T H E B E A C O N

E N G I N E E R I N G

C O N S O R T I U M

A beacon is a device that serves as a goodwill gesture to assist with navigation and to provide a warning sign of impending danger. In a similar way, "the beacon engineering consortium" serves to assist those who are adrift amid a sea of career choices. The consortium provides tangible examples of engineering challenges, opportunities, entrepreneurship, projects and practices to illuminate a pathway of safe passage for students and educators, and for existing and aspiring business owners. The consortium also serves as a warning sign to provide awareness of impending danger of substandard engineering practices and for identifying inappropriate career preparation.

Engineering Progress Steps

Real-time robot control started as a master's degree project in 1989 and as computer training class at a tutorial center in Redlands CA in 1995. I took this job because I was laid off from my aerospace job and I needed the extra money. The section on "Robomotion" in the previous link moves a virtual robot with keyboard keystrokes. This evolved to computer mouse control of a virtual robot, then to laser distance meter control of a virtual robot.

In 1989, as part of a master's degree project, I developed software to control a four-legged robot while walking on level ground. I thought of ways to make it walk on uneven ground. Using the laser distance meter for "hand-eye coordination" was the solution. I integrated the laser guided idea for general robot control along with the computer mouse control as part of a patent in 2012. Now, the concept is under development using venture capital funding.

The exoskeleton is similar to a teacher with a laser pointer in his/her hand with jitters. The laser positioner system is like the stability of a transit construction tool pointing to the same location.

This is a witness to the idea that progress happens little by little ( See step 5 below in graphic )

Jerry