David Calkins
David's Articles
Grant Imahara Eulogy
January 2020
Grant Imahara was so much more than just a shining star.
RoboGames Redux
March 2018
Competing in RoboGames’ Firefighting and RoboMagellan events.
A Mighty Bridge has Fallen
October 2015
The world of robotics lost one of its own recently. Lem Fugitt will be remembered as the world’s biggest fan of all robots — big and small.
SPECIAL REPORT: Judge Dave’s Guide to Winning
November 2013
These words of wisdom are direct from robot master Dave Calkins. Ignore them at your peril.
ComBots Cup V — Big Bad Bots Bash Bumpers in the Bay Area
January 2011
See the big-time participants and the ultimate winner in this classic clash of the titaniums.
What the Heck is a Robot, Anyway?
Column:
Appetizer
June 2008
In 1921, Karl Capek wrote the play Rossum’s Universal Robots, thus coining the term “Robot.” (Okay, technically it was his brother Josef who amended Karl’s original term from either the Latin labori, or the Czech trudnik, but we won’t quibble. It was still Karl’s play.) In the play, they were not electro-mechanical humans. They were very much flesh and blood, manufactured in fleshy parts and later assembled. This very much follows the golum and Frankenstein mythos.And it is clearly the basis...