# Ep059: Hydraulic Rockets & Presses, Machine Vision Bounces & Stares, Smart Speakers Listen to You

- Show: [Hackaday Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast)
- Published: 2020-03-19
- Length: 1h 04m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-19-ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-lis
- Listen: https://hackaday.libsyn.com/ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-listen-to-you

## Summary

Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams discuss several hardware hacks, including Joe Barnard’s silo-launched thrust-vectoring model rocket, which required solving pneumatic timing and sensor failures, and Graham Jessup’s 3D-printed robotic face with machine vision tracking. They also cover Daniel Riley’s solar-powered rover, which overcame steering and traction issues through iterative frame modifications, and a robotic ball bouncer using a parallel manipulator and OpenCV. The episode concludes with an analysis of smart speaker false activations and a discussion of Northrop Grumman’s Mission Extension Vehicle, a space tow truck designed to extend satellite life in geosynchronous orbit.

## Chapters

- [0:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-19-ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-lis#t=2) Introduction: Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams
- [8:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-19-ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-lis#t=489) Graham Jessup's Robotic Face with Machine Vision
- [12:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-19-ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-lis#t=766) Joe Barnard's Silo-Launched Thrust-Vectoring Rocket
- [21:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-19-ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-lis#t=1273) Hydraulic Press Modified with Paint Sprayer
- [26:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-19-ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-lis#t=1570) Daniel Riley's Solar-Powered Rover
- [31:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-19-ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-lis#t=1904) Robotic Ball Bouncer with Machine Vision
- [36:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-19-ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-lis#t=2191) The Ultimate Game Boy Talk
- [48:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-19-ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-lis#t=2893) Quick Hacks: Barometer, Odometer Hack, Lego Gearbox
- [51:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-19-ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-lis#t=3062) Smart Speaker False Activations Study
- [56:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2020-03-19-ep059-hydraulic-rockets-presses-machine-vision-bounces-stares-smart-speakers-lis#t=3373) Northrop Grumman Mission Extension Vehicle

## Topics

- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- Hackaday (company)
- ESP8266 (chip)
- Game Boy (product)
- Amazon Echo (product)
- Google Home (product)
- Northrop Grumman (company)
- Mission Extension Vehicle (product)
- IntelSat 901 (product)
- OpenCV (tool)
- Unity (tool)
- Teensy 4.0 (chip)
- NEMA 17 (chip)
- Hedra (tool)
- QMK (tool)
- SodaStream (product)
- Lego (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [106: I Am a Scientism](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-06-24-106-i-am-a-scientism) (Embedded.fm)
- [Bonus Edition - 2023 RBR50 Review](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-04-21-bonus-edition-2023-rbr50-review) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [51. Recapping 2021](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-01-05-51-recapping-2021) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [387: Bucket of Spiders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-09-23-387-bucket-of-spiders) (Embedded.fm)
- [73: That's a Waste of Bits](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-10-22-73-thats-a-waste-of-bits) (Embedded.fm)

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