Flying Robot Drones Make Life Easier on the International Space Station

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

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.

Read More

The Quest to Discover Mad Science

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

Swim Through the Sky This Summer

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

Seal Hikes on Long Island

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

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

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

My Super Powers

Just some cool super powers I wish I could have.

Teleportation – Being able to be anywhere in the world (even beyond the world!) in the blink of an eye would be absolutely astounding. I could see so much without the hassle of planning and getting on a plane or a boat or a crazy super rocket ship and at no cost. Just think it and explore it. If I’m running a little late for something, whoosh, not anymore!

Flight – Who wouldn’t want to be able to take off into the blue? Flying at your own pace would be so peaceful and freeing. The closest I’ve been to flying was when I went skydiving, and the rush was incredible. Once the second parachute was pulled and we slowed down, the view was breathtaking and having the time to let the experience sink in was phenomenal. So if I want to just casually fly to a friend’s house, I can float over, see what’s going on below, and enjoy the ride.

Time Travel – Nothing like learning about something than actually being there or doing it yourself. The big bang, dinosaurs, and maybe those aliens (shh!).  I’m not sure how I feel about sneaking into the future though. That would be unfair, but definitely helpful, when it comes to certain things. But it would probably turn the world into a mess. So let’s only time travel to the past. Educational purposes only.

Healing with a touch – A sick person or a wounded animal, right in front of me, and there’s nothing I can do about it. If I could heal with a touch, I’d be able to restore them to their healthy self and we’d all be happy. Then comes the thought of extreme over population, but in a world of super powers where there’d be invisibility time travel and teleporting off the planet, it would be fine.

Having the perfect amount of money when I need it – $26,000 for a Toyota FJ Cruiser, $60,000 for a Master’s degree, $60 to fill up my gas tank, $28.73 for dinner and drinks, how about some giant cannolis? No matter how much something costs in this money-run world, I wish I could have the exact amount I need at that very moment.

What do you think? Which super powers would you like to have and why?

Carbon Monoxide Evacuation

An article I put together from a make believe press conference when I attended SUNY Purchase.

Fifty people evacuated their apartment building early yesterday morning, many of them barefoot and in their pajamas. Some of them were carried out, dangling over the shoulders of firefighters. Residents soon learned that carbon monoxide was detected throughout their building.

Tanya Jones, 27, was one of the 50 who lived in the apartment building on East 12th Street in the East Village. She lived on the fourth floor and was woken up around 5:15 am to the sounds of screaming and men’s voices. She went into the hallway to investigate, where she passed out in her neighbor’s doorway.

“I woke up at about 4:00 in the morning with a splitting headache,” Jones says. “I thought it was just the stress of my job and I went back to sleep. Then the next thing I knew, I heard crying and screams in the hallway, and I thought ‘Just another day in New York City,’” she says. “Then I heard screams and men’s voices. That’s when I realized something was wrong. I  looked at my alarm clock and I realized that I slept through my alarm.” She takes a breath. “I thought to myself, ‘I need to investigate.’ I got out of bed, my knees buckled beneath me and I hit the ground.” Read More

Teacher Acts Like A Chicken

An article I put together from a make believe press conference when I attended SUNY Purchase. Based on true events.

According to a class of eighth grade students, their teacher, Eva Brady, was behaving oddly during class time and acting like a chicken.

On March 24th, Brady, 47, was driven home from Pentucket Regional Middle School by a colleague after her history class told administrators that there was something “wrong” with their teacher.

It was 10:00 a.m. on March 24th when additional information was given from Chief Holmes and Officer Forni regarding the incident at the school. Holmes said that she had information from the Groveland Police and one of their employees that Brady asked a student in her class how he thought it would feel to have a bullet in his head. The student confirmed the question with Assistant Principal Ken Kelley.

According to Forni, students told him that Brady was in the back of the classroom flapping her arms, making chicken noises and trying to fly. These allegations were not confirmed during the school’s investigation.

“Ms. Brady has worked in the district for the last five years without incident and has denied the incident,” said Principal Debra J. Lay. “After an investigation by our school board, we are inclined to dismiss the accusation and welcome Ms. Brady back to the classroom.”

When parent Tracy Dalton picked up her son and his friends from the school, they reported the “bullet” incident and Brady’s other odd behaviors. Dalton reported information to parents of involved students and also to the school on March 24th.

On March 25th, the school was still investigating the incident and talking to students.

According to Kelley, the student involved in the “bullet” incident said that Brady had asked him to teach the class. He said that though “she was acting strangely,” he was not afraid of her or her comments to him.

On March 26th, Officer Michael Dwyer contacted the father of the student, who said he was satisfied with the handling of the issue and did not want anything to go forward as far as charges.