[Dprglist] Robot Showcase

[David Anderson]

Hello DPRG,

Great Robot Showcase event at House of Microsoft on Saturday.   Good 
turnout of some very interested/interesting people.   Much thanks to 
Steve and Carl and Doug and all who made this happen.

I've been playing with a simple algorithm on the rcat robot that I 
demoed in the kitchen area on Saturday, mostly to Steve.   Basically it 
allows the robot to free roam and explore a space for 3 minutes, and 
then wherever it is, it has to try to navigate back to the starting 
place.  Or its general vicinity.   Or at least the same end of the room...

With Steve watching rcat made it back from about 40 feet away to within 
5 inches of the origin.   Of course we don't have a video so you just 
have to take my word for it...  But I have a witness!

Here's a video of the robot doing the same thing in my office, 
admittedly a much smaller space:

<http://www.geology.smu.edu/dpa-www/robo/rcat/20181012-01-rcat.mpg>

Here's another run where I left the cardboard box "obstacle" in place:

<http://www.geology.smu.edu/dpa-www/robo/rcat/20181012-04-rcat.mpg>

In a big enough space, this might make a fun contest.

cheers
dpa