1:54 AM.. and just getting off my last call.. .. at least this is a fun one !

kinda too late to blog.. ..can I get a pass for today ?

nite all, nite sam

-me

Long day.. one of the hilights was a talk by my friend Simon..who was here visitin g with is very nice wife Sian.  It was the first in a lecture series that I’ve helped create. Great talk.. great energy in the room.

Simon told teh story of how he became an ultramarathon runner after losing his sight at age 17…

He told soem great stories about how hes helpd develop technology to help him be a better athleete..

Werelooking forward to helping him invent even more !

New friend  michael actually 3d printed a version of our building and presented it to Simon !

very inspiring spedning tiem with simon and sian

ok time for sleep..

night all. nite sam

-jc

My freind Simon and his wife Sian came to visit us at work inMunuch. Simon is a blind ultramarathon runner I met at an IBM conference wearler this year. It was really great hosting the two of htem here today. My freinds John, David and I had worked for several hours yesterday workign an ultrasonic obstacle avoidance prototype yesteray and we were eager to have simon try it out. He’s trying to figure out a way to run a marthon like boston or NYC without a guide.. and he needs a way to ‘see’ other poeple in his path

the device is just a simple maxbotic ultrasonic rangefinder attached to a partical photon all on a velcro strap taht attached to simns chest. . Its controlled  via a mobile app we created in BLYNK. it works surprisingly well … As you get within a threshold distance it starts to vibrate.. the closer an obsitcal comes, the fasterit vibrates.. .. here’s simon walkign around he office without hitting things.. it needs to be a little faster.. and a little more aggressive in the vibration.. overall.not bad for an initial prototype

simon is pretty amazing.. ..so is Sian. they are both writing books.. his is about beig a blind runner pushing the bounds of techology.. hers is a kids book about bears..

i’m really glad to get to know them both !

Gotta sleep now..

night all,nightsam

-me

I had a fun and super busy day.. got a good run in this morning. then did soem work-work.. Around 1 i met up with my friends John and David for a quick lunch .  We have much in common.. John and I in particular have very similar pasts.. One thing I hadn’t know is that we had grief  in common. I need to check with him about sharing his story here..  we were sharing stories .. and talking about greiving , healing and the crazy ‘magical’ things that happened afterwards  .. I was telling the story of all the crazy things that have happened with lights and electricity around Sam ..

just as I finished the story… the lights went out in the resturant..

thank you sam …

nite all, nite sam

-me