Re: [scifinoir2] Spelman's Robocup Team Making History
We need more people of color in technology so we don't have racist cameras and webcams. :) I am happy to see an all African American team. It would be nice to see one from Africa one of these days. On Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 4:43 PM, Keith Johnson wrote: > > > You bet! I've seen many blacks --well, not a lot, but some--in other robot > competitions before, but never an all black team, and never all-female. Glad > to know this. By the way, a few weeks ago I was reading an article about a > Sister here in Atlanta who's also a Spelman student. She created a Pokeman > inspired app for the iPhone to help her sister keep track of the various > characters. Her app shot up to become very popular, in the top hundred or so > Apple apps. > > > - Original Message - > From: "brent wodehouse" > To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com > Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 2:43:05 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern > Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Spelman's Robocup Team Making History > > > > Absolutely inspirational (in true nerd fashion, no less :-). Thanks for > this. > > Brent > > Keith Johnson > > writes: > > >Kewl! Over the holidays I watched a PBS special about a robot > >competition. In this one, teams built all kind of devices to shoot a > >bunch of balls into a net. Some teams built really nimble shooters, > >others built bulky beasts. And some built good defensive systems. The > >show detailed how the high school teams had to learn about project > >management, deadlines, how to recover from problems in crisis situations, > >etc. and just like any exciting sporting event, the final competition was > >actually quite thrilling. I'd like to see the Spelman team compete... > > > >*** > > > > > http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/news/the_state_of_black_america_news/16558 > > > >Living Black History: Spelman's SpelBots Amaze > > > > > >Date: Monday, February 22, 2010, 6:32 am > >By: Patrice Gaines, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com > > > > > > > >EDITORÕS NOTE: As part of our ÒLiving Black HistoryÓ series in observance > > >of Black History Month, this week, BlackAmericaWeb.com will celebrate > >blacks in education. > > > >Andrew Williams had a vision. Spelman College believed in it. And the > >result is a team of fierce young women who are earning an international > >reputation by going toe-to-toe with more experienced graduate level teams > >in games of high technology. They are the SpelBots, first all-female and > >all-African-American team to qualify for the prestigious senior league of > >Robocup. > > > >Not quite six years after founding the group, Williams, their founder and > >coach, says the SpelBots are Òbreaking barriers and paving the way for > >other black women and for Spelman to one day win the international > >championship.Ó > > > > >Members of the team, mostly computer science and engineering majors, > >conduct research and education projects in robotics and compete > >internationally in robot soccer competition. The team is attracting young > >women to Spelman who were pleased to find that the college offers an > >innovative way to learn cutting edge technology. > > > >ÒI had been on the robotics team in high school,Ó said Jazmine Miller, > >the teamÕs co-captain and a junior who is a dual computer science and > > >computer engineering major. ÒI was always interested in computer science > >and love video games. I found robotics very interesting.Ó > > > >Jonecia Keels, the teamÕs other co-captain and also a computer science > > >and computer engineering major, said, ÒI saw (the SpelBots) give a > >presentation during freshman convocation, and I thought about how they > >were breaking stereotypes. By being a part of SpelBots, I thought it > >would show the world that minorities can bring a lot to the table in > >technology.Ó > > > > >Coach Williams is the first and only African-American thus far to receive > >a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Kansas. He was > >teaching at the University of Iowa, where he had just two black students > >in five years, when he read the popular best-selling Rick Warren book, > >"The Purpose Driven Life." The book made Williams start to ponder what he > >wanted to accomplish with his own life. > > > >ÒI realized my purpose was to help African-American students reach their > >potential,Ó he said. > > > > >He had already returned to school to get his PhD. because he
Re: [scifinoir2] Spelman's Robocup Team Making History
You bet! I've seen many blacks --well, not a lot, but some--in other robot competitions before, but never an all black team, and never all-female. Glad to know this. By the way, a few weeks ago I was reading an article about a Sister here in Atlanta who's also a Spelman student. She created a Pokeman inspired app for the iPhone to help her sister keep track of the various characters. Her app shot up to become very popular, in the top hundred or so Apple apps. - Original Message - From: "brent wodehouse" To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 2:43:05 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Spelman's Robocup Team Making History Absolutely inspirational (in true nerd fashion, no less :-). Thanks for this. Brent Keith Johnson < keithbjohn...@comcast.net > writes: >Kewl! Over the holidays I watched a PBS special about a robot >competition. In this one, teams built all kind of devices to shoot a >bunch of balls into a net. Some teams built really nimble shooters, >others built bulky beasts. And some built good defensive systems. The >show detailed how the high school teams had to learn about project >management, deadlines, how to recover from problems in crisis situations, >etc. and just like any exciting sporting event, the final competition was >actually quite thrilling. I'd like to see the Spelman team compete... > >*** > > http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/news/the_state_of_black_america_news/16558 > > >Living Black History: Spelman's SpelBots Amaze > > >Date: Monday, February 22, 2010, 6:32 am >By: Patrice Gaines, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com > > > >EDITORÕS NOTE: As part of our ÒLiving Black HistoryÓ series in observance >of Black History Month, this week, BlackAmericaWeb.com will celebrate >blacks in education. > >Andrew Williams had a vision. Spelman College believed in it. And the >result is a team of fierce young women who are earning an international >reputation by going toe-to-toe with more experienced graduate level teams >in games of high technology. They are the SpelBots, first all-female and >all-African-American team to qualify for the prestigious senior league of >Robocup. > >Not quite six years after founding the group, Williams, their founder and >coach, says the SpelBots are Òbreaking barriers and paving the way for >other black women and for Spelman to one day win the international >championship.Ó > >Members of the team, mostly computer science and engineering majors, >conduct research and education projects in robotics and compete >internationally in robot soccer competition. The team is attracting young >women to Spelman who were pleased to find that the college offers an >innovative way to learn cutting edge technology. > >ÒI had been on the robotics team in high school,Ó said Jazmine Miller, >the teamÕs co-captain and a junior who is a dual computer science and >computer engineering major. ÒI was always interested in computer science >and love video games. I found robotics very interesting.Ó > >Jonecia Keels, the teamÕs other co-captain and also a computer science >and computer engineering major, said, ÒI saw (the SpelBots) give a >presentation during freshman convocation, and I thought about how they >were breaking stereotypes. By being a part of SpelBots, I thought it >would show the world that minorities can bring a lot to the table in >technology.Ó > >Coach Williams is the first and only African-American thus far to receive >a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Kansas. He was >teaching at the University of Iowa, where he had just two black students >in five years, when he read the popular best-selling Rick Warren book, >"The Purpose Driven Life." The book made Williams start to ponder what he >wanted to accomplish with his own life. > >ÒI realized my purpose was to help African-American students reach their >potential,Ó he said. > >He had already returned to school to get his PhD. because he wanted to be >a role model for students. ÒAt the time, during the mid Ô90s, we were >having the big dot-com boom, but I didnÕt see many African-Americans >becoming instant millionaires,Ó he said. So Williams and his wife and >their children moved from Iowa to Atlanta so he could fulfill his purpose. > >First, Williams introduced students to four-legged robots that looked >like cute little puppies. > >ÒI thought they could spark interest in students because they were cute,Ó >he said. ÒStudents could get visual and tactile feedback on programming. >I was concerned that sometimes our st
Re: [scifinoir2] Spelman's Robocup Team Making History
Absolutely inspirational (in true nerd fashion, no less :-). Thanks for this. Brent Keith Johnson writes: >Kewl! Over the holidays I watched a PBS special about a robot >competition. In this one, teams built all kind of devices to shoot a >bunch of balls into a net. Some teams built really nimble shooters, >others built bulky beasts. And some built good defensive systems. The >show detailed how the high school teams had to learn about project >management, deadlines, how to recover from problems in crisis situations, >etc. and just like any exciting sporting event, the final competition was >actually quite thrilling. I'd like to see the Spelman team compete... > >*** > >http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/news/the_state_of_black_america_news/16558 > >Living Black History: Spelman's SpelBots Amaze > > >Date: Monday, February 22, 2010, 6:32 am >By: Patrice Gaines, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com > > > >EDITORÕS NOTE: As part of our ÒLiving Black HistoryÓ series in observance >of Black History Month, this week, BlackAmericaWeb.com will celebrate >blacks in education. > >Andrew Williams had a vision. Spelman College believed in it. And the >result is a team of fierce young women who are earning an international >reputation by going toe-to-toe with more experienced graduate level teams >in games of high technology. They are the SpelBots, first all-female and >all-African-American team to qualify for the prestigious senior league of >Robocup. > >Not quite six years after founding the group, Williams, their founder and >coach, says the SpelBots are Òbreaking barriers and paving the way for >other black women and for Spelman to one day win the international >championship.Ó > >Members of the team, mostly computer science and engineering majors, >conduct research and education projects in robotics and compete >internationally in robot soccer competition. The team is attracting young >women to Spelman who were pleased to find that the college offers an >innovative way to learn cutting edge technology. > >ÒI had been on the robotics team in high school,Ó said Jazmine Miller, >the teamÕs co-captain and a junior who is a dual computer science and >computer engineering major. ÒI was always interested in computer science >and love video games. I found robotics very interesting.Ó > >Jonecia Keels, the teamÕs other co-captain and also a computer science >and computer engineering major, said, ÒI saw (the SpelBots) give a >presentation during freshman convocation, and I thought about how they >were breaking stereotypes. By being a part of SpelBots, I thought it >would show the world that minorities can bring a lot to the table in >technology.Ó > >Coach Williams is the first and only African-American thus far to receive >a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Kansas. He was >teaching at the University of Iowa, where he had just two black students >in five years, when he read the popular best-selling Rick Warren book, >"The Purpose Driven Life." The book made Williams start to ponder what he >wanted to accomplish with his own life. > >ÒI realized my purpose was to help African-American students reach their >potential,Ó he said. > >He had already returned to school to get his PhD. because he wanted to be >a role model for students. ÒAt the time, during the mid Ô90s, we were >having the big dot-com boom, but I didnÕt see many African-Americans >becoming instant millionaires,Ó he said. So Williams and his wife and >their children moved from Iowa to Atlanta so he could fulfill his purpose. > >First, Williams introduced students to four-legged robots that looked >like cute little puppies. > >ÒI thought they could spark interest in students because they were cute,Ó >he said. ÒStudents could get visual and tactile feedback on programming. >I was concerned that sometimes our students arenÕt taught in ways that >cater to their learning style.Ó > >Team members spend some 10 hours a week on projects. But when preparing >for competition, that time can triple. The first year of competition, >they discovered most of their opponents were graduate schools. The >SpelBots qualified to participate in the international contests in Japan, >but they didnÕt win any matches. > >Last year, the team had a controversial first place tie in the RoboCup >Japan 2009 Standard Platform Nao League humanoid soccer championship in >Osaka, Japan. It was a well-earned honor to even be invited by the >RoboCup Japan organization to participate in its first humanoid robot >competition. In these contests, teams play their opponents in soccer with >robots programmed with artificial intelligence and operated without the >use of remote controls. > >The SpelBots tied five matches and were playing the championship round >against Fukuoka Institute of Japan. They tied and had to > >. go into a penalty kick situation. Williams said, ÒIf we could have >done sudden death, we would have won. But th
[scifinoir2] Spelman's Robocup Team Making History
Kewl! Over the holidays I watched a PBS special about a robot competition. In this one, teams built all kind of devices to shoot a bunch of balls into a net. Some teams built really nimble shooters, others built bulky beasts. And some built good defensive systems. The show detailed how the high school teams had to learn about project management, deadlines, how to recover from problems in crisis situations, etc. and just like any exciting sporting event, the final competition was actually quite thrilling. I'd like to see the Spelman team compete... *** http://www.blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/news/the_state_of_black_america_news/16558 Living Black History: Spelman's SpelBots Amaze Date: Monday, February 22, 2010, 6:32 am By: Patrice Gaines, Special to BlackAmericaWeb.com EDITOR’S NOTE: As part of our “Living Black History” series in observance of Black History Month, this week, BlackAmericaWeb.com will celebrate blacks in education. Andrew Williams had a vision. Spelman College believed in it. And the result is a team of fierce young women who are earning an international reputation by going toe-to-toe with more experienced graduate level teams in games of high technology. They are the SpelBots, first all-female and all-African-American team to qualify for the prestigious senior league of Robocup. Not quite six years after founding the group, Williams, their founder and coach, says the SpelBots are “breaking barriers and paving the way for other black women and for Spelman to one day win the international championship.” Members of the team, mostly computer science and engineering majors, conduct research and education projects in robotics and compete internationally in robot soccer competition. The team is attracting young women to Spelman who were pleased to find that the college offers an innovative way to learn cutting edge technology. “I had been on the robotics team in high school,” said Jazmine Miller, the team’s co-captain and a junior who is a dual computer science and computer engineering major. “I was always interested in computer science and love video games. I found robotics very interesting.” Jonecia Keels, the team’s other co-captain and also a computer science and computer engineering major, said, “I saw (the SpelBots) give a presentation during freshman convocation, and I thought about how they were breaking stereotypes. By being a part of SpelBots, I thought it would show the world that minorities can bring a lot to the table in technology.” Coach Williams is the first and only African-American thus far to receive a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Kansas. He was teaching at the University of Iowa, where he had just two black students in five years, when he read the popular best-selling Rick Warren book, "The Purpose Driven Life." The book made Williams start to ponder what he wanted to accomplish with his own life. “I realized my purpose was to help African-American students reach their potential,” he said. He had already returned to school to get his PhD. because he wanted to be a role model for students. “At the time, during the mid ‘90s, we were having the big dot-com boom, but I didn’t see many African-Americans becoming instant millionaires,” he said. So Williams and his wife and their children moved from Iowa to Atlanta so he could fulfill his purpose. First, Williams introduced students to four-legged robots that looked like cute little puppies. “I thought they could spark interest in students because they were cute,” he said. “Students could get visual and tactile feedback on programming. I was concerned that sometimes our students aren’t taught in ways that cater to their learning style.” Team members spend some 10 hours a week on projects. But when preparing for competition, that time can triple. The first year of competition, they discovered most of their opponents were graduate schools. The SpelBots qualified to participate in the international contests in Japan, but they didn’t win any matches. Last year, the team had a controversial first place tie in the RoboCup Japan 2009 Standard Platform Nao League humanoid soccer championship in Osaka, Japan. It was a well-earned honor to even be invited by the RoboCup Japan organization to participate in its first humanoid robot competition. In these contests, teams play their opponents in soccer with robots programmed with artificial intelligence and operated without the use of remote controls. The SpelBots tied five matches and were playing the championship round against Fukuoka Institute of Japan. They tied and had to . go into a penalty kick situation. Williams said, “If we could have done sudden death, we would have won. But they picked up our robot just as it was about to kick.” A kick would have meant a win. Williams challenged the ending. "The organizer started
