. Rus’s advanced robotics class, students are designing a robotics garden, a plot of a half-dozen or so tomato plants serviced entirely by robots. Next to each plant is a wireless router that measures soil humidity every 10 seconds and is programmed with a computer model of how tomato plants grow. That information is conveyed to surveillance robots that wheel around the perimeter of the plot on Roomba-style bases, each bearing a metal arm threaded through with a watering tube, a camera to track the relative ruddiness of the fruits, and a pincered hand for weeding, cleaning away dead leaves and plucking off the tomatoes as they ripen.

A plant can call a robot over and complain that its soil is not moist enough, Dr. Rus said. Or a salad-minded person may solicit the system, saying, I need some tomatoes. Find the ripest five, pick them and set them aside.

The project is in its early stages, and the students are still ironing out some kinks in their robots and routers. But Dr. Rus’s hopes are high. As she sees it, the agricultural industry, with its backbreaking tasks and its reliance on pesticides and fertilizers, could use the methodical touch of a robot tuned to hear the plants cry. "

I got to get me some of them! Wonder if they make blueberry-picking robots?

Christmas before Thanksgiving

The Christmas tree stands were in business in town this weekend, joining the many who start the holiday season earlier and earlier. But I have to admit I'm just as guilty as I've been spending time preparing to make the traditional Kovac gingerbread house.

I've learned from experience that I have to start Thanksgiving weekend in order to complete the house without staying up to all hours of the night. But this year I've started thinking about it earlier as I'm teaching a workshop at the kids' school. We'll see what the turn out for the class is, but if we have enough entries we should have quite a time smashing them all afterwards - another part of the Kovac family tradition.

Here's a video to enjoy set to an old-time tune by the name of "Breakin' Up Christmas." And if you want some info on how to make a gingerbread house, visit my new Fun Traditions blog that I've set up in preparation for the class. The instructions aren't there yet, but they will be soon.

Carol's adding her two cents: Great post - love the video! Yes, those gingerbread houses were a lot of fun - first making them. The icing is key - it has to be stiff enough to hold together and set up, but not so stiff you can't get it through a pastry tube. Mom always used to make a big drama out of putting the house together - would it stand up? would the roof slide off? Then it would be used as decoration through the holiday, and finally - on New Years Day - we kids would get to break it down. Neighborhood kids were invited too and it looked pretty much like in the video. Along with Laura and Fran, I also kept the tradition alive - here's an old photo with me, David and Elizabeth with one of our fine houses. Now its time for me to start with the grandkids! Thanks for the post!

First Serious Snow

Chardon got its first serious snow of the winter yesterday, though it doesn't look too bad to me on the Geauga TV webcam, which gives a photo of Chardon square updated every 30 seconds or so. Although the snow is expected to continue into tomorrow, and possibly an accumulation of 10 inches, the News Herald said, "the precipitation seemed to be more of an inconvenience than a cataclysm". Northeast Ohio has seen some pretty bad snow in early November, most notably the lake effect storm of 1996, which dropped about 70 inches of snow over the course of several days around Veterans Day. I remember Mom telling me and Don to bring our boots for Thanksgiving - but amazingly, all the snow was gone by the time we got there for the holiday!

In other news, Chad informs me the heat will go back on in the house tomorrow! Just in the nick of time!

Midge gets her first Collar

WEWS in Cleveland reports news of a break-in in Huntsburg:

"It all started with a break-in in Huntsburg in Geauga County. A deputy drove by a house near Hunt Road and noticed a car that didn't belong there.

Two people emerged from the home carrying a big screen TV. As soon as they spotted the deputy, they dropped the TV and ran.

The deputy called in reinforcements and the chase was on. "

According to the station, Deputy Juanita Vetter - a former track star who once trained for the Olympics - chased the two down, even after they stole a couple of bikes in their escape. Apprehended suspect Charles See, Jr. said after his capture, "That is one tenacious broad. I thought I'd be able to outrun her."

The car into which they were attempting to load the TV was filled with tools - too much junk to get a large K9 officer, and so - Midge was deployed and promptly located a bag full of Vicodin. Midge, an 8-pound chihuahua, has received much publicity around the world as being the world's smallest drug dog. She is also the family pet of Geauga County Sheriff, Dan McClelland. Congratulations to Midge on her first 'collar'!! Link here to the WEWS news story.

Here are some photos from the last two weeks or so.  I haven't taken new ones this weekend, but will!

Election Eve

We're hopeful in the Kovac household tonight. Here are two pro-Obama videos that are worth watching. The first is an ad featuring two talented Hawken students, the second is a video of a great pro-Obama song written by Dirk Powell, who we've not seen in way too long.