What unique experiences have shaped this software engineer's career path?

[Rodger B. Null]

Hey!
I am a software engineer by trade (degree in Physics).

I worked as a contractor at NASA for ten years (mostly on Shuttle and Space Station Freedom). After we all got laid off I started working as a software developer/engineer.

While I have worked with most of the mainstream languages most of what I have done has been in a language called MUMPS or M in the Hospital Information Systems.
I'm approaching retirement and would like to get back into the physics world again (and autonomous robotics).

I speak Castillian Spanish and can get by on Portugues (I have live in both Spain and Portugal), I was in the U.S. Army (medic) and the USMC.

Rodger B. Null

 

[jedishrfu]

Welcome to PF!

I've been checking out robotics too. I found a couple of interesting books on the subject:

Robot Builders Bonanza

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071750363/?tag=pfamazon01-20

and Make a Raspberry-PI robot:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1457186039/?tag=pfamazon01-20

The second book had a reference to a motor part for electric car seats that spins at 190rpm at 12VDC at $15 which seemed ideal for my project.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005IR1NBA/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Once again, welcome to PF!

 

[Rodger B. Null]

Hey! The vehicle I am eworking on (VERY slowly :) ) is an autonomous underwater vehicle. I have most of the hardware which I have been purchasing of the last last few years (ballast valves, motor (though I will probably get a different small one) and the like).

I am planing on using an RPi for the upper level functions (Mission script management, planning and overall supervision) and a second RPi B 2+ for the more mathematically intense stuff. I will be using an Arduino Due for most the actual subsystem controlling.

It has only been in the last month or so that I have started playing the hardware and the software that controls it (the Arduino part).

Most of the work I have done over the last few years has been research and designing the software. The task that I am currently working on is the inertial measurement unit. I have the Kalman filter working for the sensors I am using (or at least one set of the sensors - they are redundant).

Our neighbour's son is in a robotics class in high school, so I am thinking of building a prototype tracked vehicle using the same sensors and software. Might be fun for him and it would make it easier for me to play with the code without the hassle of working in the water :).Thanks for the welcome and look forward to chatting with you again.

Rodger

 

[berkeman]

I was in the U.S. Army (medic) and the USMC.

Welcome to the PF, and thank you for your service. Especially the Army Medic part -- great stuff!

 

[Rodger B. Null]

Thank you. It was during a war a long time ago (one that thank the Duck, I never had to participate in personally). I worked mostly on a bunch of gnerals :