[chbot] Robotics Group meeting, 5 Idris Rd, 630pm, Monday 17 Apr 2023

[Mark Atherton]

Hello everyone,

Good turnout with 24 attendees, and lots of huddles-of tech-talk. $27 + 
change (in gold, and flat-money) collected and transferred into the 
robotics loose-change jar (for later banking).

All sales from the trading table should go into the brown box on the 
wall, and are directly for the benefit of our host club, Christchurch 
Amateur Radio Club, NZART Branch 05.

Equipment donations are welcome for the trading table, but no CRT based 
product, printers, toner or items that are likely to be a disposal burden.

** Thank you Catherine for the home-made dessert to feed the troops **

With thanks on behalf of the group,

Mark Atherton


Mark demonstrated the LumiClock – a rotating cylinder which has been 
coated with a long persistence photoluminescent phosphor, and 
illuminated using sixteen 365nm UV LEDs. Preliminary demo firmware 
rotates the drum every 30 seconds having exposed the digits 'minutes and 
seconds' from a real-time-clock via a character generator using the LEDs.

Mark then talked about LPG and petrol generators for emergency use, and 
the inherent shelf-life of petrol. He continued with a discussion about 
managing through a continued power outage, using available energy 
resources, and efficient methods to maintain potable water, food, heat 
and light with a requirement of minimal changes to existing storage and 
lifestyle.

Bevin talked about some of his further adventures investigating how one 
of his mechanical-calculators work.

He also gave a brief talk about possible techniques to make software 
designs more understandable.

David B talked about adventures repairing a Ground Penetrating Radar 
unit among other things.