Posted by Frank at 1/9/2001 10:38 PM EST
Coach on team #97, TeradynaMITes, from CRLS/CHS and MIT/Teradyne.
Who all saw the MSNBC article about Dean’s new invention? Lot’s of hype for sure…but what can it be? It’ll make him richer than Gates and will change how cities are designed! Your own personal helicopter perhaps? The guesses are flying!
Posted by Joe Johnson at 1/9/2001 10:57 PM EST
Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.
In Reply to: What is Dean’s “IT”?
Posted by Frank on 1/9/2001 10:38 PM EST:
It may be possible that Dean will some day be richer
than Gates, but let’s get serious, the kind of funds we
are talking about are not possible in the timeframe
suggested (imho).
Joe J.
Posted by Ken Leung at 1/10/2001 6:06 AM EST
Student on team #192, Gunn Robotics Team, from Henry M. Gunn Senior High School.
In Reply to: Gates? Please…
Posted by Joe Johnson on 1/9/2001 10:57 PM EST:
IT is supposed to revolutionize people’s way of thinking and all, since Dean is a combination of Ford and Edison. IT is supposed to be “better than World Wide Web, and as significant as PC”. So I don’t know. But then again, Dean’s FIRST already deeply influence FIRST’s participant’s way of thinking, I won’t be surprise to see if IT is actually what it seems.
Maybe IT is something like computer game, since it’s supposed to be interesting. With all the comparison with PC and www, I won’t be surprise if IT will be the next “fun” thing to do, just like how Computer games attract millions of teenager/adult many hour of gaming everyday. Also, computer games are also a huge factor in driving the developement of PC.
I can totally picture a personal 3D computer interface, where people can carry little computer with them, and have a device that let users look at computer screen floating in the air. Some where in the line of a “hologram” (not sure if spelling is right) of Star Trek. This will be a revolutional product, as it replace every monitor out there with something really small, and good to enviroment as it eliminate the need to make display models. Any kind of hardware used to display message/signal/status will be replaced by this 3D visual device. I can imagine how a device like this will have many many use out there.
Posted by Allen Smith at 1/10/2001 12:33 PM EST
Engineer on team #7, Knights, from Parkville High School and Black & Decker/AAI/Raytheon.
In Reply to: It IS possible
Posted by Ken Leung on 1/10/2001 6:06 AM EST:
From Dean’s description: It will be an alternative to products that are dirty, expensive, sometimes dangerous and often frustrating, especially for people in the cities.” And Bezos’s question: The question is, are people going to be allowed to use it?”
It must be a replacement for a car. My guess is a sterling engine powered scooter.
Posted by Matt Leese at 1/10/2001 12:42 PM EST
Other on team #73 from Edison Technical HS and Alstom & Rochester Institute of Technology.
In Reply to: The correct answer is…
Posted by Allen Smith on 1/10/2001 12:33 PM EST:
You really want a new power source for your scooter don’t you Allen? 
Matt
Posted by John Paul at 1/11/2001 2:12 PM EST
Student on team #190, Gompei, from Mass Academy.
In Reply to: Re: The correct answer is…
Posted by Matt Leese on 1/10/2001 12:42 PM EST:
I think its powered by a hamster…
: You really want a new power source for your scooter don’t you Allen?
: Matt
Posted by Jon - T190 at 1/12/2001 1:32 AM EST
Engineer on team #190, Gompei, from Mass Academy of Math and Science and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
In Reply to: Re: The correct answer is…
Posted by John Paul on 1/11/2001 2:12 PM EST:
Dean got a hold of Team 190’s HampsterHop(sm) technology and is putting it on some sort of transportation device…
how does he do it…
we swept the room for bugs and everything…
There must be A Mole!
: I think its powered by a hamster…
: : You really want a new power source for your scooter don’t you Allen?
: : Matt
Posted by Robby at 1/14/2001 9:23 AM EST
Other on team #108, The SigmaC@Ts, from AIFL and Motorola.
In Reply to: industrial sabotage
Posted by Jon - T190 on 1/12/2001 1:32 AM EST:
If there was a mole on your team, I would be looking in Kate and her Sumo Monkey’s direction right now. After spending a weekend with her, she seems like the mole-type. But especially that Sumo Monkey of her’s. Man, that thing’s shifty eyes and ability to hit itself constantly with no show of strain was absolutely amazing…
-Robby O
AKA He who will continue sense to no boards on these make.
Posted by Bill Beatty at 1/12/2001 1:54 AM EST
Other on team #71, Team Hammond, from Team Hammond.
In Reply to: Re: The correct answer is…
Posted by John Paul on 1/11/2001 2:12 PM EST:
Follows is an excerpt from a news release.
“As The World Turns, Free Energy?”
“Imagine the earth as a perpetual-motion machine-a giant flywheel that rotates tirelessly. Now, picture being able to tap into that enormous energy.
That’s what a handful of engineers have done. They have produced a machine that is basically a gyroscope connected to a generator. As the earth turns, the gyroscope’s spinning rotor resists changing direction. The resulting torque is converted by gears into the spinning shaft of a generator.”
Later
–“It is theoretically possible to generate all the electrical power needed in the world with this method. And if you did so, it would only slow the Earth’s rotation by one second over 10,000 years.”
Posted by soap108 at 1/12/2001 9:44 AM EST
Engineer on team #108, SigmaC@T, from Dillard & Taravella HS and Motorola.
In Reply to: Is This It?
Posted by Bill Beatty on 1/12/2001 1:54 AM EST:
Whatever IT turns out to be, likely the power generator mentioned already, Dean has our attention.
As my alarm clock, set to radio, turned on this morning, guess what the hot-topic was…IT.
If you care to call in 6am-10am EST the number is
1-800-749-9490. Or might be able to get the audio broadcast at 949zeta.com or zetarocks.com.
Do any of the veteran FIRSTers remember Dean mentioning, in passing but directed toward students, something to the effect of ‘wouldn’t it be great if engineers could create…a clean-running, small portable generator that can power a house for x days…’ at either National Award ceremony (1999?) or a NH Kick-off address? Just wondering…
:
: Follows is an excerpt from a news release.
: “As The World Turns, Free Energy?”
: “Imagine the earth as a perpetual-motion machine-a giant flywheel that rotates tirelessly. Now, picture being able to tap into that enormous energy.
: That’s what a handful of engineers have done. They have produced a machine that is basically a gyroscope connected to a generator. As the earth turns, the gyroscope’s spinning rotor resists changing direction. The resulting torque is converted by gears into the spinning shaft of a generator.”
: Later
: --“It is theoretically possible to generate all the electrical power needed in the world with this method. And if you did so, it would only slow the Earth’s rotation by one second over 10,000 years.”
Posted by Peter Krumdieck at 1/10/2001 12:42 PM EST
Engineer on team #353, Pobots, from POB Central School District.
In Reply to: Gates? Please…
Posted by Joe Johnson on 1/9/2001 10:57 PM EST:
: It may be possible that Dean will some day be richer
: than Gates, but let’s get serious, the kind of funds we
: are talking about are not possible in the timeframe
: suggested (imho).
: Joe J.
Having only met Dean Kamen once (an experience I won’t soon forget), it seems to me that he can be much wealthier than he already is; if that were his goal.
Gates can write bigger checks, I guess, but he doesn’t have the VISION the Dean has to do something that doesn’t put money in his own pocket. Does Bill Gates have a steam engine in his living room?
I guess I’m just not a Bill fan but I am a huge Dean fan.
-pete
Posted by Joe Johnson at 1/10/2001 9:39 PM EST
Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.
In Reply to: Re: Gates? Please…
Posted by Peter Krumdieck on 1/10/2001 12:42 PM EST:
My only objection was to TIME (1 or 2 years) not TALENT.
I am neither a fan nor a detractor of Bill Gates. I
also would have little trouble believing that Dean may
somehow because the world’s richest man, given time.
My point was that it takes time for such vast sums to
be acquired, 1 to 2 years did not seem to be in any way
an possible timeframe (imho).
Joe J.
Posted by Justin at 1/10/2001 1:19 PM EST
Other on team Blue Lightning Alumni Association from RWU sponsored by FIRST-A-holics Anonymous.
In Reply to: Gates? Please…
Posted by Joe Johnson on 1/9/2001 10:57 PM EST:
Joe,
I might be inclined to agree with you. BUT it is Dean and DEKA we are talking about here. If you listen to all of the speeches the Dean’s Invstor’s, etc. give about him they are basically like “we didn’t think anyone could pull of something this crazy…so we knew there was only one place to go…DEKA.” If it were any other R+D company I would pass it over as vaporware…but Dean’s about the only one I know of who could back up such articles.
-Justin
Posted by Samuel Lindhorst at 1/10/2001 3:14 PM EST
Engineer on team #240, Mach Vee, from Jefferson High School and Visteon.
In Reply to: What is Dean’s “IT”?
Posted by Frank on 1/9/2001 10:38 PM EST:
They have a Sterling cycle motor that works. I wonder if I can get one next year for a couple of van door motors and muffin fan… :o) I’ll need two for the drive train…
Posted by Samuel Lindhorst at 1/10/2001 3:16 PM EST
Engineer on team #240, Mach Vee, from Jefferson High School and Visteon.
In Reply to: What is Dean’s “IT”?
Posted by Frank on 1/9/2001 10:38 PM EST:
They have a Sterling cycle motor that works. I wonder if I can get one next year for a couple of van door motors and muffin fan… :o) I’ll need two for the drive train…
Posted by Brandon Martus at 1/10/2001 4:32 PM EST
Other on team #47, ChiefDelphi, from PCHS and Delphi Automotive Systems.
In Reply to: What is Dean’s “IT”?
Posted by Frank on 1/9/2001 10:38 PM EST:
first of all, i just want to say, this may be a big hoax.
i found this link on the MSNBC discussion boards.
it looks to be a fuzzy copy of the patent for ‘IT’.
what do ya think?
http://www.delphion.com/cgi-bin/viewpat.cmd/US05971091__
: Who all saw the MSNBC article about Dean’s new invention? Lot’s of hype for sure…but what can it be? It’ll make him richer than Gates and will change how cities are designed! Your own personal helicopter perhaps? The guesses are flying!
Posted by Brandon Martus at 1/10/2001 4:35 PM EST
Other on team #47, ChiefDelphi, from PCHS and Delphi Automotive Systems.
In Reply to: patent information
Posted by Brandon Martus on 1/10/2001 4:32 PM EST:
actually…
this seems to be the early workings of the IBOT.
still pretty interesting…
this the little hand at the bottom of the patent screen to advance through the 57some pages.
: first of all, i just want to say, this may be a big hoax.
: i found this link on the MSNBC discussion boards.
: it looks to be a fuzzy copy of the patent for ‘IT’.
: what do ya think?
: http://www.delphion.com/cgi-bin/viewpat.cmd/US05971091__
:
: : Who all saw the MSNBC article about Dean’s new invention? Lot’s of hype for sure…but what can it be? It’ll make him richer than Gates and will change how cities are designed! Your own personal helicopter perhaps? The guesses are flying!
Posted by Justin at 1/10/2001 4:48 PM EST
Other on team Blue Lightning Alumni Association from RWU sponsored by FIRST-A-holics Anonymous.
In Reply to: patent information
Posted by Brandon Martus on 1/10/2001 4:32 PM EST:
Well if you look @ the FIRST page of the pattent info it does seem to show a scooter of somtime that employs some of the same technologies, drives systems, etc. as the IBOT…as for the rest of the information that patent seem to pertain to the IBOT, best I can tell. But who knows maybe Dean is hoping to spin off some of the IBOT technology into some kind of scooter device for recreational purposes. shurgs
-Justin
Posted by Brandon Martus at 1/10/2001 4:50 PM EST
Other on team #47, ChiefDelphi, from PCHS and Delphi Automotive Systems.
In Reply to: Scooter
Posted by Justin on 1/10/2001 4:48 PM EST:
yea, thats why i posted it.
i thought it was a one-page deal, and then
saw the 1 of 57 at the top (after i posted the link)
but, you’re probably right. some sort of all-terrain scooter.
: Well if you look @ the FIRST page of the pattent info it does seem to show a scooter of somtime that employs some of the same technologies, drives systems, etc. as the IBOT…as for the rest of the information that patent seem to pertain to the IBOT, best I can tell. But who knows maybe Dean is hoping to spin off some of the IBOT technology into some kind of scooter device for recreational purposes. shurgs
: -Justin
Posted by shaun at 1/10/2001 6:01 PM EST
Other on team #25, nbths robotics team , from nbths and bms.
In Reply to: What is Dean’s “IT”?
Posted by Frank on 1/9/2001 10:38 PM EST:
I think after reading the articals i thinks IT is a device that you can up on an present car and run off an a compont like water.