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markmellors.bsky.social

@markmellors.bsky.social
77 followers 86 following 85 posts
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Mike Sowden @mikeachim.bsky.social · 12/05/2025
OK, this is wild. In September 2023, geophysicists across the world started monitoring a very odd signal coming from the ground under them. It was picked up in the Arctic. And Antarctica. It was detected everywhere, every 90 seconds, as regular as a metronome, for *nine days*. What the HELL? 1/
Unsplash image of the Earth, mostly the nightside with a tracery of city lights on every continent.
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Rob Cruickshank @robcruickshank.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Modern remotes modulate the infrared signal at around 40 khz because the first optical remotes used receiver circuitry that was adapted from the acoustic receivers. So in a sense, they are still with us.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
That's freaky. Why?
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Jamorobo @jamorobo.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Wonderful first day at #EMFCamp. So many amazing things going on. It's an incredible feat that this gets put on every other year. Hats off to @jonty.bsky.social and everyone else involved.
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Jamorobo @jamorobo.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
A belated #EMFcamp day 2:
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Drink tea and eat biscuits.
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Laura James @laura.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 19/07/2026
#emfcamp was excellent. Didn't go to any talks or workshops, just chats, meetups, dancing, puzzles, volunteering, and wandering admiring the art. Huge thanks to everyone who made it happen ❤️ Maybe see some of you in 6 weeks for #OSHCamp? https:// oshug.org/event/oshcamp2026 #OpenSourceHardware
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Hitchin Hackspace @hackhitchin.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
It has taken a while to be assembled by the team but the #HitchinHackspace #GameBoy #Monumemtal has been assembled, raised in to position and is up and running at #EMFCamp. As it isn't waterproof it is currently cosseted beneath a purple gazebo. Do come along and have a game 🙂
The Hitchin Hackspace Gameboy Monumental is on site at #EMFCamp at last. We didn't quite get it ready in time for the previous event. The picture shows a massive Gameboy which appears to be partially buried, at a tilt to the right, in to the ground. One of the two round buttons on the front of the console is "buried". In front of the console is a music stand, the top of which has been replaced by a pair of 3d printed cupped hands which act as a receptacle or holder for the remote controller for the console. The console is 2.5-3m tall on the screen a game of Tetris is in progress. To the left in the foreground Hitchin Hackspace member Rich stands with his back to the camera.  Unseen his hands hold the controller as he plays the game.
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Terence Eden @edent.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 16/07/2026
Checked in to Electromagnetic Field 2026, Eastnor Castle Deer Park, United Kingdom Damien from HackyRaces is an absolute legend for helping us lug our stuff up to #EMFCamp swarmapp.com/user/56367/checkin/6a5…
swarmapp.com
Electromagnetic Field 2026
Electromagnetic Field 2026
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Dr Lucy Rogers @drlucyrogers.com · 14/07/2026
Just preparing my slides for my talk at @emfcamp.bsky.social on Friday. It's all about looking Up (it's a huge book plug). But there may also be Easter Eggs in the book ... #RobotWars #EMF2026
A small, robotic combat machine with a boxy shape, red and black color scheme, and a prominent wheel at the rear. It is equipped with a raised antenna for remote control. The name "Tornado" is visible on the side. It's a #RobotWars robot
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Dr Kat Day (she/her) 🎃🌒 @chronicleflask.katday.com · 02/07/2026
#TIL that the Vanta in Vantablack stands for ‘vertically aligned nanotube array’. I’m sure this wasn’t hard to find, but it had never occurred to me that it was an acronym…
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Dr Lucy Rogers @drlucyrogers.com · 21/06/2026
I'm selling a professional (very heavy) woodturning lathe - where do I advertise it?? It's in Oxfordshire. Vicmarc VL300 ESVX +magnetic remote switch Vicmarc 1000mm Bed Extension Vicmarc VM120 Chuck Woodcut Straight Head Pro-Forme Hollowing Tools Vicmarc Camlock Banjo Vicmarc 600 mm Tool rest
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Chris Tregenza @tregenza.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Sharing this because some people may find it useful but also ... To point out this is the sort of document they put in museums about genocide to illustrate how people at the sharp end knew what was coming.
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Extreme Electronics @extelec.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Yay, we have a village and installation at #EMF Anyone wanting to join us playing with HV over the weekend are welcome at "Spark Life" www.emfcamp.org/villages/202...
emfcamp.org
Village: Spark Life (HV Village)
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Bristol Bot Builders @bristolbotbuilders.com · 29/05/2026
June in European Robot Combat: bbb.gd/events 3 Combat Robotics NI 454g meet in Belfast 🇬🇧 3-4 Fightfest feathers in Birmingham 🇬🇧 4 QRFL ants in London 🇬🇧 6 Jelgava 200g, 454g & 907g in Jelgava 🇱🇻 6-7 XR heavies in Stevenage 🇬🇧 13-14 Makerfight feathers in Mulhouse 🇫🇷 14 I Robottari ants in Rome 🇮🇹
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Dr Lucy Rogers @drlucyrogers.com · 11/05/2026
Engineering misconceptions: 1) we all wear hard hats all the time 2) we all get our hands dirty all the time 3) we are all male 4) we are all 'boffins' 5) we can count and follow instructions.
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John Self @john-self.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Incredible chart (from otherwise depressing news story about bad advice being given to new parents) showing how cot deaths fell by 50% in the first year after the 'Back to Sleep' campaign was launched, and have continued to fall since. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Chart of sudden infant deaths. Numbers are between 1,000 and 1,500 every years from 1979 to 1990, then after the 1991 introduction of the 'Back to Sleep' campaign (advising parents to put their baby to sleep on its back), fall immediately to below 500 and are now around the 200-a-year mark.
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Bristol Bot Builders @bristolbotbuilders.com · 29/04/2026
A mega packed May in European Robot Combat! bbb.gd/events Possibly the most countries ever with a Spanish debut and the return of Belgium and Portugal! 🇬🇧🇳🇱🇪🇸🇱🇹🇨🇭🇨🇿🇮🇹🇵🇹🇱🇻🇧🇪🇳🇴
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Scary (they/them) @emfcamp @scaryboots.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
More #art. A cute blåhaj with a #trans rights message in the pink notebook I only draw on with blue and pink, which is SO NEARLY FINISHED. (And then what do I do?)
Drawing of a cute shark with a heart and trans symbol drawn on her chest. Tattoo style banner around her says 'older than the north star' and there are pink stars behind her.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Mostly controller issues, the game pad and hub take a beating as the teams scramble between the pits and quick turn around matches, so there are often intermittent connections. Mechanically, it's misaligned chains, skipping gears and difficult-to-access loose screws.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Great match in the tele-op period by the red alliance too..too! They got some really long shots in.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Fantastic autonomous period performance by this team. Full auto collection, aim, shoot and gate release.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Auto aiming!
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
This event's being live streamed, so you can follow along: www.youtube.com/live/1Hvn_XD... They're doing practice matches now, the competition will start this afternoon.
youtube.com
FTC UK South East Regional - ASL 2026 | FTC DECODE
YouTube video by Griffins 1884
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
Some pics of the robots
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
I'm at another First Tech Challenge robot event today. I'm helping in the Robot Hospital, fixing broken bots! Our hosts, American School in London, have provided an amazing stock of spare parts.
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Brian Corteil @cannonfodder.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Been working on my Hacky Racers autonomous robot, been vibe coding with Claude. Experience has been very good so far, been able to improve my code and add lots of tests and enhancements including GUIs local/web for the robot, an app calibrating the camera to help with distortion at the edges.
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Paul Stoffregen @paulstoffregen.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
Researchers from Prof. Joohyung Kim's KIMLAB at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) used #Teensy to develop a low-cost, easy-to-reproduce "pneumatic skin" that gives robots a sense of touch www.pjrc.com/pneumatic-ro...
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Adaptive Machine Patterns @adaptive-machine-patterns.com · 03/03/2026
AMP has been kitting out for a build recently... this looks like an interesting project: mitxela.com/projects/scr...
mitxela.com
Simple Screw Counter - mitxela.com
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Bristol Bot Builders @bristolbotbuilders.com · 03/03/2026
🇬🇧 🇱🇹 🇳🇱 🇨🇿 🇱🇻 🇮🇹 🇦🇹 bbb.gd/events 🇪🇺🤖⚔️📅 March in European Robot Combat! ~ 4th Combat Robotics NI 456g in Belfast 🇬🇧 5rd QRFL ants in London 🇬🇧 7th Bristol Uni ants in Bristol 🇬🇧 7th Klaipeda ant & 454g in Klaipeda 🇱🇹 8th Rock & Robots sportsman ants in London 🇬🇧 14th Robodojo sportsman feathers in York 🇬🇧
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Ah, that explains it! The middle phase wire from my weapon has pulled out of the esc.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Ok, I know why my drive was bad at the end, one of the drive belts was slipping. The weapon belt is still in place, so I don't know why the weapon stopped.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
That was great! I think I took out the other big spinners in the first half chaos, but then I lost my weapon (belt snapped?), so then it was a sad hobbling match between me and Fig Roll. Rob had lost drive on one side (all the wheels had taken weapon hits)
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
I'm in a fun whiteboard fight soon, against Fig Roll ( @pinski1.bsky.social spring flipper, but the weapon is broken), Aesop (shell spinner), Stuffy (dual reaction walking spinner!) should be a fun fight.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Another fight, another loss by pinballing into the pit. I was probably winning this one, right up until I was out. Unfortunately the self-righting loop failed early on, so I was even more out of control than usual, flailing around trying to get back upright. I'm out the comp, may get a whiteboard
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
My next (and possibly final) fight is against Tupperscare, a lifter.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
That was a great fight! Konkushun tapped out fairly early on (cracked chassis). Paradigm Spin & Babrog had a great tussle for most of the rest of the match, with lots of pinballing & self righting. Ultimately I pinballed into the pit, but I'm very happy the bot worked perfectly for the whole match.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
More pictures of my opponents:
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
The fight draw is out, my first match is against Babrog (excellent grab and lift bot) and Konkushun (spinning beater weapon?). Should be a good match.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Paradigm Spin may look very similar to last year, but a lot has changed. The 4-in-1 drone esc has been replaced with separate drive & weapon Escs, the Rx is electrically protected, link changed to an internal switch & the self righting mast has changed from ali & foam to 3D printed nylon & TPU.
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
I've passed tech check, ready to compete :-) 😁 The tourney bracket for today is at bbb.gd/fight and the spectator programme is at BBB.gd/prog
Paradigm spin sat on the pit table, with locking bar fitted to make the spinner safe, next to the Bristol Bot builders Brawl event pit table label
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
It's been a year since I've competed with Paradigm Spin, but I'm back in Bristol to fight again! I've never been happy with Paradigm's reliability, so I've been doing lots of testing and development. This clip is a montage of that, full vid on youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB8J...
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Bristol Bot Builders @bristolbotbuilders.com · 25/02/2026
Just some of the over 50 incredible robots coming to fight at BBB Beetle Brawl 2026! We will be streaming from 11am GMT on Saturday at bbb.gd/stream
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
First match of the final:
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
How cool is this! All done by school students. They have code for auto-aiming based on odometry too!
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markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
It's robot season again! I'm volunteering at a First Tech Challenge event in Oxford today. New for this year: ball launchers!
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castpixel ⚧️⚢ @castpixel.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Due to popular demand, here is a demonstration video of how to make 3D printed PCBs using just vector drawing software, a 3D printed (PETG filament for mine) and self-adhesive copper tape. Any questions, let me know!
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Dr. Princess Vimentin PhD | Cancer Biologist @princess-vimentin.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
I have encountered a little of this. My brother historically has received more praise than I. When I visit India it’s awkward for me. The women talk in the kitchen about cooking while the men sit in the living room talking about global affairs. There is no space to talk about me or science.
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East Essex Hackspace @eehackspace.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
Yesterday, Tim was looking at turning a luggage cart into a powered one with the idea of eventually having several in a 'wagon train'. Motive power will be hoverboard hub motors but fitted with pneumatic tyres. Good progress was made, next it will involve chopping the rear frame and some welding.
The partially assembled luggage trolley sitting on a table.A stripped down hoverboard chassis offered up to the rear 'bogie'.A hoverboard hub motor with the solid rubber tyre removed and pneumatic tyre fitted.The beginnings of a mounting for the hub motors. It is constructed from chopped down axle mount sections from the original hoverboard chassis and a piece of steel to bolt them to.
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Nick Reynolds (he/him) @ncmreynolds.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
Did a session at @bridgecommand.bsky.social this afternoon with friends. Stereotyped myself by playing shuttle engineer. Also bumped into a couple of people I know from LARP but haven't seen for years.
Me in the mess hall. It looks like a sci-fi movie set.Me at the engineering console, which in the shuttle is tiny.
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