Monday, January 19, 2015

PYPTUG Meeting - January 26th


PYthon Piedmont Triad User Group meeting

Come join PYPTUG at out next monthly meeting (January 26th 2015) to learn more about the Python programming language, modules and tools. Python is the perfect language to learn if you've never programmed before, and at the other end, it is also the perfect tool that no expert would do without. Monthly meetings are in addition to our project nights (our next project night is this Wednesday the 21st).


What

Meeting will start at 5:30pm.

We will open on an Intro to PYPTUG and on how to get started with Python, PYPTUG activities and members projects, then on to News from the community.

This month we will have a main talk followed by some lightning talks, including one on the 3D and Video editing software called "Blender3D"..

Main Talk

by Don Jennings
Title: "IPython, You Python"

BioDon Jennings first developed an interest in python earlier in the century and now gets to use it daily as he does software engineering at Inmar working on digital promotions.

Abstract: 
Get ready to be Interactive with Python as we cover IPython, especially the IPython Notebook:

- engage in hands-on demos
- explore widgets
- share those notebooks

 Lightning talks! 


We will have some time for extemporaneous "lightning talks" of 5-10 minute duration. If you'd like to do one, some suggestions of talks were provided here, if you are looking for inspiration. Or talk about a project you are working on.






When

Monday, January 26th 2015
Meeting starts at 5:30PM

Where

Wake Forest University,
close to Polo Rd and University Parkway:

Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109

 Map this

See also this campus map (PDF) and also the Parking Map (PDF) (Manchester hall is #20A on the parking map)

And speaking of parking:  Parking after 5pm is on a first-come, first-serve basis.  The official parking policy is:
"Visitors can park in any general parking lot on campus. Visitors should avoid reserved spaces, faculty/staff lots, fire lanes or other restricted area on campus. Frequent visitors should contact Parking and Transportation to register for a parking permit.

Mailing List


Don't forget to sign up to our user group mailing list:

https://groups.google.com/d/forum/pyptug?hl=en

It is the only step required to become a PYPTUG member.

Meetup Group


In order to get a feel for how much food we'll need, we ask that you register your attendance to this meeting on meetup:

http://www.meetup.com/PYthon-Piedmont-Triad-User-Group-PYPTUG/events/219725057/

Thursday, January 15, 2015

To Space And Back

January 15 2015,

PYPTUG is announcing today the official start of a project involving the local community: Sending a technical payload into space, and back, as part of the 2015 Global Space Balloon Challenge (http://http://balloonchallenge.org/). The project will include a payload that will pay homage to the first NASA balloon flights in 1969 designed to take large area photographs of the earth from a very high altitude.

The payload will include a computer with operating system, many python scripts and various hardware including sensors, transmitters, servos and other tech gear.

The monthly project nights until April will focus on building a high altitude balloon to send into near space. This coming Wednesday is the first official meeting in person. We will have several students joining us from various schools and universities. The HPU Physics department will provide some insight on their 2013 build and launch. We expect students from HPU, Forsyth Tech, Atkins High School and other schools, colleges and universities from the Triad area, along with regular PYPTUG members and Inmar employees.

There is something to do for everyone, from art, to programming, to mechanical and electrical engineering, to finding stuff, reading regulations, making recovery plans, buying stuff, coming up with a team name, what experiments should be included in the payload etc. Don't wait for a direct invitation, sign up on our meetup group:

http://www.meetup.com/PYthon-Piedmont-Triad-User-Group-PYPTUG/events/219089371/

As previously announced, the first meeting will be on Wednesday, January 21 at 6pm in the Dash room at Inmar:

Inmar

635 Vine St,
Room 1130H "Dash"
Winston-Salem, NC

This will be at the Inmar building in downtown Winston Salem.­

Some preliminary work has already started and discussion is ongoing on the PYPTUG mailing list:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/pyptug

And look for the Near Space Technical Payload Official Thread (should be at the top)

Keep an eye on this site for progress reports. At launch, you will be able to track the actual balloon through a web page.


Friday, January 9, 2015

January Project Night


Winston Salem project night


This event is also on our meetup page:
http://www.meetup.com/PYthon-Piedmont-Triad-User-Group-PYPTUG/events/219089371/

  As always, it will be the 3rd Wednesday of the month. That's the 21th of January at 6pm.


When

 

3rd Wednesday of the month, 6pm
January 21 2015

Where

Inmar

635 Vine St,
Room 1130H "Dash"
Winston-Salem, NC

This will be at the Inmar building in downtown Winston Salem.­

What

Do you have a project you want to show off? Or do you need a second set of eyes on your code? Would you like to hack on an open source project? Perhaps you need help getting a module on a specific platform? Don't have a project but would like to help others or to learn more Python? 

One project that is gaining steam within the group (lots of interest) is designing a tech payload to send into near space(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_space), with a possibility to send it up in April as part of http://balloonchallenge.org/

Mailing List


Don't forget to sign up to our user group mailing list:

https://groups.google.com/d/forum/pyptug?hl=en

It is the only step required to become a PYPTUG member.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Some interesting hardware projects coming to project nights

This month of January, we'll probably have 2 project nights and a monthly meeting. Dates and places should be confirmed by Monday, so stay tuned.

One project involves a drone (multirotor), gimbals, servos, a raspberry pi and of course Python.