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From TheRobotGroupWiki
"Keeping Austin wEiRd before WeIrD was Cool."
Welcome
WHO: We are a very active 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation called The Robot Group which holds weekly meetings to discuss projects, show off our work, and meet people like you. Meetings are open to the public and are held every Thursday evening starting at 7:30. If you are in the Austin area and are interested in electronics, robotics, and just meeting a great bunch of really talented people come on by!
WHEN: Thursdays, 7:30PM to 10:00PM View the Meetup Calendar
Now with TWO meeting locations to serve people from the North and South parts of town!
WHERE 1: Our main location - The Heritage at Gaines Ranch
4409 Gaines Ranch Loop Austin, TX 78735
IMPORTANT NOTE: Parking is free, but you will need to park in the La Quinta parking lot next door... not at the Heritage.
Sign in at the reception desk and ask to be directed to the Activities Room.
For more information CLICK HERE to see a Google map and get driving directions from your location.
Additional Information here:
- Satellite view with location of The Heritage
- Satellite view, zoomed in with proper highway exit marked
- Satellite view of parking area
- Here is a street view of the ranch.
- Heritage Official Web Page
Parking is free and located conveniently next door in the La Quinta lot.
WHERE 2: Our alternate location - The Tech Shop - Round Rock / North Austin
120 Sundance Parkway Suite #350 Round Rock, TX 78681
IMPORTANT NOTE: We only meet here on the 3rd Thursday, for all other meetings please go to the Heritage.
Sign in at the reception desk and ask to be directed to The Robot Group meeting. There is plenty of free parking so come on over and visit with us!
For more information CLICK HERE to see a Google map and get driving directions from your location.
Additional Information here:
We really hope to see you there! :- )
Current Events
We had a great turn out for the Austin Mini Maker Fair on May 5th, 2013.
Here is a link to the video: http://youtu.be/9-aWnvaA2E4
History of The Robot Group
The Robot Group was founded in the Spring of 1989 by a small group of Austin, TX artists and engineers who shared a common vision: utilizing technology to provide and explore new mediums for art. These individuals began gathering at Discovery Hall science museum, and working on projects. The staff at Discovery Hall referred to this conglomeration as "The Robot Group" so as to distinguish it from the "Computer Group" and the "Exhibits Group" that also met in the building, and it was under that name that the group was incorporated on December 17, 1992.
Through the synergy of fusing art and technology, The Robot Group has stimulated the public into a playful interest in high technology, and art now has new vehicles for effecting culture.
The Robot Group has attracted a diverse audience of young and old, tech and non-tech alike. Each with the curiosity to see the artful gracefulness with which man and machine can create new worlds.
The Robot Group has attracted national and international, recognition. The Group's activities have inspired articles in Newsweek, Mondo 2000 , boing-boing, FringeWare Review as well as appearances on ABC's Good Morning America and an episode of Invention on the Discovery Channel. Other TV appearances include the debut episode of Art Brigade, and the German program Kulture Report.
The Wayback Machine - A look into the past at our original website.
- - Click Here to go Way Back! - -
The Wayback Machine is an online archive housing thousands of web pages that are no longer avalable.
The name: The Robot Group
We are often referred to as Austin Robot Group but our official name is The Robot Group and we are sticking to it!
The Purposes of The Robot Group
(adapted from the Articles of Incorporation)
- To offer a framework whereby advanced technology and the arts can be integrated.
- To foster interaction between artists and technologists.
- To create projects which explore the relationship between the arts and technology.
- To combat technophobia through educational outreach, the staging of public events, and youth involvement in The Robot Group technological and artistic projects.
Current Officers
2013
Luke Keyes, president Gray Mack, vice-president Derek Bridges, treasurer Yama Ploskonka, secretary
Glenn Currie, board member Kevin Frack, board member Eric Lundquist, board member
Contact Us
There are several ways to get in touch with us here at The Robot Group and we are looking forward to hearing from you!
The group email address TheRobotGroupInc@gmail.com is now back on-line and your questions and comments should be answered as quickly as possible by one of our members.
MAILING LIST
We have an active mailing list that you can join: CLICK HERE to sign up. This is the way get involved, communicate with the whole group, and catch the general chit chat.
BOOK US FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT
Did you know that you can have robots and other exciting projects at your next event?
It's true, you can book The Robot Group for your next event! Contact the current president for pricing and availability! We generally request a small fee to cover the costs of transporting and maintaining our large selection of robotic equipment. We have appeared in many different shows and events over the years, contact us for more information.
Robot Group Merchandise
Great Stuff!
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| T-Shirts and more. | Babbling Head Products. |
Don't forget to check out the RoboPendant from Brooks!
MeetUp Group / Calendar
We have a MeetUp Group that will allow you to see events on our calender, RSVP for events and meetings, and other useful information. CLICK HERE to visit. Look at the Meetup Calendar to see what we have currently scheduled. You can look at the Timeline for even more information. Most events are open to the public so make a point of coming out to meet us and get involved!
Recent Events
During the Summer of 2012, TRG members helped host Kidbot, a kid-oriented hands-on robotics activity. Saturdays, 1 pm to 4 pm, ATX location. Currently searching for a new home for this important meetup.
Be sure to click on the links below to see the images and read more about our past events.
| Link | Date | Event |
| Showdown At Unobtainium 2012 Members attended this fantasy fiction campout http://www.facebook.com/events/494916223858797/ | Nov 10-11 2012 | Outreach / Entertain |
| Lunar Lander Proposal for Austin New Year | Oct 2012 | Outreach |
| Kidbot Kid-oriented, hands-on open and free workshops | Summer of 2012 | Outreach |
| 3rd Annual Ace Innovation DIY Interactive Fair at U.T. Thompson Conference Center (no photos uploaded) | April 21, 2012 | Outreach |
| Mustang Roundup 2012 at Menchaca Elementary School (no photos uploaded) | March 31, 2012 | Fund Raiser |
| Texas Science & Engineering Festival at Austin Convention Center (no photos uploaded) | November 5-6, 2011 | Outreach |
| Mustang Roundup 2011 at Menchaca Elementary School (no photos uploaded) | April 2011 | Fund Raiser |
| Plutopia March 2011 (no photos uploaded) | March 2011 | Plutopia |
| Jordan Elementary School | May 8, 2010 | Fund Raiser |
| Heritage at Gaines Ranch | May 6, 2010 | Appreciation Night |
| Mustang Roundup 2010 at Menchaca Elementary School | April 2010 | Fund Raiser |
Visit the Timeline to get a listing of past events for the full history of The Robot Group.
If you have an idea for future events for The Robot Group, please contact us.
Recent Presentations and Guest Speakers
| Date | Speaker | Affiliation | Topic |
| Jan. 3, 2013 | Yuliya Lanina | http://www.yuliyalanina.com | mixed media artist |
Take a look at past guest speakers at PastPresentations with photos, descriptions, and contact information.
If you have an idea for a guest speaker or would like to do a presentation for The Robot Group, please contact us.
Robot Group Projects
You can look at the Projects Page to see an even longer list of our documented projects.
Here are some well known projects
- BabblingHead A Robot Group classic. An unusual animatronic head that talks and sings.
- Sand Draw. A machine that draws in sand.
- DaVinciAwards The DaVinci Awards
- Ping_Pong_Printer Spherical media printing system designed to make "ammo" for The Ponginator
- RoboSpinArt RoboSpinArt An experiment in creating analog art using a digital interface
If you have made a project that you want to share, be sure to add it to the ever growing list!
Weekly Meeting & Upcoming Activities
- See the calendar for the latest meeting schedule and upcoming activities.
- See the MeetingNotes if you miss a meeting, or want details on items shown or discussed during a meeting. Note: This is not currently maintained. Would an active member like to maintain this?
- See the Mailing List Archives to keep up with past conversations
Robot Group People
Members Present and Past members. FOTRG Friends Of The Robot Group
Local Shops and Services
- Shops and Services - List your shop or service offered here.
- Parts Places - Places that offer good items for making robots and electronic projects.
Sponsors
Sponsors - People and companies who have contributed to The Robot Group.
Lots Of Cool Links
F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions.
Link Listing - is an ever growing collection of cool links that have been posted on the group's list.
Books We Read - is a list of the books that guided us along our path over the years.
Resources - A list of places we find useful.
Current Activity
This map shows where bot-scripts are viewing our site from. It is updated weekly.
Newly added 2/9/2010 - It may take awhile to show activity.
Editing This Wiki
This is a Wiki Collaborative Website, so TRG members, Please make it grow!
Some starting points:
- Help For Beginners: to get you going
- Wiki Sandbox: feel free to change this page and experiment with editing
- Recent Changes: see where people are currently working
- Style Sheet Page: We have added some CSS style classes that you can call on for your page.
TRG Members can edit any page by pressing the link at the top of the page. Ask a fellow member if you don't have the password, its intent is simply to help cut down wiki script attacks not to keep humans out. Here's a hint: User is the name of the group beginning with "The" and no spaces and the code is the three letter acronym, all lower case. :- )
