creator

THE CREATOR

My name is Donald Hutson, I designed, built and pilot the heavyweight robot "TAZBOT'' and the super heavyweight robot "DIESECTOR". My background includes working as a engineer in the Machine Psychology lab for the Neuroscience's Institute here in San Diego. ( http://www.nsi.edu/nomad/ ) I work on a robotic platform know as "Nomad". Nomad is a brain based device that is not quite a computer or a robot. Instead, it is a machine that actually thinks and makes mistakes. Before NSI I worked as a Rehab Technology Specialist for about 9 years repairing & customizing home medical equipment like, liquid oxygen units, compressor's, infusion pumps and high tech power mobility devices with environmental control systems. Before that I worked my way through school as a welder/fabricator for a local awning company.

My experience with robotics started way back in the day with lego's and all other toys that I could either take apart or modify in some way or fashion. For some reason I always wanted to make them better or experiment with howthey worked. I got into remote control gliders & helicopters at a early age and since then, have had a blast creating high tech toys for covert newsorigination's, the medical equipment industry, Neuroscientist and most ofall, ME!

GLIDER-CAM

My RC gliders soon became a hole new sport when I started cramming video transmitters, cameras & servo pan & tilt systems in them to try and fly by tella-presents.

The 4th version of GLIDER CAM had a duralene fuselage, a full flying ruder (for flat spins) and weighed in like a rock at 5lb. Unfortunately G-CAM crashed in May of 1996 on a very windy day due to battery failure. G-CAM went in full speed inverted with a dissected 8-mm camcorder; a pan & tilt color camera and 5w transmitter to watch it all come to a spectacular end! See Video page.

SKYWALKER

This is a prototype of a walking robot I created called Skywalker. The purpose of this RC robot was to test a users ability to maintain balance manually through visual response using a modified aircraft radio with twin liftable and pushable joysticks for control.