Question 1: How did you get involved in the LEGO Robotics Group of Ann Arbor?

I was searching the web for adult Lego Mindstorms groups and came across it, probably through Lugnet. I emailed Jona, and the rest, as they say.

Question 2: What do you do for work? How does this work effect your Robotics?

By day I am a physics teacher at Carman-Ainsworth H.S. in Flint Township, MI. (www.carman.k12.mi.us, follow the links to the High School, Staff, Science, Pugsley). For four years I helped coach their FIRST robotics team (the Megatron Oracles, Team 314) and have coached FIRST Lego League robotics teams for three years. As a coach, one is supposed to let the kids do all the building and programming, so I do my own Lego stuff on the side. My work with the teams has also exposed me to programming with PBasic (the Basic Stamp), NQC, and Robolab.

Oh, I've also coached teams at Lawrence Tech's Robofest.

Question 3: So far, what has been the most challenging aspect of Robotics and why?

Of course, the most challenging aspect is keeping within budget! And I do tend to bounce from project to project because there is just so much fun stuff to do. Someday I would like to break into programming in Java or LegOS (is that the new name?). But that's what summers are for, for us teachers. Oh, and I am constantly having to look up syntax as I switch from PBasic to NQC to VBasic and back.

Question 4: Out of all of your creations, which made you feel the most satisfaction when it was complete and why?

That's a tough choice. One of my favorite (non-robotic) inventions is what I call "The End of Time." I actually got the idea from a feature in the Ferrari book. It is a twelve stage 40:1 gear reduction. The input is an old-style 9V motor, and the output shaft in locked into a Lego brick. I calculate that the output turns once every 100 billion years or so. My other favorite, which I had to disassemble, I called "The Vault". It was basically a cage with motor-operated, very slowly opening doors. The way to get the doors to open involved figuring out the correct "combination" to dial on a rotation sensor. Hints were hidden on the outside of the cage. Sort of a puzzle box.

Question 5: What if any inspiration do you use when it comes to starting a new Robot?

No real inspiration. I just think about the needs of the task and come up with a basic plan. If I get anything that seems like inspiration to me, it's after several days of working on the bot. Then I might get a unique idea or two.