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Mars Rovers At Smithsonian And Exploratorium Now

Posted by timothy on from the sorry-wrong-planet dept.

Illah Nourbakhsh writes "From the makers of the Palm Pilot Robot Kit comes our newest thing. If you live in SF or in DC you can go to the biggest science centers of them all, the Air & Space Museum or the Exploratorium and interact with miniature Mars rovers we've put in Mars yards there. The robots take panoramic images and track and test rocks, so it's no remote-control toy. All Linux on-board, using a prototype single-board arm-based robotics board (the Intel Stayton). The website 'gallery' has pictures of all of the rover's parts, including the Linux processor and the mechanicals. Gallery also has several videos. We've built 20 of these 'bots and they're in DC, San Francisco and Augusta, Georgia." If these were in toy stores ...

85 comments

  1. fptk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    fptk

  2. gnaa :( by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Was Jesus a NIGGER?


    "Many people are surprised to discover that Christ was a black man, but when one looks at Christ's lineage one discovers that He has numerous Hamatic Ancestors, with Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Naomi, Bathsheba and Jezabel being the most notable."

    Here are the facts:

    • In ancient times, including Jesus' time, the Arabian peninsula was considered part of what we now call Africa, not "the Near East" or "the Middle East".
    • Christianity is frequently portrayed as "the White Man's religion". The truth is that most of the people in the Bible were people of color (i.e., not "Anglo"): Semitics, blacks, and Mediterranean, e.g., Romans.
    • In the United States today the general view on whether someone is "black" is the One-Drop Rule -- if a person has any black ancestors s/he is considered "black", even with a clearly Anglo skin color, e.g., Mariah Carry, Vanessa L. Williams, LaToya Jackson.
    • Jesus' male ancestors trace a line from Shem. However, ethnically and racially, they were mixed Semitic and Hamitic from the times spent in captivity in Egypt and Babylon. Rahab and probably Tamar were Canaanites. Although Canaanites spoke a Semitic language, they were descendants of Ham through his son Canaan. Bethsheba, who had been the wife of Uriah the Hittite, probably was a Hamitic (black) Hittite herself.
    GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) is the first organization which
    gathers GAY NIGGERS from all over America and abroad for one common goal - being GAY NIGGERS.

    Are you GAY ?
    Are you a NIGGER ?
    Are you a GAY NIGGER ?

    If you answered "Yes" to any of the above questions, then GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) might be exactly what you've been looking for!
    Join GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) today, and enjoy all the benefits of being a full-time GNAA member.
    GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) is the fastest-growing GAY NIGGER community with THOUSANDS of members all over United States of America. You, too, can be a part of GNAA if you join today!

    Why not? It's quick and easy - only 3 simple steps!

    First, you have to obtain a copy of GAY NIGGERS FROM OUTER SPACE THE MOVIE (Click Here to download the ~280MB MPEG off of BitTorrent)

    Second, you need to succeed in posting a GNAA "first post" on slashdot.org, a popular "news for trolls" website

    Third, you need to join the official GNAA irc channel #GNAA on EFNet, and apply for membership.
    Talk to one of the ops or any of the other members in the channel to sign up today!

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  3. So is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1
    my ANUS!!!

    FP mutha fuckers!!!

  4. tomorrow! by esaglam · · Score: -1

    Going there tomorrow! If it is not closed of course! :)

    --
    -- There is no spaam
    1. Re:tomorrow! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

      and we give a flying fuck why? really we didnt need to know that you karma whoring fuck.

  5. Obvious question..... by BWJones · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, I guess the obvious question is: Where can I buy one? Followed up by: Are you going to Open source it?

    --
    Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
    1. Re:Obvious question..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny
      You forgot to ask about OGG support.

      ~~~

    2. Re:Obvious question..... by linzeal · · Score: 1
      Open source robots, what a wonderous idea. If we are meant to make companions and not slaves of this technology let us give them a good face, a proud heart, and an indomitable will. Sort of like how that "linux kid" is portrayed by IBM.

      Where are our robot friends we were promised in grade school, damn common man and his fear of assimilating to broad sweeping changes in technology. It is not like he will be losing ever more control of the things that make a place habitable for himself, oh no.

      Who feeds, houses, and clothes you?

      --
      An Education is the Font of All Liberty
    3. Re:Obvious question..... by lxs · · Score: 5, Funny

      No no no no no!
      The obvious question is:

      "Does SCO plan to send a probe to mars, carrying an invoice for $699?"

    4. Re:Obvious question..... by GreggBert · · Score: 2, Funny
      Why do I think that even if someone could buy one, that they would not stand a chance of having it arrive at home successfully ?

      Maybe we should put Fed-Ex in charge of delivering these things to Mars. I can hear the commercial now. "Fed-Ex...When it absolutely, positively needs to get there overnight. In one piece. Without exploding, vaporizing, bouncing off the atmosphere or being driven into the ground due to metric/standard conversion issues"

      --


      If you don't understand anything I post, please accept that I ate paste as a small boy...
    5. Re:Obvious question..... by coloclone · · Score: 1

      Or at least make the plans and parts list available.

      This might make a good fundraiser.. hell I would pay for the Plans. I was watching the self test video and got really WIDE eyes... I want one of these things.

  6. The real thing by Dan+East · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Let's hope the actual landers make it safely to the surface of Mars, so these models don't end up being sad reminders of the science that could have been.

    Dan East

    --
    Better known as 318230.
    1. Re:The real thing by pheared · · Score: 1

      Or the failure that is.

  7. I've heard alot about these models by Naomi_the_butterfly · · Score: 5, Informative

    I've heard alot about these models, and they're supposed to be spactacular. Incredibly accurate. There's a great collection of interviews (audio) with project scientists available at http://www.planetary.org/audio/planetaryradio.html . Really worth a listen.

    1. Re:I've heard alot about these models by Talinom · · Score: 1

      I've heard alot about these models, and they're supposed to be spactacular. Incredibly accurate.

      Yeah, but does do the controls have a 7 minute lag time? That would add a level of realism that would let people know that the grunt work is BOOOORRRIIIIING.

      --
      "Giving money and power to governments is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." - P.J. O'Rourke
    2. Re:I've heard alot about these models by Naomi_the_butterfly · · Score: 1

      ah, but we need to get the kids involved. anyway, these are just models, not driveable. read my other post for that!

    3. Re:I've heard alot about these models by Naomi_the_butterfly · · Score: 1

      oops, my bad. I was thinking of a diferent set of models. My bad!

    4. Re:I've heard alot about these models by yaar · · Score: 1

      looks like a nice collection... would be nicer yet if the audio was available in mp3 or ogg format.

      i'm writing my representative! err

      --
      "Nothing in education is so astonishing as the amount of ignorance it accumulates in the form of inert facts." - Henry A
    5. Re:I've heard alot about these models by Naomi_the_butterfly · · Score: 1

      It's free, made by a non-profit organization that works on member dues and donations. Don't be picky!

  8. Interestingly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    If you stand next to them, you still can't get a signal.

  9. Happy new year from GNAA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
    Happy new year from GNAA
    By GNAA STAFF
    Today, GNAA wishes you a merry christmas and a happy new year. It's been fun, gays!


    GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) is the first organization which
    gathers GAY NIGGERS from all over America and abroad for one common goal - being GAY NIGGERS.

    Are you GAY ?
    Are you a NIGGER ?
    Are you a GAY NIGGER ?

    If you answered "Yes" to all of the above questions, then GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) might be exactly what you've been looking for!
    Join GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) today, and enjoy all the benefits of being a full-time GNAA member.
    GNAA (GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA) is the fastest-growing GAY NIGGER community with THOUSANDS of members all over United States of America. You, too, can be a part of GNAA if you join today!

    Why not? It's quick and easy - only 3 simple steps!

    First, you have to obtain a copy of GAY NIGGERS FROM OUTER SPACE THE MOVIE and watch it. (You can download the movie using BitTorrent, by clicking here.

    Second, you need to succeed in posting a GNAA "first post" on slashdot.org, a popular "news for trolls" website

    Third, you need to join the official GNAA irc channel #GNAA on EFNet, and apply for membership.
    Talk to one of the ops or any of the other members in the channel to sign up today!

    If you are having trouble locating #GNAA, the official GAY NIGGER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA irc channel, you might be on a wrong irc network. The correct network is EFNet, and you can connect to irc.secsup.org or irc.isprime.com as one of the EFNet servers.
    If you do not have an IRC client handy, you are free to use the GNAA Java IRC client by clicking here.

    About SCO
    The SCO Group [SCOX] helps millions of gay niggers in more than 82 countries around the world grow their penises everyday. Headquartered in Lindon, Utah, SCO has a network of more than 11,000 nigger resellers and 8,000 developers. SCO Global Services provides reliable nigger support and services to prospective members and customers.
    SCO and the associated SCO logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of The SCO Group, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. UNIX and UnixWare are registered trademarks of The Open Group in the United States and other countries. All other brand or product names are or may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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    If you have mod points and would like to support

  10. Unfortunately by CrankyFool · · Score: 4, Funny

    I called the Exploratorium. They said they were _supposed_ to receive one of these, but so far it's late checking in, and they're losing hope it'll actually arrive.

    1. Re:Unfortunately by the+real+darkskye · · Score: 1

      Informative? C'mon mods, know a joke when you see one!

      Happy New Year to all, may your lawsuits be laughed out of court

      --
      Music is everybody's possession.
      It's only publishers who think that people own it.
      Fuck Beta
      ~John Lenno
    2. Re:Unfortunately by mfender9 · · Score: 1

      I believe they're starting to fear the worst now - they've just discovered a giant hole behind the bins and suspect it might have gone in there. There'll be someone in the line of sight to check on it tomorrow evening, and then again next tuesday - we can only hope...

    3. Re:Unfortunately by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Unless you are in CA, I'd say you have a few days. quoting the article:

      Our installation sites and approximate opening dates are:

      The National Science Center (Augusta, GA) Jan. 24
      The San Francisco Exploratorium (San Francisco, CA) Jan. 2
      The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum (Washington) Jan. 3
      The Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center (Dulles Airport) Jan. 24
      The NASA/Ames Mars Center (Mountain View, CA) Dec. 29

    4. Re:Unfortunately by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "funny" doesn't give karma anymore. so people are increasingly voting funny posts as informative or insightful. isn't that just great. go slashdot!

    5. Re:Unfortunately by ciscoeng · · Score: 1

      Sounds like you were dialing internationally, rather than domestic - U.S.

  11. Rock tracking? by CompressedAir · · Score: 4, Funny

    The robots take panoramic images and track and test rocks,

    "Still there... yep, still there. The rock has not moved."

    1. Re:Rock tracking? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      uhm there are probably a lot of things on mars that could cause a rock (or other inanimate, non-living object) to move, besides little green men. the quote did indeed say 'take panoramic images' and is worded such that the images might be of things other than rocks. but as for tracking and testing rocks, no that doesn't seem to have a lot to do with looking for life, even though it could show something about the atmosphere/environment. i know, i'm one of those dumb slashdotters that writes meangingless replies to meaningless comments that were never meant to be taken seriously in the first place. i just wanted to write my first slashdot comment.

  12. Oops... by cybermace5 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Check it out, those photos on the first page of the link are notthumbnails! Yes folks, they are the full 330K jpegs, merely resized to the thumbnail size. Don't you hate that? I thought that habit died in 1999.

    --
    ...
    1. Re:Oops... by cybermace5 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah, 1999, along with closing my bolding tag.

      --
      ...
    2. Re:Oops... by javatips · · Score: 1

      But when you click on it, it will open full-size instantaneously :-)

    3. Re:Oops... by cybermace5 · · Score: 1

      If you ever see it, on dial-up. I'm not, but feel sorry for the poor souls. On a reasonably fast modem, they will be sitting there for approximately four minutes just for the photos to load!

      --
      ...
  13. Cerebellum board by BWJones · · Score: 1

    Hey, I like some of their nomenclature for the parts. They have got a "Cerebellum board", which I presume controls aspects of stability or movement?

    --
    Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
    1. Re:Cerebellum board by x4A6D74 · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I've worked with the Cerebellum. I TA'd for a summer program at CMU for high school students who are strong in compsci/math. Part of the curriculum was building robots out of Lexan, hobby servos (with Lego wheels, 'cause they were conveniently around when the instructor moved away from Mindstorms), and these boards.

      They have a PIC 16F877 controller driving 8 digital tristate I/O lines, and 8 analog lines (which I think were just input, IIRC). So we plugged the modified servos in as motors, and for sensors had switches, photoresistors, and an infrared rangefinder. The students were able to code in a somewhat-limited subset of C (due to the freeware compiler we had -- there was a better one available, but the instructor couldn't get funding for it) and compile it down, then transfer to the board (via a built-in serial port). It worked well for those applications, though with only a couple K of memory. In fact, I ended up writing a prettied-up API for the students, because the instructor decided he wasn't all that pleased with some of the low-level, non-intuitive calls (which would be trouble for those students who'd never coded before, let alone in C).

      More info here on robotics at Leap: http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~roboleap/

      The Cerebellum was conveniently easy for this level, but I'm surprised they're using it for these rovers. I didn't think you could get Linux that small!

    2. Re:Cerebellum board by caino59 · · Score: 1

      You're talking about andrew's leap, correct?

      fun program it is...the test to get into it is well, as they put it... 'interesting' ;o)

  14. In related news... by Luke727 · · Score: -1

    Several Air and Space Museums located in Washingtong, D.C., San Francisco, and Augusta, Georgia are reporting the theft of over 20 miniature remote-controlled Mars rovers. The Beagle will be missed. Truly a Brittish icon.

    --
    If you find this post offensive, don't read it! THINK ABOUT YOUR BREATHING! I am what I am because of how apes behave.
  15. Mars Exploration these days by Krapangor · · Score: -1, Troll

    Personally, I think the direction of Mars exploration of ESA, NASA and JPL is totally fucked.
    All the stuff is optimized for PR and not for scientific value.
    Take e.g. the Mars Rovers. For the public these cute little robots look great and when they wheel around on Mars people think "Yeah, that's space exploration !". However from a scientific point these rovers are pretty useless. They have extremely limited range. So if you don't find anything on the landing site then it's very unlikely that you'll find something a few hundert meters away. The same goes for the ESA probe (if it ain't dead). The Euros realized that wheeling around on Mars is fucking stupid but they failed to realize that the same hold for scraping dirt and burning it. Face it - you cannot put a decent lab - even automated - on a small probe. A real robotic lab would HUGE.
    But that's not the point. The point is that the 2 real scientific methods for Mars surface exploration are either getting a real lab there or getting a real drill (10 meters at least) there and returning the drill core to earth. And do you know what's the shame ?
    THIS STUFF COULD ALL BE DONE WITH MODERN TECH AND BUGET.
    But these NASA and ESA wankers are just out there for cheap PR and job creation for their buddies instead of doing science.

    --
    Owner of a Mensa membership card.
    1. Re:Mars Exploration these days by Naomi_the_butterfly · · Score: 1

      The current rovers can travel, in expected conditions, an average of 100 meters a day. The mission is expected to last 90 days. Multiply them, and you get 9 kilometers. They won't go that far, but it's impressive range. Where do you get these 'facts', anyway?

  16. Hmmmmmmmm....... by ActionPlant · · Score: 1

    Did the check the back room? Maybe the Beagle is hiding in there.

    Damon,

    --
    http://actionPlant.com
  17. Control your own rover! by Naomi_the_butterfly · · Score: 3, Informative

    Yes, this is real. You can actually control your own rover through the web, and see live images. These aren't replica's, but made of lego's to drum up interest in the "Red Rover Goes to Mars" bit sponsored by The Planetary Society, a group over 20 years old that advocates space exploration and planetary science, founded (in part) by the great Carl Sagan.
    Go to http://www.redrovergoestomars.org/Rrsites.php and control your own rover!

  18. A Rover of my Own by 100lbHand · · Score: 1

    Well now I know what I am going to ask Santa for next year.

    --
    "I'm not high, just stupid" --JY
    1. Re:A Rover of my Own by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep, a mini-rover and a mini-ipod! 2004, the year of the mini's!!!

  19. Shouldn't It Be More Realistic by cptofmysoul · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think they should capture more realism by just advertising the Mars Explorer models. Then, when all the kids come to play with them, they would just have the empty display. Maybe the control panel could display, "SEARCHING FOR SIGNAL...". Does anyone else think that the problems with getting something on Mars kinda gives validity to the whole "we didn't really land on the moon" conspiracy theory?

    1. Re:Shouldn't It Be More Realistic by Shadestalker · · Score: 1

      "Does anyone else think that the problems with getting something on Mars kinda gives validity to the whole "we didn't really land on the moon" conspiracy theory?"

      Certainly, in exactly the same way I should be expected to drive 10 miles in a blizzard because I have shoveled my sidewalk.

  20. Informative? TRY FUNNY by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Correct moderation is your friend!

  21. Oh great - now I can imagine the spam... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    *Get your own RC models of the Mars rovers for you and your child - great deal now...



    Click Here To Order



    Click Here to Opt Out

  22. Other applications... ?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I havent read this article but i can tell you right off the bat that it wont make you life right. The truth is, we need Jesus. We need Him to come into our lives and change us. We aren't going to make everything perfect in this lifetime. The world is an imperfect place, and so forever will our lives be here. So what are we chasing? Seriously, dont waste your life chasing an illusion of happiness, give your life to Jesus and let Him show you what this life is really about!

  23. Tech Museum in San Jose too by G4from128k · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The Tech museum in San Jose had an exhibit like this (about 3 years ago?). They had a little rover model running around in a simulated Martian crater. Visitors could control the rover remotely through a closed circuit TV and joystick setup. It was quite fun.

    --
    Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
    1. Re:Tech Museum in San Jose too by rjrjr · · Score: 1
      These ain't that. Looking at the videoes, the robot is making its own navigational choices. It snaps a picture of the terrain, you point out an interesting looking rock in that picture, and it finds its way there all on its own.

      Why aren't I making robots?

  24. creators' newclear power ready for consumer use by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    that's wwworld wide. this stuff is unbreakable, & wwworks on several (more than 3) dimensions. you won't be needing any unreliable billyonerrors' gadgets, or transportation devise, to be able to detect the direction of the wwwinds of change, which are bullowing at gale force/farce.

    making the case that the won-eyed girl is a phonIE (mynuts won, beating a lame won to debt?)
    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 31, @06:48AM (#7844071)

    will corepirate nazi felon ?pr? ?firm? scriptdead execrable (mynuts won, it's ok if you do it for monIE?)
    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 31, @06:44AM (#7844061)
    skew/FUDge survey results/EVERYTHING?

    you can bet your .asp again on that won. fortunately we have robbIE's 'stuff that matters' slowgun, & his gnu dating service to keep US abreast of reality/prevent softwar gangster hypenosys mindphuking?

    &, failing that, we have the:

    pateNTdead eyecon0meter used to .controll ?pr? ?firm? crap? (mynuts won, need a date buddIE?)
    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 30, @02:38PM (#7837849)
    that's right. this stuff is unbreakable, & wwworks on several (more than 3) dimensions.

    morons build vessel that floats on any suBStance? (mynuts won, no need to be suspicious?)
    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 29, @02:53PM (#7829639)
    you can bet your .asp on that won?

    creators/humankind converge to repel unprecedented evile? (mynuts won, who run our 'banks'?)
    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 29, @02:51PM (#7829610)

    & why not? what other options are there for us?

    eyecon0meter: survival most sought after feature? (mynuts won, get yOUR freedumb here?)
    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 29, @02:48PM (#7829586)

    creators' badtoll over corepirate nazi execrable (mynuts won, many think hangin's way too good for the skalywags?)
    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 29, @02:46PM (#7829567)
    disposal?

    newclear power dissed/cussed? (mynuts won, no animals killed buy MiStake in newclear power generation)
    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 29, @02:41PM (#7829536)
    &, it's free as in free.

    newclear powered blips explore corepirate nazi (mynuts won, no lowrating robbIE's sponsors?)
    by Anonymous Coward on Monday December 29, @07:53AM (#7826913)
    cesspool?

    pheWWW.

    lookout bullow. the daze of the phonIE payper liesense ?pr? ?firm? hypenosys stock markup FraUD softwar gangster execrable, is WANing into coolapps/the abyss, at the increasing speed of right.

    consult with/trust in yOUR creators.... get ready to brighten up?

    mynuts won: solar(is) power included?

  25. Open Source by drmemnoch · · Score: 1

    Please!!

    --
    Those who can do... Those who can't get a certification from Cisco or Microsoft.
  26. The World's Largest Rice Cooker Is There To by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Mmmm...Cooked rice.

  27. "Linux Processor" by 110010001000 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    What is a "Linux Processor"?

    1. Re:"Linux Processor" by odyrithm · · Score: 1

      they proberly mean the crusoe chip by transmeta..

      --
      moo
    2. Re:"Linux Processor" by niko9 · · Score: 1

      What is a "Linux Processor"?

      It a special type of CPU. When you take the heat sink-fan off, this is what the CPU die looks like.

      --

  28. This calls for.... by i_want_you_to_throw_ · · Score: 1

    Warden: There's no Air in Space
    Homer: There's an Air and Space Museum!

  29. looks fun by pontifier · · Score: 1

    I especially like the pictures of the assembly process.
    I need to do something like that.

    --
    -John Fenley
  30. what about those marmalade guise? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    won less set of felonious billyonerrors to FUDge things up/steal from everybodIE?

    less fauxking chortling is eXPected at the phonIE payper liesense softwar gangster stock markup FraUD execrable FUDgePackers bawl this gnu years'.

  31. Yes, Open Source by rjrjr · · Score: 1
    From the linked page:
    PS: For those of you interested in the source for the PER project, as with all of our projects in the Toy Robots Initiative, this too will be open-sourced. Check back here in the second week of January 2004 for the complete source code.
  32. How unusual that there is one at the Smithsonian.. by andy666 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Mars probes are usual debris strewn across the surface of the red planet.

  33. Detects life on Mars by SuperBanana · · Score: 1
    The robots take panoramic images and track and test rocks
    "Still there... yep, still there. The rock has not moved."

    It's actually to detect if there's life. If the rock moved, either a)it wasn't a rock, or b)a little green man moved it! Come on man, pay attention.

    --
    Please help metamoderate.
  34. Augusta Ga? by stanbrown · · Score: 1

    Augusta Ga. Is a nice afternoon drive from where I am. I had no idea there was a musem there. Anyone know anythig about this? Got a poiter to a web sit? Phone number? name?

    --
    nix is very simple, but it takes a genius to understand the simplicity. (Dennis Ritchie) ~
    1. Re:Augusta Ga? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      That'd be the Fort Discovery at the NSC. Not a bad way to spend a day, especially if you have kids.

      There's also a nice BBQ place a couple of blocks from the NSC called Treybon that offers good, spicy food at decent prices (at least they did when I was there).

  35. Meanwhile by Jack+Wegnar · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    There are over two million Americans who will go to sleep hungry tonight.

    Why is it that we can brainwash the masses into thinking that it's okay for us to spend billions on space crap while ignoring the homeless people living in the streets and at the YMCA?

    I'll never understand a society that says it's okay to blow billions on meaningless stuff in the name of science while ignoring all the social issues that plague us.

    How many lean cuisines can you buy with the money we've spent on the Mars Program? How much beef jerky could you purchase with the billins we spend on the space shuttle?

    Gah.

    1. Re:Meanwhile by markov_chain · · Score: 1

      Feed the hungry people, and what happens? Their number just increases and they keep on being hungry. The solution is education, not free food.

      Space exploration is not useless; actually, it should be the primary, driving goal of all mankind. Without space colonization, the human race will eventually perish, most likely due to a meteor hit. No billions of dollars spent on feel-good stuff will change that.

      --
      Tsunami -- You can't bring a good wave down!
    2. Re:Meanwhile by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Most of those helpless millions you speak of are right where they deserve to be.

      There will always be poor, hungry people. Might as well get some exploration done and solve the world's overpopulation problem at the same time!

    3. Re:Meanwhile by Hezaurus · · Score: 1, Insightful
      Why is it that we can brainwash the masses into thinking that it's okay for us to spend billions on space crap while ignoring the homeless people living in the streets and at the YMCA?

      Why is it that we can brainwash the masses into thinking that it's okay for us to spend hundreds of billions on military crap while ignoring the homeless people living in the streets and at the YMCA?
      --
      No matter how fast light travels it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it. (T. Pratchett)
    4. Re:Meanwhile by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "The solution is education, not free food."

      DING DING DING! We have a winner!

      We have a population issue anyway... I don't mean to sound insensitive but let 'em die and legalize abortion. For the future of the human race we need to start doing something NOW!!

  36. mynuts won, don't mention getting yOUR pockets by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    picked/being held hostage, buy phonIE softwar gangster execrable?

    talk about lack of 'moderation'. that's when too fauxking much is never enough.

  37. Space: The Exhibit by AgentCooper · · Score: 1

    It's really a shame this isn't part of the Space Exhibit that's currently in Seattle and slated to tour the country for the next four years. I'd love to see these little fellas getting greater exposure; I only make it to the Smithsonian once every ten years.

  38. Houston Space Center, as well by JWhitlock · · Score: 2, Interesting
    The Tech museum in San Jose had an exhibit like this (about 3 years ago?). They had a little rover model running around in a simulated Martian crater. Visitors could control the rover remotely through a closed circuit TV and joystick setup. It was quite fun.

    I think this is a new, autonomous exhibit, not the remote control ones from other museums.

    The Houston Space Center has the remote control one, which me and the wife visited when we were on a pilgramage to Ikea (damn your fashionable and reasonably priced Nordic furniture! Why won't you build a store more than 50 miles from a port!).

    I played with the joystick part, which allowed two rovers to compete to roll a ball into a goal. It was a somewhat low-res screen, and I thought it was a computer game ("why did they bother with 3D models if they were only going to show a nearly top-down view?"). It was only later that I saw the real models, and realized that I was remote controlling the robots. It was a very strange feeling, like realizing that something you read about in a Sci-Fi book has suddenly come to life.

    If you go to the Houston Space Center, try to find one of the many discounts to get in. My Southwest Airlines frequent flyer card got me in cheaply, even though I drove to Houston.

  39. Open Source by ironwill96 · · Score: 1

    If people would actually read the article linked to, it mentions at the bottom (yes, a place most people never make it to) that this project will be open-sourced in January.

    --
    "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield." - Tennyson
  40. Rovers ARE at the Exploratorium by ronhip · · Score: 3, Informative

    The robots ARE at the Exploratorium and are working great thanks to the fine folks at CMU. The "personal" rovers will go on display this weekend coinciding with our webcasts. See http://www.exploratorium.edu/mars for details.

  41. I can't wait to get into the tour and ask... by Swai · · Score: 0
    My questions for the tour guide:
    • Was this a project done just to satisfy the ego of a dozen of geeks?.
    • Who approved their budget?, there was poor people at that time who needed that money.
    • Why it has a sticker that says what happens in New Mexico stays in New Mexico?.
    • What? you tell me that Earth will look the same as Mars in few years and this was a prototype for a new Toyota?
    • Was this a gift to Mars's King's son so we could avoid a potential invasion from Mars?, sounds fair.
    • Why send a prototype for an all terrain skateboard so far, east LA streets are in worse conditions.

    Peace.

  42. Martians by Quantum-Sci · · Score: 1

    I think it's obvious that Martians have been swatting our probes all along. What other explanation could there be?

    --
    Campaign finance reform is national security.
  43. Don't visit the Exploratorium by rleibman · · Score: 1

    I refuse to visit the place ever since (about 4 years ago) I went and saw a skeleton they had, with a very clear sign explaining the difference in the number of ribs between men and women. Presumably having to do with the Garden of Eden mythos.

    1. Re:Don't visit the Exploratorium by cavebear42 · · Score: 1

      Did it say that this was from the garden of Eden or was that implied? Is it reasonable to not be interested in a science facility nor help children explore science because once there was an exhibit which merely suggested that there might me some basis in a story which has been told for at least 3,000 years? Maybe someone is a little insecure in their (lack of) beliefs.

    2. Re:Don't visit the Exploratorium by el-spectre · · Score: 1

      Heh.

      Alternately, a person can be very secure in their beliefs, and doubt the credibility of an ostensibly scientific institution which uses non-scientific processes.

      --
      "Faith: Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel." - A.B.
    3. Re:Don't visit the Exploratorium by rleibman · · Score: 1

      It didn't say anything about the Garden of Eden, but I know of very few other mythologies that imply that the number of bones in a man are different than in a woman.
      I do not doubt my knowledge (I don't like to call them beliefs), do you doubt men have the same number of ribs as women?.
      A place that calls itself a scientific museum is not worthy of my $x if it has something as basic as this wrong, especially because of the source of the misake: anti-science, anti-mind, anti-human.

    4. Re:Don't visit the Exploratorium by cavebear42 · · Score: 1

      I should have been more clear before. I do not believe that (normal) men have a different number of ribs than (normal) women. Nor do I believe that the Bible states otherwise. Nor do I believe that when a man has a rib removed that this would somehow (unlike all other surgeries) be a trait passed on to his offspring. I am not tiring to defend the Exploratorium in the way that they have passed on bad information. My point is that a single case of misinformation isn't reason to condemn an institution. This was possibly anti-science in that facts were not checked thoroughly. I don't see how this is anti-mind, and I'm not even sure if I understand what anti-human means. What I meant to say is that science and religion are not mutually exclusive. It seemed to me that your outrage wasn't because there was misinformation given out, but that this misinformation was likely based on some religious belief system. Would you have entered the same boycott if the Exploratorium had an exhibit stating that the nearest star was 8.4 light years (double the truth)?

    5. Re:Don't visit the Exploratorium by rleibman · · Score: 1

      Would you have entered the same boycott if the Exploratorium had an exhibit stating that the nearest star was 8.4 light years (double the truth)?

      Not likely, I would have been upset, but not as much as I am by the source.
      Traditional judeo-christian religion IS anti-science in that it places blind faith above observation and reason. It is anti-mind in the same way, and it is anti-human in that it totally ignores our very essence: human=rational animal. I disagree with you, science (in essence believing that our observation and reason trump all else) and religion (founded on blind faith despite our senses and reason) ARE mutually exclusive.
      But this is probably not the best forum to discuss this.

    6. Re:Don't visit the Exploratorium by alienmole · · Score: 1
      Would you have entered the same boycott if the Exploratorium had an exhibit stating that the nearest star was 8.4 light years (double the truth)?


      I don't think a numeric mistake like that is nearly as serious as a mistaken claim about a significant anatomical gender difference in our species. The latter seems to imply either a startling degree of ignorance, or as has been suggested, a religious agenda of some kind. Either way, I wouldn't place very much credence in other information presented by the same people. It has nothing to do with attitudes to religion, only with credibility.

  44. For a touch of reality by wrmrxxx · · Score: 1

    It would be interesting to put the rover in a closed room so it can't be seen, then add about 10 to 20 minutes of delay each way from its camera to the user and from the controls back to the rover.

    The real rover was not controlled from earth in a continuous way because of the time delay - sets of commands were uploaded infrequently.

  45. Finally, something usable on earth by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Funny

    NASA finally has made a practical technology: Remote Up-skirt viewers

    "Honest officer, the probe thought it was on another planet."

    --
    Table-ized A.I.