Nicole DiGiose

Flying Robot Drones Make Life Easier on the International Space Station

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Electronic Products.

Smart SPHERES, NASA’s free-flying robotic satellites, are built to assist astronauts during space exploration

Robots flying around in space seem more like fiction than reality, but recently NASA has been testing their free-flying robots called Smart SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites) in the International Space Station (ISS).

Self-contained with power, propulsion, computing, and navigation equipment, the purpose of these volleyball-sized spherical robots, which have been on the Space Station since 2006, is to perform simple, routine tasks on the ISS, such as in-flight maintenance to keep the Space Station safe and habitable for humans. To receive more information from the inside of the ISS from Earth, NASA’s Intelligent Robotics Group added an expansion port to each satellite for usage of additional sensors and appendages, such as cameras and wireless transfer systems.

SPHERES

The SPHERES have been on the Space Station since 2006 and were originally developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and NASA Small Business Innovation Research funding. Image via universetoday.com.

To transform the SPHERES into Smart SPHERES, project engineers at NASA equipped the free-flying satellites with an Android phone, the Nexus S, to function as the brains of the flying robots. By connecting a smartphone, the SPHERES immediately became more intelligent and automatically had a built-in camera to take pictures and videos, sensors to help with conducting inspections, a powerful computing unit for calculations, and a Wi-Fi connection that can be used to transfer data in real time to the ISS and Mission Control. The Nexus S was chosen because it’s easy to take apart and simple to program.  Read More

Life-Like Animal Robots Take on Important Jobs

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Electronic Products.

A look at some of the most fascinating robots inspired by nature

Surveillance camera hummingbirds, huge robo-mules marching off to war, life-saving cyborg cockroaches. It’s not science fiction; it’s the beginning of what seems to be a whole new world. Take a look at some of the most amazing animal influenced robots that are set to take on the land, oceans, and skies for some very important reasons.

Plant-pollinating RoboBee

It’s summertime again, meaning all of those pesky insects are back in action. But this year brings a new breed of bug flying through the skies: robotic bees. As the bee population has been drastically declining, a team at Harvard University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences began looking for an artificial alternative to pollinate plants. Their solution was RoboBee, a robotic buzzing bumble with the ability to travel in large swarms, assisting humans in agricultural production and exploring hazardous environments. The team has been working on sensors that can inform the robot similar to the way a bee’s antennae and eyes do.

RoboBee

Swarms of RoboBees may someday be used to pollinate plants. Image via gizmag.com.

Pollution sensing robotic fish 

Swimming swiftly through the ocean just like an actual fish, this self-guided robot may be the best weapon in the fight against pollution. Created by computer scientists at the University of Essex in England, it uses built-in sensors and artificial intelligence to make its way around underwater obstacles and respond to environmental changes. The fish can detect leaks in oil pipelines and explore the sea floor, feeding the information back to shore. Its micro-electrode arrays can detect lead, copper, and other pollutants, as well as water salinity and oxygen levels. It’s able to glide through the water for up to eight hours on a single charge before being recovered by boat.

Pollution Sensing Fish

The pollution-sensing robotic fish looks and swims just like an actual fish. Image via natgeo.com.

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Things I Hate About My Commute

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

On average, it takes me about an hour to get to work, and the ride home usually stretches out to be about 15 minutes longer. During my rather frustrating or overly boring drives to and from my job, I’ve noticed a few small things that never really bothered me before have now become overly annoying. These unenjoyable occurrences include:

The red lights on the ramps before entering highways—“One Vehicle Per Green,” states the sign in big bold letters below the light that can’t seem to decide if it likes being green or red. I passionately hate these stupid lights. Personally, I don’t see the point in stopping at a red light for a second and a half just a few feet before entering a highway rushing with stressed out, competitive maniacs on five different pills, soaring at least 70 MPH and angrily jerking their steering wheels to fly their dented SUVs with ugly stick figure families on the back windows into the next lane because the guy in front of them is only going 68 MPH as he looks down at his iPhone 5. Read More

The Quest to Discover Mad Science

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Electronic Products.

Every weekend, “The King of Random,” Grant Thompson, performs his very own risky science experiments

Dubbing himself as “The King of Random,” Grant Thompson knows how to think outside of the box. From creating butter candles and paper plate speakers to lighting a fire with pee and making hi-power balloon shooters, it looks like Thompson’s daring curiosity will take him just about anywhere.

But believe it or not, Thompson said most of his rather risky ideas come from life in general. He has a knack for recreating ordinary, everyday items into something different, and totally extraordinary. “Some are just for fun and for science demonstrations, but mainly it’s a quest for knowledge in exploring how the world around us works,” he said about his experiments.

Homemade Rocket Fuel

Interested in making homemade rocket fuel? The King of Random has the recipe!

Thompson’s first project began with an Oxy-Hydrogen generator. After seeing an advertisement online claiming that you could use water as fuel to run cars and motors, naturally, Thompson couldn’t ignore the instinct to try it himself. “I was skeptical about the claims, and rightly so, but that led me on a journey to explore the claims, and after a few days I learned that the water was being split into hydrogen and oxygen gasses which were highly explosive,” he said. With this information in mind, he discovered a step-by-step instruction guide on how to build a simple generator, and began toying with it. As for the results of this project, you’ll have to see for yourself in his video, “Water To Fuel Converter (Explosive Gas by Electrolysis)” as well as “How To Make Water Explode!” Read More

The Fake-Nice Phone Voice

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

My voice changes when I’m talking to an animal or a small child. It becomes high pitched and gentle at the same time. But you know what? It’s real. It’s out of my control but it sounds how I want it to come across because it’s how those cute critters make me feel. Welcoming, kind, and affectionate.

Marshall Phone

That phone voice most of you have – that stuff is just phony. Seriously, what’s up with that? That’s one thing I’ll always remember about my mother. That false voice she puts on whenever the phone rings. She doesn’t have an ugly voice or anything, but when having a conversation with some stranger on the other side of the phone across the world or something, her voice becomes soft as a baby’s ass and she pronounces each letter in every word. She becomes so proper as if she’s talking to the president of the United States. Let me explain. Naturally, she doesn’t pronounce her Rs. She’ll normally speak like this: “I fuhgot to wawta the plants. Um so ty-ud. Damn it.”  Now let’s say some pushy, pervert, thief, puppy-hating salesman happens to call her to try to sell her an alarm system. She doesn’t know this guy, but she’s sweeter to him than she’s been to my father throughout her entire life, and the guy’s clearly pressuring her. “No thank you. No, not right now,” she’ll gently say. “Thank you (fake laugh). We already have an alaRm system and a big dOG to guaRd the house. No, I don’t need that, thank you though. No (fake laugh). Nope. Alrighty. You too. Alright, buh-bye.” (Hangs up, says bad things about how annoying he was.) It’s so bizarre.
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Swim Through the Sky This Summer

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Long Island Trends Magazine.

Looking to have the time of your life? Make this summer soar above the rest and plunge into the sky at Skydive Long Island, located in the beautiful town of Calverton.

Take things to the extreme and swoop into the blue from 13,500 feet up to experience the world above the clouds. Enjoy breathtaking views of Long Island’s wonderful scenery, including the famous twin forks, the Hamptons, and the Atlantic Ocean. On a clear day, you can even spot the New York City skyline, about 70 miles away.

Image

Me, on top of the world, June 2010.

To jump, you must be at least 18 years of age and no more than 225 pounds. No experience is necessary. You’ll be attached to a fully certified, topnotch skydiver, with thousands of jumps beneath his/her belt. Leave it to your instructor to pull the two parachutes and enjoy the energizing ride.

When the plane door opens and it’s your turn to dive, you’ll leap into the world and begin free-falling against the wind at quickening speeds.  The rush of cool air and the bright, blue sky surrounding you at all angles will get your adrenaline pumping, but before you know it, you’ll feel the pull of the large parachute and you’ll be floating upright in a sitting position above the beaches, farms, and towns of Long Island. Depending on the weather, your instructor may even give you the chance to steer the parachute. Read More

Things to Do When Someone is Staring at You

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

Dog_Stare

Herro. (Note: This image is not mine.)

People like to stare at you for a number of reasons. They like the way you look, they don’t like the way you look, you have something on your face, etcetera. I found myself in this somewhat awkward situation not long ago, as I was standing in line at the bank to deposit a rather puny check of mine. I felt the eyes of another crawling up and down my frame, from the corner to the left of me. With a quick glance I saw her, and then focused my attention to the back of the balding head in front of me. I still felt her eyes. She was waiting for her obnoxious grandmother to dump her life savings into the coin-counting machine. I soon passed my deposit slip and check to the teller, took my receipt, and turned around. My eyes met the young woman’s, and what did I do? I smiled. Lame, I know. I should have done one of the following.

Wink. They won’t see this coming, and will be aware that you know they were staring. They’ll most likely force a quick laugh,  flush with embarrassment, and be done with it. Or maybe this can backfire and they’ll mistake your flick of an eye as a signal to initiate some small talk. It depends on who this person is. Use your judgment.

Have a staring contest. Hold your gaze. Don’t submit to them, even if your eyes are drying up. Fight the blink. You’re better than them.

Pose, pretend to be a model. They won’t expect this from their eye candy. Flaunt it.

Make the craziest face you can possibly make at that moment. Scare them off, you lunatic. They won’t know what to do, but I can guarantee that their eyes will roam elsewhere. That, or they’ll keep their eyes shut for days. This will be especially funny if you make eye contact while creating your monstrous facial expression.

Give them the thumbs-up. Aw. They were praising your body with their eyes. How nice. Let them know you appreciate their existence.

Point, gasp, and run. This will teach them that staring is indeed very rude. Make sure to glance back a few times as you’re sprinting away. After a few seconds, steady your pace and act as if nothing happened.

Flip the bird. This one is daring, but they will most likely be speechless. Or not. (Warning: this may turn violent.)

Seal Hikes on Long Island

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

If you’re on Long Island looking for a fun and educational day trip for the whole family, or you simply want to enjoy the outdoors with some friends, head out to Montauk Point State Park for a seal hike this weekend.

Presented by The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the seal hikes run from November to May, when thousands of seals can be spotted sunning themselves on rocks or swimming along the frigid coast.

Image via cresli.org.

Image via cresli.org.

The seal hikes are led by outdoor educator, environmental consultant, and founder of the Long Island Nature Organization, Mike Bottini. He’ll guide you through a scenic two and a half mile adventure where you’ll be able to view seals and learn about their behavior, population trends in the Long Island region, and various interesting facts. Seals may not be the only wildlife you’ll come across, since Long Island is the home to many species of birds. Read More

Holiday Arts and Crafts Festival

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I covered for the Center Moriches Tide/The Long Island Advance.

Image by Nicole DiGiose

Wrapped in scarves and buttoned up jackets, close to 1,500 people attended the second annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Festival, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches this past Saturday, November 24th. The festival was held in the gymnasium of the Clayton Huey Elementary School on Main Street in Center Moriches from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The holiday festival included many different stations of arts and crafts, including Christmas ornaments, knitted goods, cosmetics, scented oils, decorative Tupperware, photography, picture frames, and even cupcakes. There was also a Chinese auction, a raffle basket for the Benefit of the American Cancer Society, and a visit from Santa.

“A prime mission of the Chamber is to promote and support local business,” said Arthur Gerhauser, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches. “The more often our residents come to Main Street, the more they will see that the local merchants that support the community can supply their needs at competitive prices.”

Image by Nicole DiGiose

Julie Pratt, president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches said that people enjoy being part of a close knit community. “Center Moriches is a great little community and people love being a part of it.” She and Gerry Sapanaro, treasurer of the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches, were set on holding the event on November 24th because it was Small Town Business Day, a day for small town business owners to show what they’ve got.

The owner of the family-run business, CommonScents, Pam Penta, showcased her variety of fragrance oils, pure essential oils, perfumes, and colognes. “Everything I sell is pure and there is no alcohol included in anything,” she said. She picked up a small tube of lemon verbena essential oil. “You can add this to bath water or lotion, use it as a perfume, you can add these to anything, even clothes in your dryer and the scent lasts.” Other scents Pam had to offer included peppermint, lavender, strawberry-vanilla, and many other refreshing, natural fragrances.

CommonSense

Image by Nicole DiGiose

An independent sales representative from Avon, Patricia “Trisha” Knez, was proud to display her variety of sparkling jewelry and colorful cosmetics. “Avon has everything,” she said. “I have collectibles, handbags, clothing, makeup, everything, all for rock bottom prices.” She said she’s dedicated to Avon because they’re the single largest supporter of the Breast Cancer Crusade. “I bring in thousands of dollars to the Breast Cancer Crusade every year. Avon is a really good company and that’s why I work with them.”

Image by Nicole DiGiose

Image by Nicole DiGiose

Tracey O’Reilly and her daughter Brenna, from Eastport, and Carly Traynor, from Remsenburg, came to the holiday festival because they enjoy shopping for Christmas gifts. “We love craft fairs and we got to get a Christmas gift for our grandma,” said Carly with a big smile.

Image by Nicole DiGiose

Upcoming events by the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches include the annual tree lighting, on Friday, December 7th at 7p.m. at Neville Park, along with caroling, music, complimentary hot chocolate and cookies, and a visit by Santa. The Holiday Parade sponsored by the Center Moriches Fire Department will be held on Saturday, December 8th at 6p.m., on Main Street.

HV Asylum Haunted Walk

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for LIB Magazine.

If you can work up the courage to be spooked out of your mind this Halloween, check out the HV Asylum Haunted Walk in Coram. Located at the center of the island on the fields of High Velocity Paintball, the HV Asylum is Long Island’s newest and largest haunted attraction.

The haunted walk takes 20 minutes to get through, covering 13 acres of fright. You’ll shriek as werewolves lunge at your feet from the darkness and you’ll quicken your pace as hooded horrors follow you through the trail. Keep focused on your tour guide as you’re led into a gated building and try to ignore the pale, bloodied bride screaming in your face.

This year is the third year High Velocity is opening the gates to their terrifying trails. The haunted walk is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October from 6:30 p.m. to midnight. It’s $25 for those who are daring, and hvasylum.com offers them a $5 coupon. Read More