Wow 5 weeks flew by. The Tokyo iSEED has been an absolute blast. Theclasses have been incredibly engaging, and their teachings have only been accentuated by the environment of innovation that permeates Tokyo.
Quick summary of the final week:
Honestly, a pretty heavy workload. Our assignment was to build anything that would help with accessibility. My team decided to build an autonomous platform to take the trash bin out to the curb so that older people don’t need to perform the difficult task of moving the heavy trash bin to the curb. We called it “Curb-O.” Curb-O used three sensors to do its job. A limit switch to detect when there is trash in the bin, two ultrasonic sensors to make sure Curb-O doesn’t run over anybody and two color sensors on the bottom to make sure it stays on the taped path to the curb. Our team pulled a few late nights trying to get Curb-O up and running and as much as it was hard work, it was honestly a lot of fun applying what we had learned in the two classes to making something real.
Upon returning to Houston I have experienced some reverse culture shock, which has been a little odd. When I woke up the morning after I got back, I was hungry so I started getting ready to run outside to a konbini (a convenience store) and grab some food before I realized I was in a suburban neighborhood in Houston and I’d have to drive somewhere if I wanted food. Also, after finishing my drink at a coffee shop I started looking around for where to return my cup before I remembered there is no self service in Houston. Then I tried to get in on the wrong side of the car, and subsequently, very briefly, drove on the wrong side of a QUIET suburban road. Then lastly, I miss the bidets :(.
Although it has been nice to have trash cans back.
Logging out y’all, it’s been a blast
-Daniel