Skip to main content

Turning the full-time engineer into a part-time scientist




So I published a post a few days ago on attempting to write a complete conference paper in 20 hours. I must say, I didn't entirely start from scratch. I had jotted down some ideas, the content and the strategy on what to write was pretty clear in my mind. But yet, we all know that even at this point, conceiving a solid journal paper (6-page mind you) is still a considerable effort. So it came down to tools. I must say I've grown more fonder of the ShareLatex over the past few months. If it wasn't for this online Latex compiling and viewing tool and the use of Mendeley, I wouldn't be writing this post to say that pretty much completed my first journal paper since my M.sc in 2010. It's such a liberating feeling to know that I've got an opportunity to present my thoughts and ideas again.

The past two days, I decided to work from home and even though I have other distractions (a two year old monkey a.k.a my son Sam), sitting in that garden and jotting down my thoughts and formulating a plan felt so natural as if I was meant to do this more often. Like Peter Senge says "It's not was vision is, its what vision does". I'm definitely convicted in producing at least one paper each semester (One for work and one for PhD). This means how I write reports and design documents have got to be such that It allows for that. The creative tension in me is unbearable. I can't wait how this year is going to pan out...

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Setting up the Tarot T4-3D gimbal on the Pixhawk 2.4.8 with Specktrum dx6 Gen2 toggle switch

So i took the challenge of setting up the Tarot gimbal not just for inherent stable video footage but also the flexibility of controlling it from the radio control. However, I encountered quite a few challenges which made me aware that I'm not the one only in this battle . It's quite clear that the setup of the Tarot gimbal using its own software is completely different from how it's been described in the Ardupilot/Arducopter webpage and in mission Planner. In Mission Planner and it's associated site makes one believe that it should be done through software, only to realize that in actual fact the setup is more complex than that.  After two evenings of trying various combinations, I realized the getting the pixhawk Aux channels to communicate with the T4 gimbal requires the following steps: - The Pixhawk Pin9 (Aux1) needed to be activated to pass through user-chosen channel from the transmitter. For the Dx6 Gen2 it was the channel 6, which can assigned the ...

Setup ArduPilot flight modes with DX6 Gen 2

Hi, I've looked around the web to get an understanding the setup of the Ardupilot flight modes with a Spektrum DX6 2nd generation and there was none. So I decided to write this blog. The few things to consider when doing this: Please follow the instruction given on the ardupilot webpage . Have the Pixhawk hardware connected to Mission Planner (I have 1.3.50 - Copter V3.5.3)  Use the display bar in the Radio Calibration page as a guide while changing the rate pulse widths on your transmitter. I've used switch D to change the pulse width ranges on channel 5.

GPS Navigation Ground Test #1 - Waypoint Tracking Algorithm

So after a period of absence of over a month (feel depressed everytime I say it), I got back into the groove of things. Decided not to wait to get back on the field to test the pitch and roll autopilot and decided to start working on the waypoint tracking algorithm . The advantage of having your own home with a garden is that you no longer struggle to get a GPS lock (There's no more concrete flats surrounding us yeah!!!). So got familiar with my gear again. Also decided to buy a piezo buzzer that could be used as a replacement of the serial monitor. The aim was to increase the intensity of sound as you got closer to the next waypoint. In such a way you will know if you're going the correct way. Decided to use GPS Visualizer to get waypoints on the property. Re-formatted the points into the code uploaded it onto the controller. It must add that I managed to successfully run arduino from the linux command line and use the program screen as a serial monitor. Not only is it m...