Icaro Project

Icaro Project is an initiative of fellow ambassador Valentin Basel, with the goal of bringing in a manner transparent to the user the basics of programming (iterations, repetition, recursion, if conditional) applied to a physical context such as a robot or automation system.

To archive this goal, Valentin has develop hardware, with the lowest price,  most common electronic components, and easy to find in his country Argentina (the goal is that the hardware can be replicated in other places cheap and easy), with them he has been able to build a robotic arm and a robot controller with a assus eee 4G machine, the idea was to use an OLPC XO computer but since he could not get one on Argentina he use the more like hardware machine he could find.

In the program area he has develop the firmware, c++ interface and python library, so others can expand his project, but to make it easy to use he develop a plugin for TurtleArt, where Icaro module allow any one with no programming skills to interact and start programming the robot.

We have meet Valentin on IRC and have the opportunity to share a couple days with him in Panama, for the FUDCon where his presentation raise laughter and cheers, he come early to the FUDCon and during that time he show his work to the Universidad Tecnologica de Panama (UTP) and Universidad de Panama (UP) and teach the computer club of UTP on how to code and interact with it, code and improve his work, and also give away some of the electronic controller board he bring with him.

Icaro project is now in use as a pilot in two school in Argentina and to make my friend Valentin happy yesterday I was invited to see the start of Project Icaro at a Tecnologica high school in Panama, as pilot program. It was great to see that UTP and UP will work together on this project. We will follow this program to keep everyone on the loop.

Icaro project is hosted on RPMDEV project and initiative of Guillermo Gomez from Venezuela, Fedora Contributors at RPMDEV will package and help on the documentation of project ICARO, so it will be added in Fedora 16.

Thanks Valentin, hope to see you soon.

All hardware designs and software can be found at: http://rpmdev.proyectofedora.org/projects/icaro/wiki

Follow Icaro Project Blog at: http://www.sistema-icaro.blogspot.com/

FUDCon Panama day 3

It was fun start this new day, learning that Luis Bazan and Juan Barba (Fedora Panama Designer Team) has been sponsor as packagers, other graduate during the day.

Tatica talk to Juan so he can puts his skills to the artwork of Fedora 16, so his inspiration and art skills will shine on Fedora 16.

Many talks and lite talks were done, must impressive to me was one of our younger Fedora Panama, members Joel Batista 14 years old, and his project ayudinga.com, look like there is a future for Fedora Panama. During the Fudcon Joselo another 14 years old was there listening an learning about Fedora, he wants to become a packager, so we will help him to accomplish this goal.

It was a raining day, but we enjoy it as we listen and view all Fedora members having fun, sharing ideas, sharing knowledge and must of all becoming friends.

The afternoon was set so a bus will pick up everyone at the villas, we wait there with Joel, Joselo and all delegations were we work and share before arriving to the FUDPub, the plan was to go to Bolos El Dorado, were everything was ready, except for our big surprice the Fedora 15 birthday cake.

We bowl and celebrate all work accomplish this three exceptional days.

Sharing this experience with all Panamanians that took this opportunity to learn and share with our exceptional fellow Fedorians that join us for the FUDCon. Thanks all of you.

FUDCon Panama 2011 Day 2

New day new challenges, we started early setting up banners, on building 105 “Centro de Negocios” at City of knowledge” our main local sponsor thanks to Gabino Ayarza for helping us to get this done, we have three rooms for 50 people each prepared for us, all ready with two screens, projectors wireless mics and sound system ready. The staff there have everything ready, many thanks to them.

Once again our protocol staff took care of receiving everyone, the only issue was that a group took a room not assigned to them to give a talk about visualization, that make some people not easy, but Potty come to the rescue and arrange the schedule, talks and rooms so every one has it place. This time more people show us up, the spare unregistered badges run out, the list of attendees grow up to 170, many of them came previous day others did not.

Seen people going to one room to the other to get to the next talks and checking talk schedule was important and encouraging. Some talks fill more rooms than others but that is the beauty of Barcamp format.

Workshops started and one of the most encouraging part of the FUDCon started, it really started the night before when Guillermo Gomez “Gomix” from rpmdev project give Potty and me, the rpmdev official wear, we have graduated as packager from some time now, we wear next day, must local members were asking how to get one of them, to what we reply “this has to be earn, as you graduated as packager”, that also make us hear some jokes, as packagers are the local boys at supermarket who put your groceries on the bags, one of the goal of rpmdev project is to teach packager and developers, the Fedora way.

So may of the local and fedora team started they tutorials to this goal, become a Fedora Packager, one of the best opportunity, as it was a great face to face session on packaging and getting the package done and ready to be reviewed and sponsored.

It was fun as the en of the day came and people wanted to stay on building 105, we move to villas were people continue tutoring and enjoying their self.

FUDCon Panama 2011

Many days has pass since Panama, has the great honor to be chosen to host FUDCon Latam 2011, many days of meetings, work and perseverance. FUDCon time arrive, with many expectations, we meet, at the beginning a bit confuse, some of the NIC names now become faces and real people, and one of Fedora core values become natural and easy Friendship, we laughs, share and enjoy our self on this opportunity.

Arrival

Part of the plan was to pick up all our friends from Fedora at the airport, and we did, perhaps the only confusing on that part was Itamar and Jared, on our schedule, they have to wait a bit on the airport but we pick them up. On Wednesday after a bit issue with Venezuelans flight we got every one at City of knowledge and we have dinner for first time at the Ñeque small bowling area and restaurant. For many of us it is the first time we meet face to face. Every one prepare to stay at the Villas, a three rooms six beds, with kitchen, air condition, internet and all you need to spend nights at the FUDCon.

First day

It was a rush of emotions and worries, preparing the last details, booklets ready ( Booklets will be an entire post later), badges ready. Taking everything from the villas to the Convention Center, prepare the banners, the room and reception. At around 8:30 people starting to arrive while we run from place to place, checking everything, protocol Team (5 volunteers from the UTP, many thanks to them, they work hard) sign them in, give their badges, t-shirts, Fedora USB key and show them to the room. At the end they got everything to the 140 people who show up.

Getting Ready




Abdel Martinez "Potty", give a sort welcome and introduction to Fedora Project Leader and all guess, FUDCon has begun, after Jared talk Barcamp organization started, thanks to Igor Soares for his effort to set it up while I was taking care of the IRC channel issue it was close, but was fixed by the City of knowledge technical staff, thanks for their quick response.

Lunch hour arrive and we walk to building 105 were lunch was waiting for us, more relax and with a great deal of accomplishment. Other talks were done but Valentin Basel and ICARO project make the people laugh, enjoy and more important see this easy going a bit crazy fedorian doing something great to change children education, trough technology. Thanks Valentin for your great work.

The day end with a talk of technical documentation from Jared, after that we set to the villas one two blocks away from the convention center were we got ready for dinner. After dinner many continue hacking and enjoying their self at the Villas.

Great day.