#distribution center robots

[greyorangego]

GreyOrange is the renowned warehouse autonomous company offering fulfillment robots for enhancing warehouse robotics and fulfillment center automation. It makes your warehouse and logistics flow effective. For more details visit the website https://www.greyorange.com/solutions/ today! 

[iplusmobot1]

Smart Logistics Solutions

IPLUSMOBOT's smart logistics solutions improve the logistics efficiency and non-defective rate of enterprises, realize dynamic order management and flexible production time, and help enterprises achieve further growth in the era of Industry 4.0. By thoroughly restructuring the distribution line, we have gained competitiveness in the new era without being bound by restrictions on personnel and equipment.

Application Industry

Robotics And Automation In Logistics

Lithium Battery

Semiconductor Robots

Semiconductor & FPD

Robots Electronics

3C Electronics

Pallet Robots

New Energy Industry

Robots in the Automotive Industry

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

Delivery Robots in Hospitals

Pharmaceutical And Medical Equipment

Amr In Manufacturing

Ordinary Manufacturing Industry

User Example

Lithium Battery

Semiconductor & FPD

Electronics

PV & Li-ion Battery

Transportation Equipment

Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment

Ordinary Manufacturing Industries

Logistics Robots

How Does A Lithium Battery Factory Upgrade Logistics Automation

Software and Hardware Integrated Solution Reducing Costs and Increasing EfficiencyIPLUSMOBOT is a multi-scenario smart manufacturing logistics solution provider that adheres to the deep cultivation of...

Robotics and Automation in Logistics

How Digital Logistics Drives Manufacturing Factory of Heavy Trucks to Raise the Productivity

Challenge

The features of original accessories of large special type of vehicles are large volume and load. Before utilized the AMR, materials transportation achieved by drivers on factories’ internal...

[stevebattle]

Putan (1981) by Namco, Tokyo, Japan. Namco's "Maze Escape Robot: Putan" has a more humanoid form than its big brother, Goro. "Namco established a robotics division to produce robots for entertainment centers and festivals, such as those that distributed pamphlets, ribbon making machines, and a robot named Putan that solved pre-built mazes." – 65 Facts About Namco.

[techlove-1999]

ok, so… securitrons move around with One Big Tire. while it gives their design a pretty memorable Staple, its… well, realistically it would be TERRIBLE 4 balance…!!! while a big tire like that on its Own could probably balance just fine, we of course have a Big (Cute) Bulky Robot that’s gonna be Fucking with its Center of Mass, kind of like a heavy unicycle!! so i have 2 wonder how they do it so well ingame…!! obviously it could be explained through cartoon physics or something like that… but i wanna dig a bit Deeper than that. i love securitrons too much 2 just write it off anyhow…^_^ so lets solve the mystery of how these things can balance so good!!!

now.. it could be that securitrons are specifically coded 2 know how 2 Balance themselves, or have some kind of mechanic that keeps them from Toppling Over every time they want 2 stop moving or stay Still. it could be possible that they have a sort of special Locking Mechanism that keeps their tire from making them roll away…? however this does Not solve the problem of the robot’s center of mass!! because even if the tire is locked in place, the Weight of the securitron’s body will still, well… make it tip over!!

so i propose an Idea. what if the securitrons center of mass. is actually a lot Lower than it may seem from their build. stay with me here, ok…? ok…

obviously house is too much of a Haughty Smarty Pants or something like that 2 just have written off or ignore this issue. in fact- the way securitrons ingame can effortlessly balance is a testament 2 this fact!! so what did he do 2 let the securitrons actually balance…?

its is My Opinion that securitrons must have their center of mass Lower in their bodies. this would make it Much easier 4 them 2 actually balance themselves as we see in new vegas!! if i had 2 guess where Specifically, i’d say somewhere as shown in This Simple Graphic…

since the part housing the Screen is the bulkiest part of the chassis, you would Typically expect that 2 be the center of mass… however, with it being So High Up on the body, it would cause the robot 2 fall over!!! crash!!! ow!!! @_@

however… if the center of mass is Below that part, in the “waist” area per se, then the robot won’t have as much of a discrepancy in weight distribution. it wont be as Top Heavy, allowing the entire machine 2 stay standing!!

now as 4 How exactly the center of weight would realistically be in the waist area, i’d have 2 say its probably something 2 do with how the Functions of the parts affect how theyd be Built, if that makes any sense... the lower waist area is where the Wheel connects 2 the rest of the body, so the part where it connects is most likely More Fortified so it doesn’t Come Apart, especially considering the amount of Movement that part would have 2 put up with, so it should there4 be using Stronger/More Material so it doesn’t Wear Down so easily. perhaps the material in that area is pretty thick, making it heavy!!

as 4 the part Above that however… we can see its made up of the same material as the Arms, and from securitron movement and idle animations, we see its somewhat Flexible from the way it Bounces!! perhaps theres a comically large spring inside? or perhaps a multitude of springs that allow the chassis 2 Bounce in the way it does? (leaving that outside bit as the only thing letting it bounce would be a bit Stupid, really… there would be Zero support 4 the chassis and it would just always be Crushing the thing…!!!) so perhaps those springs are quite heavy, as they’d have 2 be Strong and there4 pretty Big and Thick so they dont snap inside of the body!

of course this is all just Speculation, as we dont 4 sure know what the inside of one of these cuties looks like. maybe one day we’ll get a good look at the inner workings of a securitron, but until we know that, all we have 2 rely on is the power of Headcanon!! so i could be spot on, or i could be way off. who knows!! maybe theyre powered by cartoon bullshittery 4 real!!!

id really love 2 hear Other People’s ideas and thoughts on this too… i am not an Expert on Robotics by a Long Shot, even if i do love them with my Whole Heart… im just some sillyguy giving its two cents on a cute robot!! so if anyone has different or cooler interpretations on how securitrons can balance, i would love 2 hear them!!

also… thank you 4 reading my speculations as well in the First Place… it honestly means a Whole Lot 2 me whenever people enjoy the stuff i put out here 4 fun, so thank you thank you Thank You 4 taking the time 2 enjoy my silly little works...!!! (seriously everyone leaves the sweetest stuff in the tags and it makes me want 2 Cry Tears Of Joy. who let you all be so kind and wonderful.)

[alpaca-clouds]

Worldbuild Differently: Unthink Work

This week I want to talk a bit about one thing I see in both fantasy and scifi worldbuilding: Certain things about our world that we live in right now are assumed to be natural, and hence just adapted in the fantasy world. With just one tiny problem: They are not natural, and there were more than enough societies historically that avoided those pitfalls.

*rubs hands* Today's topic is one I am currently reading a lot about. And it is another one, where it shows fairly clearly that often people do not quite question their current status quo. And yes, this will be another one where I need to reference the Forgotten Realms a bit. But let me start a bit more vaguely.

Work is a thing that in Science Fiction might be questioned a bit. People will still work, sure, but at least some Science Fiction will question the idea of a 9 to 5 job, because maybe robots are doing part of the work, or it is otherwise automated. Of course, in some SciFi subgenres like Cyberpunk people very much still work long hours, but I would argue that in Cyberpunk it is part of the dystopia. After all Cyberpunk is all about the worst things of capitalism being the thing that wins.

But both in more optimistic Scifi worlds (like Solarpunk) and Scifi worlds that exist more for the space adventure, there is a general idea that people might still work, but not quite as much - unless the work is the adventure (see Star Trek).

But then there is fantasy. And fantasy is often set in a pseudo-historical setting. A lot of people use a medieval setting of some sorts. And here we see the issue come up a lot.

The issue in how we interact with times past, is that we too often either project the modern world onto it, or believe the Victorian propaganda about the medieval times. Because the Victorians were like "if you feel we are overworking you, be glad you did not live in medieval times". Which kinda their reaction to any criticism. But this is... wrong.

See, we know by now, that actual humans worked a lot less before the industrial revolution. Automations and mechanations never made us work less, they just develued our work - just as it is happening with AI right now.

Generally speaking a hunter-gatherer would "work" (either in hunting-gathering or stuff like taking care of their clothes and so on) for about 20 hours a week. And the usual medieval peasant worked probably around 30 hours a week - though in case of the peasant working the fields this work might have been more unevenly distributed throughout the year (with them working longer hours during sowing and harvest times, but a lot less during winter times). We have actually some evidence that some cultures explicitly decided to not pick up farming, because they realized that it would be more work than hunting-gathering. So as hunter-gathrers they had more time to be creative. And yes, there is quite a lot of anthropological evidence right now, that humans are all about creativity in the end.

But in a lot of fantasy stuff - like the Forgotten Realms - we do have the issue that folks kinda assume modern work ethics. Of course, in the FR this often is more a background noise, given that the stories of the FR mostly focus on adventurers. And sure, adventurers technically work to - most adventurers are in that business to make money in one way or another - but we rarely center the stories of people working normal jobs.

But we see how especially in the cities work is framed in a very modern manner. As is the way that people earn money and using it. The people working around dept and such? Yeah, we do not see a whole lot of that.

And as said in terms of the money: I get that in the FR money also kinda has to play a role because it is used as a game mechanic. But it really is kinda annoying as a part of worldbuilding, because in the context it does not really make sense. The FR seem to already exist under capitalism - even though it is not a setting that should be capitalist.

To get back to the general worldbuilding advice: Unthink this idea that everyone needs to work 40 hours a week and more. Unless you want to use this to say something... In any non-modern settings it is probably unrealistic.

[coldgoldlazarus]

It is kinda funny how AM2R and Samus Returns, in trying to give each section of SR388 a unique aesthetic identity, actually lined up on that a fair bit for the most part. Area 1's a temple, Area 2's a hydroelectric plant, Area 4's a crystal mine. Area 3 is a robotics facility in both as well, even if the aesthetic interpretation of that concept differs more than some of the other overlaps.

Area 5, the Tower, is the biggest divergence, with AM2R making it a techy weapons facility with a lava moat, where SR makes it all jungley/swampy.

Area 6 is also subtly different, with AM2R treating it as an extension of the main tunnel route with some extra lava pools, while Samus Returns recasts it as a dusty underground desert. (Also, I'm disregarding the Distribution Center here, since that's a completely new section with no analogues in the other two versions, but if we take that as AM2R's Area 6, the divergence becomes just as strong as with the Tower.)

Most amusingly to me is at the end, with the Omega gauntlet and the Queen's lair. They both have a Chozo lab tied to the creation of the Metroids, and they both have an area where it's more of an organic nest... but the order is swapped. Organic bubbley area to abandoned lab in AM2R; abandoned lab to organic eggy area in Samus Returns.

Just kinda interesting parallels of mostly-convergent evolution between the two projects. Makes me wonder how much was influence by Metroid II itself, or if someone at Mercurysteam was aware of AM2R and taking notes, and how much was just lucky coincidence.

[dynared]

So doing a slight follow-up to the "Voltron is leaving Netflix" announcement, I should note that it's not exactly Netflix's fault here. Not fully anyway.

Netflix signed a deal with Dreamworks where the rights to the original shows would expire unless renewed. Since then Dreamworks signed a first-look deal with Hulu, then their parent company NBC Universal founded their own streaming service in Peacock (your home for WWE pay-per-views and reruns of The Office). So Dreamworks is merely collecting what is owed. Dreamworks meanwhile, has the option to re-air the show on owned affiliates like Peacock, although when it comes to Netflix originals, they've only done it for one show, a Puss in Boots spinoff, which airs on Peacock.

So now that we've established that this is not Netflix killing a show for taxes, or doing something personal to slight you, the viewer, I do think the timing is very serendipitous for all parties involved. Dreamworks no longer has the rights to make Voltron material, although Universal does have the right to co-distribute the original series still. WEP, Inc, master holder of the Voltron license, sold the rights to Amazon MGM Studios, who, even as we speak, are currently building sets in Australia for the live-action Voltron movie.

With the Transformers recording weaker and weaker box offices (Transformers One lost to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice despite great critical and audience scores), there is now a massive giant robot-shaped hole in theaters since the Robots in Disguise are likely going to be taking some time off.

It also doesn't help that well, Bob Koplar, head of WEP and producer on the Voltron movie, kind of hates Legendary Defender from interviews with the man. He's on record during VoltCon 2020 saying that Dreamworks "did not get Voltron" which is why he was unsurprised that their attempt at a LA script that was going to use Legendary Defender as a base was rejected (leading to Dreamworks losing the license to make new material) and during VoltCon 2023 flat out said that his movie will NOT use the names of the original team, since he didn't want the series to be tied down to those names. So no Keith, Lance, Pidge, Hunk, Allura, and Shiro. Instead, you're probably getting five pilots named Ken, Joe, Ryu, Jinpei, and Jun. (Probably not THOSE names, but you get my point).

So, Voltron leaving Netflix is not really the fault of anything but contract expirations. However, everyone seems really happy with the idea of VLD disappearing forever and being replaced with a brand-new big-budget movie.

[musesofthesun]

// i will be reposting some N hcs from last year, so have some N Biology Facts! N-atomy, if you will..... facts and ref below cut! cw: some robo- and bio-body horror.

on his top jaw, he has two fangs, two supplementary canines after those fangs, and incisors in between his fangs. the rest of his teeth behind those primaries are serrated and triangular. his bottom jaw is identical save for the primary fangs; instead, he has three smaller canines.

he has a pharyngeal, or "second", jaw further inside his mouth. it has hooked, serrated teeth in front and premolars and molars in the back; it's used to grind up things but also can drag prey/parts further into his mouth.

he's got a sheathed, rough, and rubber-like tongue that's prehensile and can extend and retract. it has a sharp tip and functions like a straw <3 it also has some sponge-like spots to help absorb that oil baybee

there's a sheet of malleable metal alloy on the "mouth" part of his muzzle that basically functions like the skin/cheek areas on a human's face. this is a shared thing with worker drones and allows the robots to emote exactly like they're animated in the show

his head is actually mostly just... mouth and screen/optic circuits. lol

his core is in the center of his chest. honestly, his chest chassis is pretty unsettling on the inside. past the plating, it's an organic mess with wires and circuits in there. his data drives and other components are in there and they're all connected to the core.

he has a ribcage! it's an amalgamation of bones and metal that's there to keep things in place and provide protection for the core.

N also has biologically-based "organs," but only two, and they're not really essential to his primary functions: nanite-producer and nanite-neutralizer. one of them is responsible for processing liquids into nanite acid, and the other is responsible for his neutralizing saliva. they're rather small and sit on either side of his core.

there's an organic kind of tissue that, alongside all his wires, acts as cushioning for everything in his chest.

everything is steered by his core. it directs functions, holds protocols and processes, protects data drives, can make backups of important data very fast, and a lot of other stuff. it's basically his brain and heart; it holds his essential C:// drive (all his personality and preprogrammed stuff), his blueprints, and his power source. his core is composed of essential parts that are glued together with organic matter. that's why it can survive independently in the event he's destroyed and active the solver program to glue him back together, 'cause it has the parts that make N himself.

i bet you're wondering how he can fit so many weapons in his arms and swap which arm they're in, huh? well, his arms are filled with malleable metallic liquid that can shape itself into anything within nanoseconds. the selection of weapons he has is due to blueprints stored on special drives in his arms. you could theoretically delete one of those blueprints to remove one of his weapons. you could also add a weapon blueprint, but there are a lot of parameters it has to fulfill and boundaries it has to be within. ( like it has to be in a certain size range, can it have sufficient ammo provided for it, how much power will it draw from his core per usage, etc. )

N's tail length is mildly adjustable. he has extra extensions for it in his chassis just in case he needs a few more centimeters or an extra foot of length. it's not much, but it's there!

his neck has wires that connect to his tongue and jaw. there's also a pump in his neck that funnels oil down into mechanisms around his core that process it into coolant and distribute it.

the bottom of his feet are jagged for grip purposes!

due to the fact his arms are his main means of defense, they're probably the toughest part of him. they can take a LOT of punishment, so he freely uses them to block hits and such.

the second most durable and tough part of him would be his legs. he has a lot of kicking power and motor strength in them, so they're actually weapons in their own right

his wings operate on the same principle as the weapons in his arms! he has ports on his back to dispense and retract the metal that makes them.

his wings are somewhat prehensile in places. he can move the blade at the end and the two blades near it somewhat independently.

the yellow rings on his wings are not only joints, but they're also where his antigravity jets are. he can exert an aura from them that allows him to fly easier/just hover in the air. in combat, he likes to concentrate them in blasts to throw his targets off kilter.

his stinger is doubly-barbed, unlike his squadmembers'. his tail also has a fair amount of motor strength in it, which is why he uses it to stab targets and fling them around!

✨️N-antomy <33✨️

[aswegoalong72]

Reyal At A Glance - Therikine

Map by @nexelart (twit)

Therikine - Where Land Meets Sea

Therikine is one of the latest settled regions of Southern Reyal during their early history, but it was the most important prior to the discovery of the Yuniv-Semat Trail.

As a temperate island, deep in Alkanite territory, it was exploited for its remoteness and abundance of natural resources at first. As those who fled from South-Eastern Reyal during the Exodus didn't have many resources or much of value in terms of trade goods, Therikine was essentially a holy grail for them.

Following the first religious wars, The Alkanites had a very hard time regaining trust of the rest of the world. Those in Tyrateol and other cities refused to do business with them for almost thirty years, before one day a ship set sail from Therikine to Heryeg-Ta, a major Tenavite shipping center. There, they unloaded several tons of gifts, ranging from dried ajjen mix from Therikine, to a few major works of art from Gallak. This marked one of the first attempts of intercontinental unity and goodwill, even if it didn't last.

In the following centuries, Therikine became a massive hub for traders and civilians alike, drawing in traders all across Reyal. As things cooled down thanks to communication and treaties, Therikine became a symbol of unity; a place where anybody, regardless of their religion, could feel safe together.

Nowadays, Therikine's use in terms of ajjen production has fallen; it's still produced and exported, but in much smaller amounts. Most familial communes, no matter where they're located, have their own greenhouse dedicated to growing the plants needed for it. Instead, Therikine focuses more on its mineral wealth, and has built a few small factories with the GRC's aid to help produce and distribute household robotics.

LV-72

LV-72, or “Laren Vuuhet”, which stands for “Mining Site 72” in the local tongue, was one of the Global Resource Committee’s many prospecting regions in the area. Located in a canyon, the area was originally marked for exploitation due to its high levels of yttrium and iron. However, many were shocked to find the presence of some very well preserved fossils in the canyon walls, coming from just before the Second Reset.

The entire mining operation switched gears, focusing on locating more. As time passed, two junior specialists (Sav and Uutarb, who grew to be very respected in their fields) proposed using ground penetrating radar to see if there was anything else in the area.

They were proven right, and on one fateful cave dive, Uutarb and one of her compatriots discovered two incredibly well preserved fossils. Not from before the Second Reset, but the First. Due to the nature of the extinction events & Reyal’s resurfacing in the periods that followed, they only had a hazy idea of what life was like before these catastrophic events. These caves helped to change their understanding of not only their world, but of themselves.

As this discovery took place well over two hundred years ago, LV-72 has more or less become a tourist attraction. Most of the fossils in the area have already been uncovered, being sent to museums and universities across the globe.

Yuurat

Yuurat is the capital of the United Therikine Communes. Originally, Yuurat had just been a small farming community, forming shortly after the third Exodus wave. Settlers were those who disagreed with mainstream Alkanite beliefs back in Gallak, and set out to find a new land that had been untouched by anyone. After scouring the seas, they found Therikine; a beautiful green gem among the dark blue seas.

Initially, growth was slow. The only things they knew how to work with were the super abundant algae and seaweed that grew in the area, which they used to supplement their diet. After a little more exploration of the region, they discovered a few new fruit species, as well as some miscellaneous vegetables and herbs.

On one fateful day, a local doctor began experimenting with some of the herbs, and discovered that quite a few had some very stimulating properties. After drying some and blending them together, he made Reyal’s very first cup of ajjen; a beverage that would change the world.

Word quickly spread, and ajjen became a very important trade good for Therikine. It began to command trade deals with Gallak and other Alkanite cities, with ajjen being almost as expensive as gold as word of its properties and taste spread. However, as dry ajjen is nowhere near as potent as fresh, things began to die down as some got their hands on seeds to grow their own.

Yuurat’s population slowly declined for a few hundred years, before it had a second wave of exponential growth, thanks to the discovery of rare earth minerals.

Today, however, most mining and production has been moved off world, and Yuurat has become more of a general food producer and vacation town. With a population only a fraction of what it used to be, Yuurat barely holds the power it once did, but is still a bustling and thriving town.

GRC Therikine Outpost

The Global Resource Committee (GRC) can be very closely tied to Therikine, in more ways than one. Therikine has always been a major producer of rare and important minerals, and the GRC was a big player in the development of Therikine’s mining industry.

The GRC’s Therikine outpost was established a little over 250 years ago, initially to help scout for new deposits on one of the relatively uninhabited sections of the island. Mining was already a very important sector for Therikine, but with the aid of the GRC, production tripled. Before the push of mining into space, Therikine would be one of the GRC’s top donors of resources, and played an important role in helping to fund new projects, such as the Rev-Legaken Launch Facility.

The outpost also was a major training facility for the GRC; new recruits of various physical sciences would typically be sent here to get their bearings, before being sent out to other locations across Reyal. Calculating environmental impacts from mining and finding new deposits were fairly easy, so it was a very simple and easy first post for greenhorns.

With the discovery of numerous fossils in the region, mining was slowly toned down in the area, with its new focus becoming paleontology. This marked the slow end of the outpost, as new discoveries are eventually dried up. Choosing for the area to become a center of learning, it was converted to a museum and hotel just a few decades ago.

That’s it for this entry; thanks for your patience in waiting for this! It means a lot to me. Until next week, when we’ll be discussing the Great Central Desert Mountains! Take care!

Directory: Intro | Climate | the Land of Tenav's Dawn | the Desert Rings | Therikine | the Great Central Desert Mountains | the North Glacial Plains | the Yuniv-Semat Basin | Juleg Marrdev Technocracy | Yuniv-Semat Trail | Ro | Velgae

[planetofsnarfs]

Elon Musk’s love of sci-fi has turned against him. Or at least it has turned into a copyright issue. 

Both Musk and his company Tesla are named in a new lawsuit by Alcon Entertainment, a production company for Blade Runner 2049, which alleges the film’s imagery was used in promotional material for this month’s robo-taxi event. Alcon claims it explicitly denied a request for permission from the company shortly before the Cybercab was unveiled, but Musk and Tesla allegedly used the imagery anyway. 

Alcon’s complaint includes accusations of copyright infringement and false endorsement, also naming Warner Bros. Discovery, which partnered with Tesla for the event. The dispute centers around Musk’s use of a slide during the presentation that featured a figure in a trench coat surveying a desolate, orange-lit landscape—an image reminiscent of an iconic scene from Blade Runner 2049 featuring Ryan Gosling’s character.

“All of the Defendants participated in its creation, and in its display in the presentation at the event, from a WBDI-owned building and studio lot, on WBDI-owned video screens and otherwise using WBDI-owned technology infrastructure, operated by or in conjunction with Tesla employees, all acting in whole or in part subject to the direction and control of Musk,” the complaint reads.

Musk, who has openly expressed admiration for the Blade Runner films, even gave the movie a shout-out at the robo-taxi event, saying, “I love Blade Runner, but I don’t know if we want that future.” 

Alcon argues that Tesla’s use of AI-generated imagery mimicking the film’s aesthetic was an intentional move to bypass copyright restrictions when an emergency request to use actual film imagery was denied hours before the robo-taxi event. The lawsuit calls this a “bad-faith and malicious gambit,” accusing Musk and Tesla of exploiting the film’s visual style for their own marketing gain.

The lawsuit claims that Alcon Entertainment denied Tesla’s request for permission because of “problematic Musk” and his political and social views. Alcon is also reportedly in talks with other automotive brands for its upcoming Blade Runner 2099 TV series and does not want the film associated with Musk or his companies.

Alcon seeks unspecified damages, as well as a ban on Tesla from distributing the disputed promotional materials.

The lawsuit comes after similar criticism from Alex Proyas, the director of I, Robot, who tweeted that Musk’s new Optimus AI robot copied the design of the AI depicted in the 2004 film.

Proyas wrote, “Hey Elon, can I have my designs back please?” He has not filed any lawsuits, however.

[jakey-beefed-it]

@rabidchilde this is all secondhand through my FLGS who got it from his GW rep and while I trust my FLGS guy to be honest with me, who knows if he's getting the truth from GW, so take it with a grain of salt, but

Basically they automated their main warehouse in Tennessee a couple years back, in the middle of the Covid wargaming boom, causing further fuckery to distribution than they would've had just from Covid. Then the robots (basically industrial-scale roomba type things that zip around the warehouse, place and pick things, then head back to recharge when they need it) started fucking up. This has not been solved.

So, rather than use their profits to buy more production facilities, rather than hire more people to run those facilities and the distribution centers, once again the profit motive has driven them to act stupid out of raw greed, turn to automation to save a few bucks on payroll, meanwhile the automation is ten kinds of fucked up and the problems haven't been solved in two years so who knows if they're even solveable with the current system.

And the end result has been massive supply issues, *especially* in North America, and they're so far behind on order fulfillment that they are planning a total moratorium in the near future in order to catch up. This will put any orders on hold for... days? weeks? months? And mean you can't order anything at all until the moratorium is over.

What this means for me, specifically, is that the allarus terminators I ordered are unlikely to arrive at my FLGS before the moratorium goes into effect and so I'll be waiting on them for a whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiile. Which would suck under any circumstances, but I'm in a bit of a funk and the only thing that was kinda sustaining me was planning out my dumb kitbash ideas using them, and now that's out so what am I supposed to do? One of my other nerdy hobbies? I mean yeah probably I'll be fine after I have a little snit and just shift to working on d&d or something but for now, mreeeeh.

[lonestarflight]

"CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Amid the tranquility of a wildlife refuge, Space Shuttle Endeavour rumbles off Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Endeavour began its final flight, the STS-134 mission, to the International Space Station on time at 8:56 a.m. EDT on May 16. Endeavour and its six-member crew are embarking on a mission to deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), Express Logistics Carrier-3, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the space station. Endeavour's first launch attempt on April 29 was scrubbed because of an issue associated with a faulty power distribution box called the aft load control assembly-2 (ALCA-2). For more information visit, www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html. Kennedy coexists with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, habitat to more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fish and 65 amphibians and reptiles."

Photo credit: Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connell

Date: May 16, 2011

NASA ID: KSC-2011-3633

[chat-rivary]

Just a little bug who cause a little bruise...

Walking through the long corridors leading to the daycare center you were once again stopped by the Map Bot. You didn't even know how many maps you had stuffed in the drawers of the Parts and Service furniture because you kept running into the bot and having to get a map to get back on your way. Like all the other times the Bot got in your way waving the Pizzaplex map in your face, you passed the Map Bot, quickly retrieving the map in an attempt to get back to the Daycare, but you were stopped by a metal hand that closed violently and forcefully on your wrist.

You turned sharply, watching as the Map Bot looked at you with its cold, empty eyes and tilted its head as if it were analyzing you. You squealed in pain as the robot's grip tightened on you, you tried to pull your hand away from the Bot's but couldn't, panicking you wiggled your wrist pulling in your direction hoping to make it let go. Suddenly, the Map Bot's grip loosened, you stumbled backwards slightly because of the momentum. You looked up at the Map Bot, who had already turned his back, going off to who-knows-where to distribute his maps as if he hadn't attacked you seconds earlier.

[jcmarchi]

Studying astrophysically relevant plasma physics

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/studying-astrophysically-relevant-plasma-physics/

Studying astrophysically relevant plasma physics

Thomas Varnish loves his hobbies — knitting, baking, pottery — it’s a long list. His latest interest is analog film photography. A picture with his mother and another with his boyfriend are just a few of Varnish’s favorites. “These moments of human connection are the ones I like,” he says.

Varnish’s love of capturing a fleeting moment on film translates to his research when he conducts laser interferometry on plasmas using off-the-shelf cameras. At the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, the third-year doctoral student studies various facets of astrophysically relevant fundamental plasma physics under the supervision of Professor Jack Hare.

It’s an area of research that Varnish arrived at organically.

A childhood fueled by science

Growing up in Warwickshire, England, Varnish fell in love with lab experiments as a middle-schooler after joining the science club. He remembers graduating from the classic egg-drop experiment to tracking the trajectory of a catapult, and eventually building his own model electromagnetic launch system. It was a set of electromagnets and sensors spaced along a straight track that could accelerate magnets and shoot them out the end. Varnish demonstrated the system by using it to pop balloons. Later, in high school, being a part of the robotics club team got him building a team of robots to compete in RoboCup, an international robot soccer competition. Varnish also joined the astronomy club, which helped seed an interest in the adjacent field of astrophysics.

Varnish moved on to Imperial College London to study physics as an undergraduate but he was still shopping around for definitive research interests. Always a hands-on science student, Varnish decided to give astronomy instrumentation a whirl during a summer school session in Canada.

However, even this discipline didn’t quite seem to stick until he came upon a lab at Imperial conducting research in experimental astrophysics. Called MAGPIE (The Mega Ampere Generator for Plasma Implosion Experiments), the facility merged two of Varnish’s greatest loves: hands-on experiments and astrophysics. Varnish eventually completed an undergraduate research opportunity (UROP) project at MAGPIE under the guidance of Hare, his current advisor, who was then a postdoc at the MAGPIE lab at Imperial College.

Part of Varnish’s research for his master’s degree at Imperial involved stitching together observations from the retired Herschel Space Telescope to create the deepest far-infrared image ever made by the instrument. The research also used statistical techniques to understand the patterns of brightness distribution in the images and to trace them to specific combinations of galaxy occurrences. By studying patterns in the brightness of a patch of dark sky, Varnish could discern the population of galaxies in the region.

Move to MIT

Varnish followed Hare (and a dream of studying astrophysics) to MIT, where he primarily focuses on plasma in the context of astrophysical environments. He studies experimental pulsed-power-driven magnetic reconnection in the presence of a guide field.

Key to Varnish’s experiments is a pulsed-power facility, which is essentially a large capacitor capable of releasing a significant surge of current. The electricity passes through (and vaporizes) thin wires in a vacuum chamber to create a plasma. At MIT, the facility currently being built at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) by Hare’s group is called: PUFFIN (PUlser For Fundamental (Plasma Physics) INvestigations).

In a pulsed-power facility, tiny cylindrical arrays of extremely thin metal wires usually generate the plasma. Varnish’s experiments use an array in which graphite leads, the kind used in mechanical pencils, replace the wires. “Doing so gives us the right kind of plasma with the right kind of properties we’d like to study,” Varnish says. The solution is also easy to work with and “not as fiddly as some other methods.” A thicker post in the middle completes the array. A pulsed current traveling down the array vaporizes the thin wires into a plasma. The interactions between the current flowing through the plasma and the generated magnetic field pushes the plasma radially outward. “Each little array is like a little exploding bubble of magnetized plasma,” Varnish says. He studies the interaction between the plasma flows at the center of two adjacent arrays.

Studying plasma behavior

The plasma generated in these pulsed-power experiments is stable only for a few hundred nanoseconds, so diagnostics have to take advantage of an extremely short sampling window. Laser interferometry, which images plasma density, is Varnish’s favorite. In this technique, a camera takes a picture of a split laser beam, one arm of which encounters the plasma and one that doesn’t. The arm that hits the plasma produces an interference pattern when the two arms are recombined. Capturing the result with a camera allows researchers to infer the structure of the plasma flows.

Another diagnostic method involves placing tiny loops of metal wire in the plasma (called B-dots), which record how the magnetic field in the plasma changes in time. Yet another way to study plasma physics is using a technique called Faraday rotation, which measures the twisting of polarized light as it passes through a magnetic field. The net result is an “image map of magnetic fields, which is really quite incredible,” Varnish says.

These diagnostic techniques help Varnish research magnetic reconnection, the process by which plasma breaks and reforms magnetic fields. It’s all about energy redistribution, Varnish says, and is particularly relevant because it creates solar flares. Varnish studies how having not-perfectly-opposite magnetic field lines might affect the reconnection process.

Most research in plasma physics can be neatly explained by the principles of magnetohydrodynamics, but the phenomena observed in Varnish’s experiments need to be explained with additional theories. Using pulsed power enables studies over longer length scales and time periods than in other experiments, such as laser-driven ones. Varnish is looking forward to working on simulations and follow-up experiments on PUFFIN to study these phenomena under slightly different conditions, which might shed new light on the processes.

At the moment, Varnish’s focus is on programming the control systems for PUFFIN so he can get it up and running. Part of the diagnostics system involves ensuring that the facility will deliver the plasma-inducing currents needed and perform as expected.

Aiding LGBTQ+ efforts

When not working on PUFFIN or his experiments, Varnish serves as co-lead of an LGBTQ+ affinity group at the PSFC, which he set up with a fellow doctoral student. The group offers a safe space for LGBTQ+ scientists and meets for lunch about once a month. “It’s been a nice bit of community building, and I think it’s important to support other LGBTQ+ scientists and make everyone feel welcome, even if it’s just in small ways,” Varnish says, “It has definitely helped me to feel more comfortable knowing there’s a handful of fellow LGBTQ+ scientists at the center.”

Varnish has his hobbies going. One of his go-to bakes is a “rocky road,” a British chocolate bar that mixes chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers. His research interests, too, are a delicious concoction mixed together: “the intersection of plasma physics, laboratory astrophysics, astrophysics (the won’t-fit-in-a-lab kind), and instrumentation.”

[hairrestorationcapital]

The Art And Science Of Hair Transplants

Hair loss can deeply impact self-esteem and quality of life, prompting many to seek solutions like hair transplants. Beyond merely restoring hair, modern hair transplantation blends meticulous surgical techniques with artistic principles to achieve natural-looking results. This exploration delves into the fusion of art and science in hair transplants, examining how advancements in technology and surgical expertise have transformed the field and for more information visit Hair Transplant Brighton.

The Science Behind Hair Transplants:

Hair transplantation is rooted in the understanding of hair growth and follicular dynamics. The two primary techniques, Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), differ in how donor hair follicles are harvested and transplanted. FUT involves removing a strip of scalp from the donor area, dissecting it into individual follicular units under a microscope, and then transplanting them to the recipient site. FUE, on the other hand, uses a punch tool to extract individual follicular units directly from the scalp, which are then transplanted one by one. Both techniques aim to relocate hair follicles from areas of dense hair growth (donor sites) to areas experiencing hair loss or thinning (recipient sites), ensuring natural-looking results.

Artistry in Hairline Design:

Creating a natural hairline is where the artistry of hair transplantation truly shines. Surgeons meticulously design the hairline to complement facial features, ethnicity, and age, taking into account natural hair growth patterns and density. The angle, direction, and distribution of transplanted follicles are carefully planned to mimic the natural flow of hair, ensuring seamless integration with existing hair and a balanced aesthetic appearance. This artistic approach requires both technical skill and an understanding of the patient's aesthetic goals, resulting in a hairline that enhances facial symmetry and restores confidence.

Technological Advancements:

Advancements in technology have revolutionized the precision and efficiency of hair transplant procedures. Robotic systems like ARTAS utilize artificial intelligence to assist surgeons in harvesting and transplanting follicular units with unparalleled accuracy. These systems enhance the speed and accuracy of follicle extraction, reduce trauma to donor areas, and optimize graft survival rates. Additionally, advanced imaging techniques such as high-definition cameras and digital mapping tools enable surgeons to visualize the scalp in greater detail, facilitating precise graft placement and enhancing overall procedural outcomes.

Patient-Centered Care:

Beyond technical proficiency, patient-centered care is integral to successful hair transplants. Surgeons conduct thorough consultations to understand each patient's unique concerns, preferences, and expectations. They educate patients about available treatment options, discuss realistic outcomes, and tailor treatment plans to achieve individualized aesthetic goals. Throughout the process, from pre-operative preparation to post-operative care, patient comfort, safety, and satisfaction remain paramount. This personalized approach fosters trust and collaboration between patients and their medical team, ensuring a positive experience and optimal results.

Post-Operative Recovery and Follow-Up:

Post-operative care plays a crucial role in the success of hair transplants. Patients are provided with detailed instructions on caring for the transplant site, managing discomfort, and promoting healing. While recovery times vary, most individuals can resume normal activities within a few days to weeks following surgery. Regular follow-up appointments allow surgeons to monitor graft growth, assess healing progress, and address any concerns or questions that may arise. Continued support and guidance throughout the recovery process contribute to long-term satisfaction and confidence in the results of hair transplantation.

Ethical Considerations:

Ethical considerations in hair transplantation encompass informed consent, patient autonomy, and transparency regarding potential risks and benefits. Surgeons adhere to professional guidelines and ethical standards to ensure that patients make informed decisions based on accurate information. They prioritize patient well-being and strive to achieve natural-looking results while managing expectations realistically. Ethical practice also involves ongoing education and training to stay abreast of advancements in the field, uphold professional integrity, and provide compassionate care to individuals seeking hair restoration.

Conclusion:

The art and science of hair transplants epitomize the intersection of technical expertise and artistic vision, transforming lives by restoring natural hair growth and enhancing self-confidence. Through meticulous surgical techniques, advancements in technology, and patient-centered care, hair transplantation offers effective solutions for individuals experiencing hair loss. Surgeons combine scientific knowledge with artistic skill to design natural-looking hairlines that harmonize with facial features and reflect each patient's unique identity. As the field continues to evolve with research, innovation, and ethical practice, the promise of hair transplants remains steadfast in providing enduring solutions and renewed confidence to those seeking to reclaim their crowning glory.

Contact Us:

3rd Floor, Queensberry House,

106 Queens Rd, Brighton and Hove,

Brighton BN1 3XF

Phone: 020 8088 2393

Google map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GvEhwpk5GYbPKaYj8