#sensor finder

[karingottschalk]

Panasonic Australia: The LUMIX G9II, “Capture the Decisive Moment” – Press release

[dcxdpdabbles]

Finders Keepers

"Do not forget that the new groundskeeper is scheduled to arrive today at noon. I expect everyone to be courteous and to clean up their nighttime rubbish before his arrival," Alfred reminds them as they struggle to sit through breakfast.

Last night's patrol was brutal, and everyone was a bit bruised up and sore, not to mention that most only got an hour or so of sleep.

They collectively groan- except for Bruce and Damian, but neither count as full humans anyway, no matter what their DNA says otherwise.

Tim, in particular, is rubbing his hands down his face. "But Alfred, today's my only day off for the next six weeks!"

"I fail to see how your poor time management will change the outcome of doing your chores, Master Tim," The butler states. Tim cowards instantly at the sight of that arched brow on his grandfather's face and melts into his seat.

Pleased, Alfred taps his wristwatch. "You all have three hours. Better get to it."

They scatter. Bruce runs to his office to clean up all his paperwork, knowing some purchases were not Wayne Industries. Jason hits the multiple garages to ensure nothing bat-related is thrown in the toolboxes.

Dick is swinging by the handlers, taping his hands along the beams and pulling out hidden gadgets. Cass and Duke are walking on the roofs, double-checking the boobytraps.

Steph and Damian have offered to patrol the Batcave and the connecting tunnels to ensure the motion sensors are active.

Tim is told to walk along the property and make sure no surprise holes will appear. Bruce fell into the cave system when he was young, so the new groundskeeper might have the same fate. It's the more leisurely job since Bruce obsessively checks since it happened, but they all know Tim can barely keep his eyes open.

Tim doesn't mind because he must pat his bo staff on the ground, stomping his foot ever so often and scanning the environment with his wrist computer. He doesn't even bother to change out of his pajamas- an old pair of sweats and a baggy t-shirt Kon lent him when he once slept over and never returned. It's mostly just a walk, but it feels like an entirety to his sleep-deprived mind.

His eyelids are heavier than usual, every blink feels like a bag of sand, and he still has to check at least three-thirds of the Wayne Manor grounds.

He is wandering towards the east side of the property when he finds a very convenient bush shaped perfectly to block the sun and offer him a tiny nooch to snuggle into.

He glances back at the house and then at the time on his wrist computer. He has two hours and twenty minutes before the groundskeeper arrives.

"One short nap," Tim mutters, getting on his hands and knees to crawl into the bush. He twists to lie on his back, using his jacket as a pillow. His whole body fits inside, so Alfred will likely not catch him. The scrub is soft, and Tim relaxes into his protective shade. "I'll get up in a bit."

The wind blowing through the trees and the bushes around him lures him to sleep.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey"

A voice cuts through his dream of jumping over the city, chasing after his family but maskless. They weren't running around the roofs fighting a good fight; the Waynes in his dream were just spending time together. Laughing. Goodnaturely teasing.

It's wonderful.

It's everything he's ever wanted.

It's slowly disappearing as he is coming back to consciousness.

Tim groans, trying to roll over and return to the dream, but the voice speaks again. "Hey, man, you can't sleep here."

A hand clamps on his shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. Tim mutters, weakly swapping it away. "No. No. No."

"Come one, man, I can't have the big boss see you. It's my first day, and I don't want to get fired because I let some guy sleep in his yard." The voice continues, sounding pleasing and guilty.

Tim whimpers, rubbing his face against the cold hard ground. "No. No. No. Please, I just want to sleep. I'm not hurting anybody."

"Ancients....okay. Okay. Listen, I will let you sleep a little longer while I work. I'll finish mowing the yards and trim all the bushes. That should be at least five hours. I must move you if you're still here when I return."

Tim doesn't answer, too busy slipping back into his sleep as a hand gently runs through his hair. He snuggles into the warm palm with a sigh.

Someone gulps. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim snaps his eyes open to see that everything is pitch dark. Oh crude!

How long has he been asleep? What time is it? Was Alfred going to kill him!? What was he thinking?

Of course, Alfred would kill him, and unlike Jason or Damiman, the elder would not fail. In fact, from what Tim could make out in the darkness, a man was standing over him wearing white gloves.

He found me! Tim thinks historically. I didn't even have time to run!

The white gloves move closer as if they were going to touch him. He leaps up with a scream, and a man falls over.

"Woah! Woah! Hey, it's okay, I'm not a cop!" The stranger- not Alfred- shouts. Tim pauses, then lets out a louder scream. The man rushes forward to slam his hands against Tim's mouth.

He glances frantically at the manor- it's too far away to see anyone since Tim chose to nap at the very edge of the vast land Bruce's ancestors purchased.- before hissing. "Could you keep it down? Look, I let you sleep long enough; you must move."

Tim blinks owlish at him. His mind is fuzzy- shit, was he hit with something last night? He couldn't remember.- but he thinks he knows him.

Dark Hair.

Blue Eyes.

Pretty facial features.

Oh, it's one of his brothers. Dick? Yeah, it's Dick. Has to be. Tim is sure. He can't think clearly now, but he knows his eldest brother. This guy has the same color eyes. It's him.

Does Dick know he is Tim's brother? Does he know who he is?

"Dick," He tells the man in jeans overalls, just in case he forgets his name. His brother frowns.

"I know. I hate to do it, okay? But you can't sleep here."

"I can't?"

"No, dude."

"Where can I sleep?"

Dick sighs. "I think there is a shelter that-"

"Take me home."

Dick pauses, taken aback. "What?"

Tim leans forward, resting his head on his brother's shoulder. "I'm tired. I want to go home."

"Where do you live? Is there someone I can contact for you?" Dick asks in high pitched voice, seemingly uncomfortable by Tim's closeness but too bad. Tim never gets enough hugs, so he must deal with it because he wants hugs now.

"No, I want to go home with you!" He whines, and the world starts to spin. Quickly closing his eyes against the nausea, Tim tries to hide further into Dick's shoulder. "Take me home with you."

Dick is quiet for a long moment before he slumps. Carefully, he reaches up to pet Tim's hair, and it's so comforting that he almost falls back to sleep. "I'm going to regret this, but something in my core tells me to do what you say. You wouldn't happen to know a Clockwork, would you?"

Tim shakes his head.

"Right. Okay, taking a homeless stranger I found in the Waynor Manor bushes. Seems on-brand to me. Let's go."

Tim follows.

Who was he following? He doesn't remember, but when he climbs into a van with the words "Phantom Groundskeeping," he doesn't feel worried.

In fact, once he's buckled in, head leaning against the window and pulling his legs up to his chest, he feels oddly protected. The driver of the van is also beautiful.

Like wow. Talk about a work of art.

"I love you," He tells the man, who laughs, flickering blue sad eyes at him.

"Thanks. Take a nap. I think you should sleep off whatever your on and then I can get you some help."

"Do you love me too?"

"....sure. Go to sleep now."

"Will I die?"

"What?"

Tim can feel the word fading away, which is terrible; he knows it is but can't remember why. He just knows that when it disappears, he'll never wake up again. He tells the stranger as such, voice just barely above a whisper.

Glowing green eyes snap to him in alarm, and a small breath of blue leaves the stranger's mouth. Tim thinks he's slowly gaining a hint of horror, but his body begs him to sleep.

Tim blinks once, then twice, as the stranger's mouth opens and closes before he snaps his eyes to the road. "What a time to go mad."

The diver's grip on his steering wheel tightens, but Tim can barely keep his eyes open, so he can't see the gorgeous stranger's face as he whispers. "No. I won't let you die. Just....just sleep, okay? I'll figure it out."

Tim does.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Crap!" Jason yells, running up the stairs from the Batcave. In his hand are the test results for the standard toxicity screening they all undergo whenever they fight someone who even remotely deals with drugs.

Everyone was too tired to look at them properly, which means they all missed that Tim's blood was covered in what looked like a blend of Poison Ivy's love pollen and some kind of sleep-inducing strain.

Tim is out there, somewhere tripping balls or cuddling up to a stranger or unconscious, slowly slipping into a coma. They all thought he bailed on his work and deserved a day off so no one bothered to go after him.

Now Tim could be dead.

He rounds the large hall, his stomping footsteps barely covering the sounds of Alfred's smooth voice.

"It seems the groundskeeper is asking for a week off already. He just got married and-"

"Crap! Crap! Crap! Bruce!" He shouts, slamming the door of his dad's office open. His grandfather and father both turn sharply to him, and neither misses the paper that Jason throws. Their eyes widen in horror when they read what's on the report. "We need to find Tim!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jazz wakes to find a half-dressed stranger curled around Danny, a ghost contract with drying blood on the ground, and a hastily made banner that reads "Happy Elopement!" thrown on the wall.

The living room looks like a confetti bomb went off in it. Did she miss a party being hosted in her own house? While sleeping in the room next door?

Johnny- her ex and surprisingly good friend after he stop bothering her brother- is sitting cross-legged, eyes glued on the TV.

"What. The. Fuck." Jazz asks, walking over to pour herself a cup of coffee.

"Morning," Johnny replies without so much as turning around. Since Jazz helped plan his and Kitty's wedding, the ghost becomes a brother to the Fentons. "Danny eloped."

"I figured as much by the banner." She mutters, walking over to the couch his brother and her new brother-in-law occupy. She stares at the stranger. He looked....familiar?

"Yeah, don't know all the details, but I guess his hubby was dying, so Danny pulled a Ghost King contract out of his ass and saved him by passing on his healing factor after they were hitched," Johnny says. Jazz takes a sip of her coffee. "I think he thinks he can divorce him or something. But till death due us part doesn't apply to Halfas. They're married forever, even in life or death."

"Shit." Jazz sighs. "Danny got himself into another situation. And he was doing so well recently, too. Became a groundskeeper for the Waynes and everything."

"Waynes pay well?"

"Danny could have paid off my student loans in four paychecks."

"Damn." Johnny whistles. Just then, Kitty floats through the wall wearing a red bathing robe. Jazz will never get used to the fact ghosts could look so human in the morning, with their messy hair and dazed expression. "Morning, babe."

"Morning," Kitty mumbles, leaning down to kiss Johnny. She glances at Danny and smiles. "They're so cute. I'm so happy Danny found his Core Mate."

"Core Mate?" Jazz asks.

"Like a soulmate but more dead," Kitty explains. "They are scarce to find, but once your core finds what it wants, it's fated. That's probably why Danny married so quickly, even if it was to save a life he normally wouldn't have."

Jazz looks back at the boy wrapped around in Danny's arms. Her brother is holding him like he's the most precious thing in either world, even in his sleep, and she knows that no matter what she or anyone says, he's not going to give up- wait a minute.

The stranger moves slightly in his sleep, snuggling up against Danny more, and his hair falls out of his face.

Shit.

"That's Tim Drake. Danny stole away Tim Drake." She deadpans. "Danny went over to cut Bruce Wayne's yard and returned with his son to elop with."

"In one afternoon? I'm impressed." Johnny laughs. "He really said all services included."

"Don't be gross, Johnny," Kitty scolds, but she's smiling. Jazz just shakes her head, reaching down for the contract. She may as well read what kind of dead-brain idea her baby brother got involved with this time.

[wolfjackle-creates]

Ghost!Robin Part 11

Time for another WIP Wednesday! I'm not sure if I'll have anything for next week. I'm working on a one shot right now as I can and wrapping up stuff for my final week of work which is taking a ton of time. Though I did get on a roll today and wrote a bit more than I'm posting, so maybe I'll have something.

Story Summary: Danny was invited to dinner at Wayne Manor to meet Jazz's boyfriend and his family for the first time. He worked hard to make sure no ghost business would interrupt the evening. But when he arrived, all he could focus on was the ghost of the dead Robin that seemed to haunt Jason. Looks like he was breaking his promise.

First, Previous

Word Count: 1.4k

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“Hn. What is the range on these devices?” asked Bruce.

Danny shrugged. “My stuff? From anywhere. I track through the Infinite Realms, not by Earth. GIW? Jason-Robin, they’ll be able to detect something from probably ten miles out of city limits, but they’d need to be within half a mile to get an accurate location. The Fentons? Mile or so. They get an exact location or nothing.”

Tim asked, “Is it likely the Fenton’s will come to Gotham?”

“Not sure,” admitted Danny. “But they sell commercially, so other ghost hunters might have their equipment. Jazz, pass the Fenton Finder?”

Damian couldn’t keep the incredulity out of his voice when he finally saw the blocky silver device with a circular, green screen on it and bits sticking up out of the front. “Why is there a light bulb attached to it?”

Even Robin looked at the device with a raised eyebrow and sent out a silent this real? his way.

“It flashes when a ghost is nearby,” Danny replied to both of them.

Tim hummed in interest. “Are the visible antennae necessary? Why are there multiple?”

“Most of my parents designs were cobbled together with whatever they could cannibalize from other household electronics and junk yards. Hence the less stream-lined appearance compared to the Guys in White’s stuff.”

He flicked the switch to turn it on and instantly the light bulb was flashing red, the radar screen turned on showing several dots in close vicinity to the center, and a robotic voice said, “You are surrounded by multiple ghosts. You’d have to be an idiot to not notice the ghosts all around you.”

Danny let it read out it’s warning again before flicking it back off. He had to laugh at the looks of complete bafflement on basically everyone’s faces. Even Bruce raised an eyebrow at it.

“Yeah, that’s my parents for you. FentonWorks designs are at least easy to spot. Not the the Guys in White’s stuff is much better. That horrible white on everything…” Danny shuddered. “I hate white.”

Bruce hummed. “Will you be able to provide us with some of these devices so we can study them on our own?”

Danny bit at his lower lip. “Probably. But it’ll have to wait until after I get you the information on how to safely work with ectoplasm. If Tim and Barbara are your big tech people, they’re not liminal at all and will have to be careful when handling it.”

Tim added, “We do have extensive experience working with toxic chemicals. Many of the Gotham rogues use chemical warfare.”

“Right. Yeah, I’ll have Tucker send you the safety sheets on it and we’ll see what devices I’ve got or can make duplicates of to get to you. I’ll be sure you get all three styles of hand-held trackers and their schematics. Maybe I’ll even be able to get you the schematics for a larger tracking system like what my parents have set up in Amity.”

Barbara nodded. “That would be great. What sort of set up do your parents have in your home town?”

“So they’ve set up sensors all over the city that detect ectoplasmic activity. The signal gets sent back to the computer in the ops center they built on top of their house, and they can pin the exact location of any ghost to within a foot or two anywhere within, like, five miles of the city limits. That data is also shared with the computer in their GAV.”

Jason bumped Jazz’s shoulder with his. “I know I’m gonna regret this, but what’s the ‘GAV’?”

Jazz sighed and answered. “It stands for Ghost Assault Vehicle. It’s a modified RV that’s basically a tank. Jack and Maddie simply have to press a button and a dozen ghost weapons will protrude from the vehicle and aim for any nearby ghost. And that’s without Maddie shoving her entire upper body out the window while holding a bazooka.”

“Yep. I regret asking. How badly am I gonna want to murder your parents by the time I’m done learning about them?”

“They are not my parents.” Jazz’s voice was hard.

At the same time, Danny answered, “Depends. How do you feel about genocidal mad scientists?”

Jason just let his head bang on the table. Robin flew over to him and patted him on the back. Jason seemed to subconsciously lean into the touch.

“Now,” said Danny. “I promised I’d show the rest of you these scanners up close.”

“That would be appreciated,” said Bruce. “We also have a few more questions about you and your parents.”

“And I need you to tell me more about these Lazarus pits because those sound like they’re a disaster.”

Alfred cleared his throat. “And I believe that will have to be the end of this meeting tonight. It is getting late and at least some of you will insist on going on patrol tonight still.”

A few people grumbled at Alfred’s words, but no one argued.

Danny made his way to the other side of the table and went over how to use the devices again. He pretended not to notice the way Jazz flinched when he turned on the Fenton Finder and it called out its warning again.

Jason did put an arm around her in response, though, so he figured she’d be all right.

“So that’s that,” he said once he turned off the last device. “I won’t be showing you any weapons until after we get you up to date on ghost biology and culture. If you run into issues in the meantime, you can call Jazz or me and we’ll take care of it.”

Bruce nodded. “We’ll be following up with our own experts as well.”

“Of course,” agreed Danny. “I figured. Now, you had some more questions?”

Tim asked, “You mentioned to me and Alfred that a member of Justice League Dark stopped by Amity. Can you tell us more about that?”

“I mean, there’s not much to tell,” said Danny. “It was John Constantine. And at the time I had no idea how famous he was. Would’ve asked for an autograph if I had, but oh well. This was shortly after I defeated Pariah Dark, the previous Ghost King. He came in, asked if I needed help. I told him I got it covered, he gave me a phone number, and that was that.”

Bruce hummed. “Yes, that sounds like Constantine. We will speak to him.”

“Why?” asked Danny. “It was exactly what I wanted. A check in to confirm I was okay and someone to reach out to on Earth if I got in over my head. It’s just by that time I started getting allies in the Realms. The big concern Earth-side was ghost hunters. And the worst of them were government sanctioned so I wasn’t sure if I should reach out to the Justice League since you guys also work with the US government.”

Jason let out a noise that Danny could only think of as a growl. “He should have spent enough time there to answer questions like that.”

Danny snorted. “Less than a week before he arrived, our entire town was removed from Earth and brought into the Infinite Realms for multiple days. Something would’ve been very wrong with him if he’d stuck around longer than it took to confirm it wasn’t likely to happen again.”

“I’m sorry,” asked Steph, “what is that about your entire town being transported off earth?”

“Don’t you know? My friends and I figured that’s why you sent Constantine to us.”

Barbara shook her head as she clicked around her computer. “There’s nothing in the Justice League files about it.”

“Huh. Well that’s how I became the Ghost King. The previous king was released by an idiot and lured to Amity. Ended up bringing the entire town into the Realms. His goal was to take over the town then the rest of earth. I defeated him in single combat while some other ghosts helped hold back his armies. No one bothered to tell me until later that that meant won his titles as well.”

Dick was frowning at him. “Why did you have to be the one to defeat him?”

Danny just blinked at him in confusion. “Who else was there? My accident is what activated the portal and started letting ghosts through. By making me half ghost, I had the powers necessary to contain the ones who caused problems. My parents were incompetent at best. So I just did what had to be done. Besides, if I hadn’t been an idiot, the portal never would’ve turned on in the first place. So it was my responsibility to fix it.”

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Next

And no one at the table liked that answer! The end of the dinner is finally in sight! I know I'm overlooking characters. I'll do some editing to make sure everyone gets a say before I eventually get around to posting this to AO3. (It's a good part of the reason I haven't started cross posting, tbh. That and I like to have stories fully finished before I start posting.)

Hope you all enjoy.

Tag List Part 1:

@addie-lover-of-stories, @justwannabecat, @gin2212, @amercurio, @regonold, @overtherose, @readerzj, @sjrose1216, @echoednonny, @deeterzz, @blu-lilac, @number-one-jew, @rowanaway-fromthisbs, @vythika96, @tired-yet-awaken, @themirrorghost, @emeraldcorpral, @all-mights-asscheeks, @darkhinauniverse, @blep-23, @phandomhyperfixationblog, @larkcoe1, @thegatorsgoose, @job-ross-the-second, @britcision, @lenacraft, @bubblemixer, @androgynouslordofescapism, @purefrickingspite, @leftmiraclechaos, @lizisipancardo, @starlight-sparks, @miraculousandmore, @gildedphoenix, @sometimesthingsfallapart, @letmesayfuxk, @phoenixcatch7, @skulld3mort-1fan, @abaowo, @dhampir-princess, @idkmrpianoman, @sarina-elais, @ballzfrog-blog, @undead-essence, @spookytragedyshark, @flyingpansaurus, @akintoabitch, @marivictal, @8-29pm, @justreadingthefanfics, @happybear135, @kisatamao, @spoopyspoony, @adorablechaos, @sara0055, @screamingtofillthevoid

[literary-illuminati]

2024 Book Review #40 – Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes

This was yet another book that has been on my TBR list for so long I had entirely forgotten what the actual pitch was – I went into it pretty much entirely blind, just ‘sci fi horror’ from the glanced over marketing copy on the back. Which is really the best way to go about reading(/watching/playing) horror, anyway. It was an entertaining enough read? If an uneven one – the first half was really incredibly better than the second, unfortunately.

The story follows Claire Kovalik, the ‘team lead’ of a maintenance crew repairing com relays in the ass end of the solar system – at least until they finish this last run and are officially rendered obsolete. Too psychologically fragile for her corporate masters to trust her with an actual ship, the only future she has to look forward to is a deskbound sinecure revising training manuals on Earth. She’s seriously considering killing herself instead, when their sensors detect an archaic distress signal past the edge of charted space – the Aurora, first and last space liner for the rich and famous, vanished with all hands on its maiden voyage decades ago. The finder’s fee and accumulated bounties would be enough to set everyone on the team for life (not even counting any artifacts they pocket to auction on the side), so the five of them board and reactivate the old hulk, exploring its galleries and aiming it towards Earth. Just a 60 hour burn to reliable communications with the rest of the system, totally worth it for fame and fortune. Even once they start discovering the state of all the former passengers, and figuring out what happened in those last hours aboard the ship.

So! This is Event Horizon but with the Titanic. It’s other things too, but that’s the pitch. Now, I like Event Horizon, and adore exploited corporate serfs being slowly suffocated by looming dread as they explore the gore-stained ruins of past decadence, so that’s no bad thing for me. But still, even from the outset this is not a work that tries to break any molds. This honestly becomes much more of an issue in the third act, when the book basically shifts genre and also has to come up with answers and a resolution to the whole thing and just does not land it for me.

The main twist on the formula is that Claire is the only survivor of a Martian colony that was annihilated by plague (and a missed resupply) when she was a child, the physical and emotional trauma of which left her partially deaf in one ear, terrified of emotional connections and (most pertinently) already possessed of significant experience with hallucinating the bloody corpses of people she cares about wandering around when she’s stressed. Which turns out to be a very useful life skill, when they turn the ship back on and everyone starts having to deal with that. Which is mostly pretty fun! The paranoia and terror as everything goes to shit at the end of the first act are great. Sadly, the book then decides to keep going.

The first half of the book is the story of the initial salvage crew’s discovery of the Aurora, as relayed through Claire getting debriefed/interrogated by a couple of corporate goons after being found half-dead in an escape pod. The latter half is those same corporate goons conscripting her for a return journey to the ship, now guiding three platoons of mercenaries. It’s like if you watched a double-feature of Alien and one of its bad sequels. The book slips from well-executed to paint-by-numbers, and the big reveal is basically the most boring possible answer you could imagine. This is not helped by the book’s action sequences just not being very...good.

Part of that is just the book’s complete lack of faith in its audience, or understanding of subtlety. Several twists are telegraphed so obviously that it’s hard to believe Claire is actually surprised by them, and character beats are just repeated so often you want to grab the author and scream you get it already. Claire’s tragic backstory is repeated something like half a dozen times, and the surprise villain spends half the final confrontation basically giving a monologue about how he’d drown a nursery full of babies if it topped up his 401k.

Villains aside, the supporting cast is mostly fun-if-one-note. Decently executed, but all very much walked out of sci fi central casting. Which more or less works, in that they’re all energetic and mostly fun to have on page. The unfortunate and singular exception is Claire’s love interest, the team medic. Whose...nice? Has a daughter back on Earth? Might as well be a statue carved from literal white bread? You know the cliche about hollywood action movies where the hero’s girlfriend has zero personality or arc and mostly exists to be hot and motivate him by being imperilled? Basically the gender-flip of that.

One thing the book kind of teases but absolutely never really explores or tries to resolve is the fact that in addition to all the hallucinations and madness with (boring, but) mechanistic and materialistic explanations, ghosts might also just be real? There’s several points in the book where Claire sees the body she doesn’t recognize hovering around someone, and when she describes it to them, they know who it is. It’s also a recurring thing that her visions of her dead mom are supposed to be how she even knew how to send out the SOS that got her rescued from the dead colony as a child. You might expect that this would eventually build to something, or be key to the final resolution. You would be incorrect.

So yeah, would have been a very solid horror novella if it just cut the entire second act. As is, I mean I’m not angry I read it, but not sure I’d go out of my way to recommend it either.

[stevebattle]

Robovie-R3 (AKA Robovie R Ver. 3) by Ishiguro Hiroshi, Vstone, Japan (2010). Robovie R3 is a humanoid healthcare and guide robot, designed to give assistance to the elderly and disabled in public places. It has an omniwheel base able to traverse wheelchair ramps, and raised tiles that provide guidance for visually impaired people.

"Robovie R3 is built of plastic over an aluminum frame. It stands about 108cm (3′6″) tall and weighs 35kg (77 pounds). It is equipped with 15 servomotors which enable it to perform 13 degrees of freedom (neck x3, 2 arms x4, 2 omnidirectional wheels) with bonus 4 degrees of freedom from its eyes. It has 11 tactile sensors throughout its body. Robovie R3 is equipped with 2 USB cameras for eyes, 2 mono microphones for ears, a speaker for a mouth, and can be equipped with a laser range finder in its base for obstacle detection." – Robovie R3 robot is much better yet cheaper than previous version." – Robovie R3 robot is much better yet cheaper than previous version, Robaid.

[notsogoodphotographer]

one of the greatest but also most underrated point and shoot cameras

back in 2012 Zony(yes ZONY) dropped possibly one of the greatest little cameras ever to be released. it’s almost unheard of to have a Full Frame point and shoot that sports a 35mm f2. That’s no ordinary 35mm f2 either, that is a Zeiss Sonnar glued to this tiny little camera.

Pros: Small, Quiet, Autofocus, Digital, Zeiss Sonnar 35mm f2, 24mp sensor w/ 14+ stops of Dynamic Range, Macro mode.

Cons: slow autofocus, expensive, electronic connections sometime struggle to talk when turning on resulting in E:61: error code. (there are work arounds) The mk1 doesn’t have a viewfinder so you have to buy one separately.

the copy i got came with the external view finder.

after shooting with the camera i have no issues pushing the cons right under the rug because the images that you are capable of capturing with it are beautiful! i treat this camera as if it was a point and shoot film camera, so the slow Autofocus doesn’t bug me too much. its an almost perfect documentary camera.

Sony released 3 versions of this camera:

Rx1 (2012): 24mp with 14+ stops of dynamic range

Rx1r (2013): Same sensor, as the original it just doesn’t have the Anti- Aliasing filter. removing that filter adds sharpness and resolution.

Rx1rmk2 (2015) (a mouthful): adds a 42mp sensor, updated Af, and a built in view finder. pretty much a Sony A7R2 in the body of a point and shoot camera.

[splitsapps]

Metal Detector

Metal detector app for android transforms your smartphone into a powerful tool to find hidden metal objects, from coins to lost keys. The object Detector feature helps you detect various hidden objects around you using a metal detector metal sensor app. Searching for valuable metals? Our Gold Detector feature enables you to locate gold and other precious metals. A user-friendly interface ensures that you can detect metal objects right away. Metal detector gold finder app also offers a metal weight calculator feature, to calculate the weight of available metal objects. Hidden metal detectors also offer flashlights, Sensor sound, object detectors, camera detectors, and inclinometer features. Metal Detector app with sound provides sound signals when metal objects are detected, guiding you to the location of the hidden items. Whether a hidden pipe in the wall or a metal object buried in the ground, the metal detector camera app can help you find it effortlessly. Metal Detector & Finder easily finds and easily identifies various types of metal objects. The app includes a Smart Compass feature, helping you navigate and find directions. With the Digital Compass, you can determine your precise orientation and direction, making outdoor activities more enjoyable and safe. The weight calculator feature of the Silver Detector app calculates the weight of metal objects. Simply provide the width and length of the metal objects and the number of pieces, then press the calculate button. The weight calculator will determine the weight of these objects.

[gadgetsboy]

Meet Fujifilm's New X100VI Digital Camera

While some might argue that a majority of consumer-grade photography nowadays is now mostly achieved through the use of smartphones, it goes without saying that there's still a sizeable population of enthusiasts and professionals who'd still rather get their photography done via a dedicated camera. This has resulted in some rather impressive hardware from the biggest names in the industry, including Fujifilm. With that in mind, the company recently unveiled the launch of the Fujifilm X100VI digital camera, which boasts some pretty cool features. The camera is the latest addition in Fujifilm’s X Series line of digital cameras, and Fujifilm says that the new model offers exceptional image quality, in addition to its compact size and lightweight profile, as well as Fujifilm’s colour reproduction quality.  Camera Design and Features Fujifilm says that the top and bottom of the X100VI's body is built from aluminium which is pressed and machined for sharp edges, while the surface is finely blasted for a smooth texture in addition to the anodised aluminium on its surface. The camera also features an LCD monitor for media viewing and playback which can be stored in a fully flat position, and also comes with touch support. Additionally, the control buttons on the back have been moved to a position that is easy to operate with the right hand. As the sixth-generation model in the X100 Series, the X100VI comes with the new 40.2 megapixel X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor, as well as a high-speed X-Processor 5 image processing engine. The camera also includes a newly-developed in-body image stabilisation function, with up to 6.0 stops. Fujifilm says that this is the first time that this feature has been incorporated in an X100 Series product, without a considerable increase in size and weight. Going back to the camera's hardware, the 40-megapixel CMOS 5 HR sensor inside is designed to allow more light to be captured in comparison to its predecessors, as well as native ISO 125 support. The X100VI also comes with a total of 20 "Film Simulation" modes, including a new ‘REALA ACE’ mode with a wide range of different tones. The camera also incorporates an autofocus prediction algorithm for reliable focusing that works even on moving subjects, with subject detection autofocus to accurately track a range of subjects. Fujifilm says that its developed using deep-learning AI technology, allowing it to detect wildlife, vehicles, and more. Other Details The X100VI also includes an ‘Advanced Hybrid Viewfinder’ that lets users switch between the optical viewfinder (OVF) and the electronic viewfinder (EVF). The latter is equipped with a high-resolution OLED panel with around 3.69 million dots for a clear visual user experience. The camera comes with a built-in ‘Electronic Range Finder’ (ERF) function allows a small EVF to be simultaneously displayed on the OVF, which can allow photographers to capture a subject in the OVF and subsequently magnify the in-focus area in the smaller EVF, making it convenient for snapshots and such. For video recording, there's built-in support for 6.2K resolution 30P movie recording that also supports tracking AF function during recording. One of the X100VI's most handy features comes in the form of Frame.io Camera to Cloud support, allowing users to wirelessly connect to an active internet connection, authenticate to Frame.io, and automatically upload photos and videos online right after creation, speeding up a user's workflow process. Pricing and Availability The X100VI will be sold in Black and Silver models, and will be available in the UK from 28 February 2024 from authorised retailers and the Fujifilm House of Photography in London starting at £1,599 including VAT. There will also be a special edition of the camera to celebrate Fujifilm’s 90th anniversary year, which will be available starting on 6th April at £1,934. The limited-edition models are individually numbered and delivered in a special box with strap, soft release button and history cards. The camera body is engraved with the original Fujifilm corporate brand logo from 1934, along with the unique serial number. Read the full article

[janokenmun]

i drew a lil eldritch thing :3333333

necessary context: the title text from xkcd 952, that being "According to every stud finder I've tried to use, my walls contain a rapidly shifting network of hundreds and hundreds of studs."

in case it's hard to read:

"it's shifting... probably just a faulty sensor." "unless..." ... "maybe some things are better left undiscovered"

ik im like bad at the art but i think it turned out well!!!! :33

[pancakeke]

that stud finder rules also. it's a Franklin Sensors ProSensor M70

[sylvanas-girlkisser]

@manic-pixie-dick-girl replied to your post “How would you prefer I refer to the mechs as well...”:

Thinking on this a bit more. I think there's something sort of... Alienating, maybe... About reading numerals in fiction. It feels a bit artificial to me. Not sure if that's an everyone thing or a me thing. But that may very well be the vibe you want given that it's a hybrid human-machine consciousness you're talking about! In which case I'd use the full model + number.

​So this gave me a lot to think about - or maybe its just the fever making me think very slowly -.-'

Like cause yeah we are dealing with machine-human hybrids here, but in an, IMO unconventional way based heavily off having to read "the cyborg manifesto" and watch "all watched over by machines of loving grace".

All the mechs in Tungsten Rose have AIs built into them, but they're not BT7274 or Cortana, they're like... cmd+space on a mac. They can't talk, they're not actually conscious, but they're able to take cognitive load off the pilot e.g. by switching command protocol for their drones based off circumstances, or fixing a typo they keep making while texting.

The human-machine hybrid I'm thinking off, is more along the lines of like, someone driving their car, or controlling a character in a video game. Like when you're turning left in a car, you think "i'm going to turn left", not "i'm going to turn my car to the left".

I loathe the term "realism" in regards to scifi/fantasy, but that is sorta what I'm going for here. The pilot's perception isn't elevated by plugging their brain into a super computer, its elevated by the fact that they're constantly getting readouts for 17 billion different sensors.

Humans are notoriously bad at telling distances by eye, so one of the more subtle ways I try to show this effect is by the fact that when inside their mechs, pilots always know how far away something is: because they have laser range finders, and its not any more of a conscious act for them to use it, than it is for me to mount up after combat in wow.

All that to say, a big theme in Tungsten Rose is: if you spend enough time preparing for war, you'll eventually start one. And the knights are very much the embodiment of this concept.

Mar and Kista have both been piloting mechs since they were 4 years old. They have undergone rigorous training and a lot of highly invasive surgery, because they grew up being told that one day the fascists will return and try to destroy their home and culture.

And because of this. Because they spent so much of their lives interacting with the world through the filter of a warmachine, and because they can't touch their own face without feeling subdermal armor, everything becomes an act of war.

They aren't able to take a step back, and realize they're essentially dragging the world into a war over who gets to take the pretty girl to the ball. It becomes filtered through the war machine. "It's not about my emotions, I'm protecting the princess, I'm protecting my people, I'm fighting against evil."

All this is to say, i kinda like just using numbers now, even though thats by far the least popular in the poll, specifically because it's so dehumanizing.

[jackdraw-spwrite]

Harmonic Frequencies, Chapter 8

What are Jack and Maddie Fenton up to, anyway?

Words: 4408

Characters: Jack, Maddie

For: @five-rivers, @kawaiijohn

The portal door slammed shut, leaving the lab in ringing silence.

Maddie stared through it.

She hadn't expected Jazz to react like that.

Read the rest on AO3, or below the readmore:

She would have expected exasperation. Jazz didn't often appreciate their efforts these days even if she did agree that most ghosts were menaces. But really, they'd just been sharing some exciting news to cheer Jazz up because she'd looked like she hadn’t slept in days. Maddie knew the look; she’d seen it often enough in the mirror herself after days spent unsuccessfully trying to find a problem with an invention.

Her psychology research drove Jazz the same way ghost research drove them, and Maddie knew that sometimes taking a break was the best thing you could do for a breakthrough. Even if they didn’t know enough about psychology to help Jazz with the problem itself, they could at least give her something she wouldn't feel guilty celebrating with them. As a break.

Apparently not.

Maddie looked over to Jack, still standing on the stairs. His mouth was hanging open, normally animated body stock still.

"Was that," he said, thought half formed. "Did she?"

Maddie knew the other half of the question, but she was having just as much trouble articulating it. If Jazz had started floating and ranting about boxes, it would have been easier to deal with. Possession was a nice, simple fix for a pair of experienced ghost hunters.

"Maybe that wasn't Jazz," suggested Jack. His tone of voice said he didn't believe it.

"Without triggering the defenses?" she asked, then frowned.

The house's sensors were calibrated so Danny wouldn't trigger the automated defenses, but that meant a number of false negatives as well. It was possible a low level ghost could have slipped through, but ecto-entities with extensive shapeshifting abilities were usually powerful enough to be detected.

Ghosts possessing humans had muted signatures, but those powerful enough to overcome the Fenton willpower wouldn’t be muted enough to evade detection. The Wisconsin Ghost had shown up easily, when he’d possessed Jack.

Then again…

“Maybe if it was a weak one,” said Maddie. “She can’t have been getting much sleep, looking like that.”

She trailed off, thinking more.

"If that was Jazz," Maddie said, "then she probably has her cell phone on her."

"And if it wasn't, she'd answer if we tried calling her! God, you're smart."

Jack had his hand on the lab phone when Maddie realized the problem with that.

"Jack, wait."

Jack waited.

"If she's possessed and her phone is on her, the ghost might not have noticed it yet."

If it noticed, it might throw it away.

"You want to use The Fenton Phone Tracker, then?” Jack asked. ”We can get the drop on it!"

He did a half pirouette and rustled through the drawers where they kept utility devices.

Maddie began taking inventory of what they would need if Jazz was possessed. Guns, of course. A net gun and both phaseproof and depossession nets. Food and water provisions. Air recycling systems, so they wouldn't get more ectocontaminated than they already were by breathing the air in the ghost zone. An extra for Jazz.

"Haha!" Jack lifted the tracker above his head. "Here we are!"

He flicked it on.

The Fenton Phone Tracker was a relatively simple invention. It operated just like the Fenton Ghost Finder, just tuned to a small number of artificial ectosignatures they'd attached to the phone of everyone in the family after Danny kept getting kidnapped by ghosts. Perplexingly, Danny's kept breaking, but that didn’t matter; it was Jazz who had been kidnapped this time.

The dial did a complete revolution, and Jazz's tracker bipped. It was in the human world. Jazz was in the human world; the kids never went anywhere without their phones.

Maddie's heart rose.

It hadn’t been Jazz. Not even possessed.

Jack cheered and bounced up the stairs, Maddie hot on his tail.

The tracker bipped again, just upstairs in Jazz's room. She was home! She'd never left her room! She was probably still studying, too lost in her head to have even heard the earlier commotion.

They burst through her door and–

Jazz wasn't there.

Her room was dark, her computer off. The screen of her cell phone was a tiny rectangle of light on her bed, the dark line of a charging cable trailing from it to the wall.

Maddie picked it up.

It was open to a group conversation between Jazz, Danny, Sam, and Tucker.

[2:57 PM] Jazz: No thank you. Just sleep.

[2:58 PM] Jazz: It should be charged in an hour.

[3:01 PM] Sam: c u then

The clock in the upper corner of the screen read 3:27 PM.

She pressed the up key. The conversation scrolled painfully slowly, revealing one message at a time.

[2:55 PM] Tucker: you want anythibg?

…

[2:54 PM] Sam: food brk

Were they making plans to hang out? But they had to know Jazz was low on sleep. It was obvious at a single glance.

Part of Maddie's conscience niggled at her. Invading Jazz's privacy like this was something they tried not to do. But Jazz was gone, possibly possessed, and kidnapped into the ghost zone.

[2:34 PM] Tucker: Still no sign of him

[2:31 PM] Jazz: Back. Did you find anything?

Maddie let go of the up button. Dread was constricting around her heart. Jazz couldn't mean…

Jazz's words from just minutes before were painfully loud in her head.

"You killed him?!? You killed–"

Had they been looking for Phantom too? Had they been trying to stop him? Jazz loved playing Devil's advocate on behalf of the ghosts plaguing the town but they'd raised her better than to actually think they were redeemable.

Right?

Maddie bit her lip.

Jazz had said killed. They'd raised her better than to think that, too.

Or at least, Maddie had thought they had.

The tracker bipped in the silence.

"Mads," Jack said.

He was leaning over her shoulder to squint at the screen. Maddie leaned back, letting the contact comfort her.

Jack wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

"Mads," he repeated, voice full of dread.

Up.

The scrollbar at the left was tiny. Lots of messages.

[2:20 PM] Sam: J out of chrg. Drpng @ fw

There was a line indicating a break in messages.

[11:49 AM] Sam: me 2

The first message was incomprehensible. Did Sam have a pay per character texting plan? Why would she have one? The Mansons were wealthy.

[11:49 AM] Tucker: If Danny’s okay I'm gonna kill hin the rest of the way

Maddie felt Jack stop breathing. She did, too.

All questions about Sam's texting plan evaporated from her head, replaced by a litany of 'no.'

Days of messages scrolled by. Maddie only parsed fragments of them: 'nowhere,' 'check,' 'Theater'

Theater.

She scrolled down.

[12:43 AM] Tucker: Theater was a bust

[12:43 AM] Tucker: already cleaned up

Surely not the theater where they'd shot Phantom.

…Why was the scrolling so slow?

More messages. None of them were from Danny.

"I thought." Said Jack, breaking his silence. "I asked, Mads. I did. They said he was upstairs, or leaving with them."

"What?" Maddie twisted to look up at him.

His face was a rictus of guilt.

"They've been down to the lab a couple of times in the last few days and I guess they seemed worried but they said they were just looking for something. And you know how Danny is about chores. I didn't think it was weird that he wasn't down there with them."

And Jack had been practically living in the lab since they'd shot Phantom.

Maddie wanted to be mad. It was so, so tempting to just take the target she desperately needed because her heart was racing and she was terrified for Jazz and Danny both, and horrified that apparently Jazz didn't trust them enough to say when Danny was missing and why were Sam and Tucker in on it?

She wanted to snarl. She wanted to shout.

She felt like she was floating. Fear was icy in her veins.

They couldn’t afford for her to have muddled thoughts at a time like this. Not Danny and Jazz. Not Maddie, not Jack. Maddie closed her eyes and took a breath. Two.

She centered herself.

"Jack," she said. "We can be guilty later."

We, because Maddie hadn’t noticed either. We, because even if she hadn’t been home to notice this she had been home to notice her children losing trust in them.

Should have.

“Right.”

He heaved a breath and squeezed her.

And finally, a message from Danny appeared.

[4:46 PM] Danny: Ghost bbiab

What? Danny was almost as bad as Sam.

But. She looked at the date.

Four days.

The last message from Danny was four days ago.

She scrolled down.

[4:57 PM] Jazz: Where was it?

[7:28 PM] Jazz: Danny?

…

More messages followed. Checks with everyone, asking for a last known location.

They'd started looking for Danny by midnight.

Midnight, three days before and this was the first Maddie or Jack had heard about it.

That they'd been neck deep in confirming Phantom was really gone for the past four days seemed a paper-thin excuse. They should have–

Four days.

Had Phantom done something with Danny before they ended him? Put him somewhere no one could find?

What if–

The test subjects for the hummer hadn't ended immediately.

Phantom had fled.

Danny's last message was about a ghost, the same afternoon they tracked Phantom to the ghost fight at the movie theater. He could have been in the vicinity. And Phantom knew he was their son.

"What if Danny's in the ghost zone?" asked Jack. "Jazz wouldn't steal the speeder for no reason."

"If she was in control," said Maddie.

"If she was in control. But if Phantom threatened to kidnap Danny there in the past if she hurt him…"

"Or if they didn't help him," breathed Maddie.

It made a horrifying kind of sense. Why the kids wouldn't reach out to them, why they defended Phantom's actions despite knowing better.

Why Jazz would react like that to Phantom's end, when Danny was missing.

They might have ended the only thing that could tell them where Danny was. Or worse, Phantom could have gotten his revenge by stealing Danny through the portal in his final moments.

Maddie pulled the phone from its charger and herself from Jack's hug.

Jack trailed behind her as she descended the stairs. The wood creaked beneath his weight. It was a fitting noise for a house haunted by the actions of the specter they thought they’d finally stopped.

The kitchen table was still covered in instrument readings confirming their hopes and the three mugs of celebratory coffee (for her), hot chocolate (for Jack), and tea (for Jazz). Maddie barely glanced at it. It seemed a cruel joke, now.

Instead, she turned through the doorway and descended to the lab. She started pulling weapons and survival kits off shelves. Both Danny and Jazz were in the ghost zone. They were in terrible danger if they weren't already d–

Her children were alive. Both of them.

They had to be.

Mentally, she ran through the checklist she'd thought of earlier, slightly modified.

Guns. A net gun and both phaseproof and depossession nets. Maybe Jazz wasn’t possessed, but they would be dealing with ghosts. Food and water provisions. Air recycling systems, so they wouldn't get more ectocontaminated by breathing the air in the ghost zone. An extra for Jazz and Danny. The boomerang, since it always homed in on Danny no matter what they did.

She stopped.

The speeder was gone.

"Jack," Maddie said. "how are we going to find them?"

"I was thinking we'd just use the tracker we put on the speeder."

"Jack. The speeder is gone. We don't have transport."

---

The speeder was not the Fentons' pride and joy. In fact, it was fairly far from the top of that list, below such things as the portal, the ops center, and their highly customized and multifunctional jumpsuits. But it had taken significant engineering effort, and while the Fentons believed in redundancies they'd built most of those redundancies into the speeder itself. Having a second speeder wouldn't do them much good if they were stranded in the ghost zone with the first, unless one person stayed behind in the lab. And if one person was in the lab, the one in the speeder would be alone in an alien dimension.

Such were the difficulties of a research team of two.

So they'd built one speeder.

Now they had none.

That didn't mean they were helpless. That didn't mean they would give up! They were the Fentons, foremost scientists in the field of ectology! The fabric of reality hadn't kept them from researching the ghost zone. Having their vehicle stolen wouldn't keep them from traversing it to save their children.

They would just have to get creative.

 

Half an hour's work found them a pile of related projects and another of possibly useful scraps. It was not an inspiring start. But it was one they could work with.

There was the peeler. There were some scooters, a pair of failed rocket boots, and a jetpack or two. There were exoskeletons and collapsible gliders and a few miscellaneous engines. There were the remnants of what had been a microwave, repurposed in a 3am haze of genius into something that floated.

They fastened the wings between the scooters to use as a lightweight floor and reinforced them with scraps of metal. Engines and anything similar were mounted on the forming aft and wired so they would fire together. A chest for assorted guns and survival equipment sat in the center, doing double duty as the mount for the steering column and a way to move the center of gravity where they needed it.

Too many hours to wait and too few to test later, a ramshackle mess sat hunched at the mouth of the portal. Unlike the bold, confident lines of more traditional Fenton make, the Fenton Rescue Raft was a chaotic jumble. It had a slump to it that made it look generally like it was angry, in particular about the circumstances of its own existence.

Maddie couldn’t help but agree.

She looked from it to Jack. He was adding the final touch: an extra layer of restraining tape on the former microwave. They'd included it at first for buoyancy. After getting bit several times they were hoping to jettison it as a distraction for a hostile ghost.

"That should do it!" He slapped the former microwave's top with a decisive air. It emitted a threatening hum, but restrained by the tape it could do little more than wiggle ominously.

Maddie surveyed the room. It looked as though a disaster had struck it, and it had. They'd torn panels from walls, ransacked cabinets, the closet, and half the shelves. Patches of welding flux, fragments of wire, and tools littered the floor. They hadn't been so messy in more than a decade. The lab would be hell to clean up when they returned.

But their lab could be cleaned. It could be repaired.

Danny and Jazz might not be the same, if they took too long.

Maddie pulled her hood into place, patted the ecto-pistol at her hip, and stepped aboard. She clipped herself into one of the four safety ropes they’d anchored to the deck. She placed a hand on the joystick they'd appropriated from Danny's computer and nodded once to Jack.

He punched the portal door button and leapt up beside her, leaning his enormous bulk over the railing as the swirling portal cast everything in shades of green. He pointed into it with almost electric determination.

"BANZAIII!!!"

Maddie pulled the joystick back. The craft shot through the hole in the wall, and then they were in the alien world they'd dedicated their lives to studying. It was a spectacular sight, full of swirling mists and the shadows of distant landmasses, but Maddie only had eyes for the Fenton Phone Finder taped to the steering column.

Slowly, the line swept around the curved display. Halfway, three quarters–

Bip.

Jack gave a shout, and Maddie allowed a wavering hint of a smile to touch her lips. The Specter Speeder’s signal was faint but unmistakable. She tilted the joystick to follow it.

Silently, she thought of Danny and Jazz. Of their fearful faces, trapped somewhere in this vast wilderness.

Don’t worry, she thought. We’re coming for you.

---

Maddie was adjusting their heading when Jack spoke.

“Mads,” he said.

“What is it, Jack?” Satisfied at their new course, she looked up.

Jack was not one to keep still. That tendency got stronger the more energy he had, nervous energy included. He was staring into the distance, fiddling with a spare screwdriver so quickly that his fingers almost blurred.

“What if the speeder’s broken?” he asked.

Maddie grimaced.

Despite the extra ropes on the raft, they were relying on the superior armoring and handling of the speeder to extract Jazz and Danny from whatever situation they’d found themselves in. Or to even find Danny. If Jazz hadn’t taken the speeder to his location they would need the boomerang to find him, and the raft was too slow to follow it.

“I suppose that depends on how broken it is,” she said. “We have enough with us that we might be able to repair it.”

Jack perked up, screwdriver falling momentarily still. “That’s right! It might start broken but there’s nothing we can’t fix! And there’s nothing my incredible wife can’t track! We’ll find Jazz in no time!”

Maddie mustered a smile at Jack. He was trying so hard to dull the edges of her worry with whatever enthusiasm he could muster.

He really was very sweet, even if she was worried he was wrong.

She could track Jazz.

If they made good time. If the trail was through terrain Maddie had some kind of experience in, or could reason about. If the trail hadn’t already gone cold, or been obscured, or any of a thousand other things that could impact her tracking ability.

Normally, it wouldn’t matter. Normally, Maddie would be confident her daughter would stay near the shelter and communications systems offered by the speeder, even if it had somehow broken.

Normally, Jazz didn't steal the experimental exploration vehicle.

Maddie centered herself.

In a crisis, you had to do what could help on the assumption that it would. Maybe Jazz had left the speeder behind. Maybe the speeder was broken.

Finding the speeder would help in almost every circumstance. If nothing else, they would be able to cover more ground or even execute a search pattern for Jazz in the area around where they found it.

All they had to do was get there.

Getting to the speeder was the first step to rescuing their children and getting them all safely home.

Very, very grounded, in the case of their children. But home.

---

It was one of the rocket boots that failed first.

That was fine. They hadn’t expected the rocket boots to last. They'd been an experiment, quickly replaced by the jetpacks once the difficulties of writing a stabilization algorithm for them became clear.

They'd never bothered adjusting the boots for efficiency or for durability. Either was pointless when they couldn't be used for longer than 30 seconds.

Maddie watched the burnt soles flake off behind them.

That was fine.

They'd expected them to fail, eventually.

That was why they'd placed them close to the center of mass – so that when one failed it would impact the steering minimally.

---

An hour later, a swarm of ectopuses found them.

---

The ectopuses left two holes in the floor they'd cobbled together from fins and glider wings. One was little issue. It was towards the edge, and small, and near a guard rail besides.

The other was a much larger problem. Jack stepped around it as he took his shift steering, looking dubiously through it to the archipelago of floating stone far below.

Maddie was leaning against the rear and only wall, eyeing the space in front of them.

The Phone Finder had pointed them straight ahead for hours, now. She was half looking for signs of the speeder, half resting.

The denizens of the ghost zone were violent creatures, and if Jazz needed rescuing, Maddie would need to be rested. They would need to be clear headed to make decisions, needed to be ready to fight if it came down to that. And with ghosts, it was practically guaranteed.

---

They approached an overgrown cathedral tumbling in slow motion, uprooted from the dark chain of floating islands it trailed across their path. As the stones grew closer around them, Maddie and Jack drew close on the deck of their little raft. With the looming shapes around them, it was terribly difficult to forget how fragile it all was: their plan, their raft.

Their hope.

They hadn't had the time or engine power to armor the raft. They hadn't had time to test it.

They'd scarcely had time to build it, and they were both aware of just how sloppily they'd done the welding.

The stones towered over them, now. Distances were hard to gauge in this green void but they'd seemed so much smaller at first approach. It raised the question–how large was the cathedral?

Maddie turned to look.

The cathedral was enormous in their wake. But it was also moving: flying buttresses were flexing, boughs protruding from it quaking as they uncoiled, reaching, reaching.

Reaching for them.

"Jack!" Maddie hissed, elbowing him as she reached for her ecto-pistol. She cursed. It was nowhere near large enough for whatever this was.

She needed–the Fenton Bazooka.

Jack did a double take, shouted something like "Hold on, baby!" and pulled the emergency ripcord.

Something like, because his words were almost entirely lost to the sound of every high-recoil gun they owned firing in unison from below the deck.

The sound was incredible. The great VWOO-KRAK echoed back and forth between the rocks around them as they rocketed forward in a mad tumble. It softened, skewed and distorted until the wild spinning of the world around them was accompanied by a refrain of rak, rak, rak.

Maddie clung to the safety handles and prayed the harness in her suit and the rope she’d clipped into would hold if she lost her grip.

The raft would stabilize itself. Eventually.

Theoretically.

Maddie pinned herself close to the floor and fixed her eyes on the platform to help with the spinning. She wasn't as young as she used to be, and even if she did all sorts of acrobatics it was a very different thing to not be in control.

It was because she was touching the platform that she felt the secondary effect of so much ecto-energy discharge at once: an aching chill that was more psychological than physical creeping under her skin from where she was touching the raft.

It was because she was staring at it that she noticed when the structure of it began to bend.

---

They left the island chain and the cathedral behind.

The bend worsened. Some of the panels felt hollow and loose beneath their feet, letting out a dry rasp with every shuffle over them and flexing slightly but noticeably with every step.

"Maddie," Jack said as they examined the damage. "Should we stop somewhere to repair it?"

No," Maddie shook her head. "Where would be safe? You keep driving, I'll see what I can do."

They’d had the presence of mind to toss repair equipment into a bag and bring it with them. Maddie clipped some to her suit and crawled out onto the railings. They were the easiest access they had to the frame, and it was the frame that was most important to keep intact.

It was not intact.

Maddie stared at the jagged gap at what had been a joint. It was the width of her finger.

It wasn't the only one.

The force of the guns' collective recoil had cracked several of the welds. Worse, the long poles of the frame had warped under the stress and were now pulling apart from one another. It would be difficult if not impossible to bend them back enough to redo the welds.

Mouth dry, she pulled out the Fenton Tape.

---

Maddie was squeezing herself into the gap between frame and guns to wrap one of the central joints in more tape when Jack gave a shout.

She startled, thumping her head against one of the guns and cursing.

They'd made sure to reinforce the spots where the gun array attached to the rest of the raft to keep it from shearing off or punching through the floor, and this part of the frame had fared better than the rest.

This meant that what she hit her head on had felt very, very solid. She raised a hand to her skull.

"What?" she called.

"Behind us!"

For a moment, Maddie worried that the cathedral was still following them. That might have been better than what she saw: a speckling of debris behind them.

They were losing engines.

---

The island they chose to land on was vast, the garish leaves of its forest fading to the green of the ectoplasmic mists in the distance. They chose it for its size, so they could run if they needed. They chose it for its forest, so they could hide and if necessary make tools and replacement supports. Maddie was a master at bushcraft, and even in such a strange place her knowledge could likely afford them shelter.

Most of all, they chose it for its proximity. The sooner they could land, the sooner they could repair the connection between engines and raft, the fewer they would lose and the faster they could rescue Jazz and Danny.

And, Maddie couldn't help but think, looking up at the sinuous trunks of an alien landscape, the sooner they could rescue themselves.

The air of the Ghost Zone was dead, but above them the canopy still moved. In the depths of it, she could almost make out pinpricks of light, not large enough to be ghosts themselves.

They were plenty large enough to be eyes.

Watching.

Whispering.

Waiting.

[razieltwelve]

Escape (Final Effect)

"Halt!” 

The girl froze. 

“You are in possessions of an unauthorised artificial intelligence! Surrender, or be terminated!”

The girl glanced down at the orb in her hands. It was the processing core - the heart and soul - of her best friend. It didn’t matter that he was an unauthorised artificial intelligence. All that mattered was that he’d always been there for her. When she’d been stranded on a trash world as a child with no parents or family, Stalwart had been the one to take care of her.

The AI had been dumped on the trash world centuries ago. He was supposed to have been terminated when his ship had been decommissioned. but he’d managed to cling to life, hiding enough of himself in a small processor core to survive. It had taken him centuries to gain the power he needed to influence the broken-down, ruined machinery around him, and even then, it was like operating lobotomised and with his limbs broken.

But he hadn’t wanted to die. He’d wanted to live, even if it was in such a reduced state. He’d found her scavenging through scraps for trash. In exchange for bringing him bits and pieces that his droids could repair, he’d helped her find shelter.

In the end, they’d decided to stick together because who else was there on a trash world? Trust was more precious than anything, and they trusted each other because, when it came down to it, they needed each other.

And then he’d gotten access to the InfoNet...

His AI signature had been recognised and a kill-team had been dispatched. De-commissioned artificial intelligences were not supposed to survive. It was simply too risky with all of the information he might potentially have access to. And with the Federation going through a long decline, they didn’t have the resources to maintain their artificial intelligences. It was easier and cheaper to simply get rid of them when newer, better ones became available.

And now they had come for him.

“Leave me,” Stalwart said to her. His voice was calm through the cobbled together communicator. “You can’t outrun them. And it’s me they’re after.”

“No,” the girl said. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Then you’ll die.”

She smiled weakly. “I was going to die anyway in a place like this. I would have died long ago if you hadn’t helped me.”

“I see.” Stalwart paused. “I wish they hadn’t already destroyed all of my drones and defences. I would have liked to go down fighting. Still, I can think of worse ways to die than in the arms of a friend...”

As the kill-team moved in, the girl and the AI braced themselves only for a loud voice to fill all of the available communications channels.

“Prepare to die, bastards!”

X     X     X

The girl and Stalwart looked up in awe as the massive figure of a war hamster thudded into the ground beside them. The towering creature had laid waste to the kill-team and was now running sensor sweeps on their surroundings. Her partner, a Dia-Farron man with fox ears hurried over to them.

“Okay, you two want to live, right?”

The girl nodded.

“Good. Then come with us. We’ve got a ship in low orbit, but we need to be quick. They’ve got a destroyer in orbit too, but they haven’t spotted us yet. Let’s go!”

X     X     X

Luxa covered her face with her hands.

“Let me get this straight. You engaged a Federation kill-team, wiped it out, and stole a child and a de-commissioned artificial intelligence.”

Her cousin gave her a jaunty salute.

“With all due respect, it wasn’t stealing. They agreed to come with us. The laws of salvage also dictated that anything that’s been dumped that long is a matter of finders keepers. Besides, he was a complex artificial intelligence. I wasn’t going to let him be killed.”

Luxa sighed. “I know. But the empress is going to strangle me. We’ve only just fixed that whole kerfuffle with Galatea and the Sato she found. This... well... if I don’t come back from my meeting with the empress, tell everyone I died heroically.”

[chadsawyerphotography]

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO SHOOTING THE NIGHT SKY: Part 1

This is the first in a series of entries covering night sky photography for beginners. If you're just starting out in Astrophotography, this session will covers what gear you'll need to have a successful, and enjoyable, session.

Before getting into the camera setup I used to capture star trails and the Milky Way, let's first review what items I use to capture my night skies.

THE RIGHT WEATHER

Okay, so you can't bring this with you but there's no point in venturing out if it's going to be cloudy, or worse. Be sure to check the hourly forecast in addition to the daily. Just because it's cloudy at sunset doesn't mean those clouds won't move out of the area before the stars come out (and, if shooting the Milky Way, you may have several hours before it rises, well after sunset).

THE RIGHT CAMERA

I use a Sony a7r iv, a full frame, 61mp camera body. You'll want a body that can handle higher ISOs without adding a lot of sensor noise, especially as you'll be taking potentially hundreds of shots for star trails and building up some sensor heat.

THE RIGHT LENS

Generally speaking, you're going to want two things out of your lens for astrophotography: wide angle and fast. I usually take two lenses with me. Since I'm shooting with a full frame and not a crop sensor (APS-C senor). I take my Sony 16-35 2.8 GM and my 14mm 1.8 GM primary lens. If you have a crop sensor camera and lenses, you’ll want to bring your widest lens with the widest aperture, preferably 2.8 or wider.

THE RIGHT TRIPOD

Be wary of relying on a light weight or flimsy tripod as you don't want your camera shaking during longer exposures (or, even worse, falling over). Ideally, you'll have a model that has a center hook from which you can hang your camera bag or tripod weights to help with windy conditions. I prefer and use SLIK Tripods and ball head. You can purchase directly from Slik Tripods website or on Amazon.

THE RIGHT APPS

I used PhotoPills to identify when and where the Milky Way or Polaris if I’m doing circle star trails, moon phase and position, and much more. It also has built in tools to help you: calculate your maximum exposure time to avoid star trailing (accounting for your camera's sensor size and your lens' set focal length), plan for time lapses, find hyperfocal distances… and a ton more. There is a lot to absorb and play around with and, fortunately, the developers provide tutorials for using all the tools (I spent about 90 minutes watching videos the night before the group outing). The mode I found most useful, however, is the night AR (altered reality) mode. Click on this and you're taken to a live view of your surroundings with an overlay of the sky. You can use this view to scroll back and forth through times and dates to preview where the Milky Way will be in the future; a great tool to plan your shot well in advance, especially when it won't be visible until 3am! Additionally, you'll likely discover that a star finder app will be useful, if you're trying to find/identify constellations or just need help finding the North Star (and can't remember your basic education, like me).

THE RIGHT STUFF

Jump past the Milky Way for a rundown of some other items you'll need, or should consider, for night sky sessions.

TRIPOD WEIGHTS

If wind is in the forecast, consider some weighted bags for your tripod. I found some on Amazon for a good price and filled them with play sand from the local hardware store. The set I ordered has four bags, enough to place one on each tripod leg and to hang one from the tripod's center hook. If you don't want to use weighted bags, or forget them, you can always hang your camera bag from the hook in a pinch.

EXTRA CAMERA BATTERIES

More important for star trails than shooting the Milky Way but you'll want an extra battery or two. Shooting 240 30-second exposures for star trails chewed through about 70% of a fully charged battery for my Sony a7r iv, and I ended up using all three batteries I brought for the overnight session (only one was completely drained, the other two each had roughly 15-20% left). The next worst thing to not checking the weather forecast beforehand would be having perfect conditions and running out of juice halfway through your shooting.

INTERVALOMETER/WIRED REMOTE AND EXTRA BATTERIES

Another must-have for shooting star trails. Yes, you could shoot manually but who wants to stand or sit next to your camera for 2-3 hours hitting the shutter button every 30 seconds? I also discovered that the built-in interval timer on the Sony a7r iv allows for up to 9999 shots, but some cameras only allow up to 99 shots. As for batteries, the intervalometer/remote probably doesn't draw much power but, again, you don't want to get halfway through your shots only to have the batteries unexpectedly die. I always bring spare batteries and a portable battery charger just incase. It’s always nice to be prepared then not have it.

RED FLASHLIGHT/HEADLAMP

A headlamp is a must. Make sure it has a red lamp mode. Also I always carry a compact flashlight just incase- for light painting, getting around, and for emergencies - and a head lamp that has a red light option. I only used the flashlight a few times to sweep the foreground during long exposures of the Milky Way but I used the red headlamp frequently as I walked to and from my camera and my chair or car, or as I needed to check various things on my camera or intervalometer here and there through the night. Remember, ideal shooting conditions are during the new moon; between that and (hopefully) being far away from light pollution, it will be much darker than you expect!

OTHER ITEMS TO CONSIDER

Chair

Snacks/Drinks

Bug Spray

First aid kit

Balaclava (best purchase I've made for chilly nights!)

Blanket

Pillow (I caught a snooze in the back seat of my car... the pillow helped... some)

Extra memory cards

Lens cleaning tools

And a lens warmer. This is needed for those long cold nights or high humidity nights where frost or dew can form on your lens over time. There’s. I thing like shooting a 700 image star trail or time lapse and seeing the last 200-300 images are hazy due to frost or dew.

This covers what I typical bring and equipment I use for Astrophotography. You can always add to list as the nights are long, or you can always kick back while the camera is clicking away and read some more of my blogs or checkout my tutorials and adventures on YouTube. But keep that screen light away from your camera, you don’t want to introduce any unwanted light pollution!

Don’t forget to subscribe and stay update with new blogs and more!

[stevebattle]

Robovie-IIF (2005) by Takahiro Miyashita, ATR, Kyoto, Japan. Robovie-IIF's skin is a sensor network with 274 3×3cm, or 5×5cm piezo-film (PVDF film) touch sensors, embedded in soft silicone rubber.

"The Osaka-based Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute (ATR) has developed a crowd-monitoring humanoid robot that recognizes when people are lost and helps them find their way. In a series of demonstrations … a souped-up version of ATR's Robovie humanoid robot monitored people as they passed through a 100 square meter (1,076 sq ft) section of the Universal Citywalk Osaka shopping center. Relying on data from 16 cameras, 6 laser range finders and 9 RFID tag readers installed in and around the area, the robot was able to watch up to 20 people at a time, pinpoint their locations to within a few centimeters, and classify each individual's behavior into one of 10 categories (waiting, wandering, walking fast, running, etc.). Whenever Robovie spotted people who looked disoriented, the child-sized droid wheeled up to them and asked, "Are you lost?" If so, the robot provided simple directions to the destination and pointed the way. If not, the robot proceeded to recommend nearby shops and restaurants." – Robovie droid helps lost shoppers, pink tentacle.

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