I Can't Touch My Toys: Arduino & RapsberryPi.

It's been quite a long time here. I have been busy with work, roaming and taking pictures. A lot is happening that I don't really know how it occurred and to control it. My site is up and looking fab. Friends think I'm ignoring them, ... a lot's happening!

The past month has been awesome with the festive season, family engagements and working on so many different things: photography, graphic design and many more than with my toys: arduino and raspi. Sometimes, I feel I am a disappointment, letting go the zeal with which I fought so hard to get my kits. Each and every new day, I dream of new projects but never get the time to sit my ass down and work on. There's never been a single day I've woke up with no thoughts of my toys, yet 'no action'.  I feel I'm wasting them.

As I write this, I'm preparing to go to the MIT funded FABLAB at the Takoradi Technical Institute. I think, I can do much when I'm  with a group of similar interest. I want to learn basic electronics, soldering and many simple basic things which will help me in my projects. I want to be part of a local group just like the London Arduino Group I join on facebook. They always send me interesting event invites and seek my opinions on many things, sometimes, I ignore them. Why ain't many people in Ghana not interested in this arduino, raspi thing? Are they any interest group at all?

I know a friend +Edward Pie who is deeply into Microcontrollers and Robotics, maybe, it's time we associate 'more seriously' and benefit from each other. I know of The African Robotics Network(AFRON), I'm on their mailing-list, but I don't know how I can leverage on that. The Ghana R obotics Academy Foundation is doing well with LEGO MINDSTORM NXT.  Should I do that instead? I perfectly think I can do more with my kits than using NXT/LEGO MINDSTORM?

Now, I'm confused. Somebody help!

RiSE 2013 Facebook Competition

 Do you know of the Ghana Robotics Academy Foundation (GRAF) and her annual event dubbed RiSE? Well, RiSE means Robotics Inspired Science Education and its mission is to inspire and energize teachers, middle, high and college school students in Ghana to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by using the motivational effects of robots to connect theory with practice.

The Ghana team at World Robot Olympiad 2012

This year, RiSE 2013 is scheduled to start in September with two awesome challenges; Multi Grain Sorting and Autonomous Rescue. The event will be held at four different centers across the country: Tamale, Kumasi, Accra and Cape Coast. The theme for RiSE 2013 is "Cultivating a Culture of Excellence."

On July 1st 2013, a RiSE 2013 monthly competition (ends September 30th) will commence on GRAF's facebook page as a warm up to the main event.

There will be a GH₵50.00 per month for the winner.  Remember you need to get your friends to "like" your answer. So get as many  friends to "like" GRAF's facebook page so they can "like" your answer.

Who will be crowned the winner in July, it could be you. If you don't enter you cannot win so go for it.

Below are the competition details.

RiSE 2013 Competition Questions:

1. In no more than twenty-five (25) words tell us what excellence means to you.

2. In no more than twenty-five (25) words tell us what Ghana would look like if every worker pursued excellence at work.

Prizes:

1. The winning entry per month (July, August and September) shall receive 50 GHS and a certificate.

2. The two (2) runner up entries shall receive a certificate.

Competition Rules:

1. Participants must be residents of the Republic of Ghana.

2. Participants must be full time students and 9 to 19 years old.

3. Entries shall be made via the Ghana Robotics Academy Foundation (GRAF) Facebook page without exception.

4. There is no limit to the number of entries per participant.

5. Each entering shall have answers to both questions.

6. An entering with an answer to only one (1) question shall be considered incomplete and be disqualified.

7. The competition is a monthly competition, i.e. entries are made for a particular month’s competition.

8. The competition will run in July, August and September of 2013.

9. Entries from previous month’s competition can be resubmitted to the following month’s competition.

10. A winner shall be selected from each month’s entry.

11. The judges shall select the winning entry each month (July, August, and September) from the top 5 entries with the most “likes” (votes) from Ghana Robotics Academy Foundation Facebook page.

12. The judges decision is final and cannot be appealed.

13. GRAF reserves the right to change the rules of the competition at anytime.

14. By entering the competition you agree that the Ghana Robotics Academy Foundation can use your name and photo in …. promotional materials. As part of this Agreement, the undersigned hereby

15. By entering the competition you permit Ghana Robotics Academy Foundation to use, in whole or in part, photographs, videos, written extractions, and voice/performance recordings for educational, promotional, and/or athletic purposes in GRAF publications, press releases, videos, and web sites.