Asked — Edited

Introduction - New Member

DJ recently reposted an older thread on etiquette for our discussion threads, and noted in that repost that new members should introduce themselves to the community. So here goes:

I'm a university math prof who also has substantial teaching and research experience in CS/AI. My programming experience goes back to the punch card days (yes I am waaaaay old) and involves skills with high level and low level languages on mainframes and PCs. I know a bunch about the internals of data base management systems and (almost) a bunch about networking. I understand a lot of the details of operating systems including linux, Win 2000, and (sorry) some of the older mainframe operating systems. I've enjoyed multithreading programming in C and most recently have picked up some experience with Python and brushed up on my java skills. I have used Visual C++ (with Microsoft Foundations classes) to develop genetic algorithm software that I use in my math research. I've recently developed and taught new courses in data mining.

The focus of my robot project is to produce a high-tech solution to the problem of large numbers of students needing remedial math courses at both the community college and university levels. Unfortunately, so many of these students today are dumped into a lab with textbook-publisher provided tutorial software that invites students to select answers from multiple-choice questions. And those students get to pay extra $$$ for access to that tutorial software. I believe that those students deserve better.

I'm forming a startup, called EDU-Robotics LLC, with the aim of developing an interactive bot that will lead students through remedial material in a more humane way, producing a deeper understanding of the math that they need. I see a bot "study buddy" at each workstation in every lab used for remedial math instruction. So that's where I'm going.

(Hope this wasn't too much.)


ARC Pro

Upgrade to ARC Pro

ARC Pro will give you immediate updates and new features needed to unleash your robot's potential!

#1  

Welcome! Your going to have the time of your life here! Good luck on your path. I'm sure you'll find answers to questions you may have. We can use more people with your skills. I hope you stay for a while and share what you have with the rest of us. ;) BWY and for what it's worth. I hate math. I'm glad our Maker saw fit to place good people like you on this planet to take up my slack. :D

#2  

@Dave Schulpius So glad to be here - I love the combination of hardware and software, and it looks like there is plenty of expertise in both areas in the community. I plan to be poking around here for a long time. Hope I can help others the way I have already been helped.

Thanks for the welcome.

PRO
Belgium
#3  

welcome mathprof,thumbs up.

#4  

MathProf welcome to the fold. Like you I was interested in computers and robotics many many years ago. Wrote programs that were stored on punched Mylar tape then fed into Unix systems like the PDP1140 and 1170.

Built my first computer with a membrane keyboard, 1kbyte of RAM and a Z80 CPU. Programs written in basic were stored on cassette tape. Display was UHF input to a TV. The computer kit was made in England and called the Sinclar-1000.

Things have certainly moved forward and upward from there.

#5  

@Robot-Doc . . . yes, and Commodore 64 and TRS 80

#6  

Welcome to this awsome forum. I think you should look at our Robot Showcase if you need design inspirations ..Lots of great robot designs by many talented individuals..Again Welcome.