Recently found this handy way of importing several text files into a single Excel workbook and each being assigned to their own tab. Check out this short and simple explanation inclusive of the code (in Visual Basic) here:
https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/excel/3231-excel-import-multiple-text-files-to-multiple-sheets.html#a1
My Ph.D. – an exercise in regular writing
After reading through Pat Thomson’s Blog about how blogging can assist with academic writing, I’m going to give it a stab. To be frankly honest, I’d prefer to be modeling something up in software, burning out an electrical component, or sketching out a new idea/solution to something, rather than writing.
I do however generally always have a notebook a hand to jot down what I’ve been up to, of which rarely see the light of day. So this will be an attempt to record the progress of the next 4 years whilst I undertake my Ph.D. spelling mistakes and all.
Before I get into all of that, an introduction into what this journey will be all about, a little on the back story. I recently finished up with an MSc in Medical Device Design through NCAD, Dublin, which was wild, to say the least. The exposure and opportunity to work with top-tier medical companies on projects promoted the projects to more than blue-sky academic exercises in design, coupled with colleagues from varied backgrounds elevated the outcomes of the projects beyond what would have been possible through a single endeavor.
Then, during my thesis project, whilst catcing-up on LinkedIn news, I read a posting from our course coordinator about a Ph.D. position available for a suitable candidate at UCD (University College Dublin). The topic of 3D Printing of Medical Devices with the aid of Multi-Axis Robotic platform was like WTF – seriously – I want in. So a year-long MSc has developed into a 4 year-long Ph.D. where at the end, firstly, I’m aiming to complete the project – sane, but more so contribute positively to the topic as a whole with a paper or two.
It’s been a busy few days attending and presenting J5 the 360 Video platform at 404.ie on Saturday. Unfortunately not without a few hiccoughs, so a thanks to the guys from the Google user group for a hand, a Leatherman to be exact, which so happened to be imperial – what are the odds?
The wheels literally came off and not having the correct hex key there was very little to be done, but hey that’s prototyping for you. Wheels on and rearing to go and well, well not so fast the saying goes. Another minor setback of the wheels rubbing against the underside of the chassis rendered the vehicle useless… nonetheless, there was enough to chat to all who were curious enough to stop by.
This week sees me back at the coal face of my Msc with an update on the project so far, check it out. We, the team I’m working with, are now at the point of preliminary materials testing.
MSc Medical Device Design – week 3
I find myself currently midway through week 3 of my masters, sitting on the train on the way back from Galway after attending Medtec Europe conference. If ever I thought there was cool tech in your everyday industrial design, may I suggest you check out a medtech conference.
Apart from attending with the sole focus of networking and looking for solutions for my current design brief, listening to a few of the talks presented, this is going to one insane ride up-skilling in medical. The variety of super high-end technology, manufacturing processes and materials, it’s like a candy store. Getting back to the research part of why I’ve ventured across the M50 is the project I’m currently working on. A human analogue surgical training aid for an open appendectomy which I covered here. So please take the time to head on over and follow our exploits and journey for this project.
Johnny 5.1: robotic 360° video platform
A current side project with Filip Florek of Cutemachines, John Huikku of Tarina VR & Emmet Burke of Nova Realities in which we’re developing a robotic platform to capture 360° Video. It’s a rough and ready proof of concept just past the 1.0 phase. We’ll have 2.0 ready for the upcoming AR/VR meetup in Dublin later next month. Here’s a link to the initial testing of the rig and footage.
YouTube: 360° Rover Testing
FBOM

a current project to keep all part of the brain engaged. FBOM is a derivative of the Magic 8 Ball with a twist, for when you just don’t give a F*K. Read more
360 Pi Power

Inspired and egged on by Stuart Masterson, Paul Hanlon and Ryan Paetzold (me) have been working on a Raspberry Pi powered 360 camera rig. Read more
having a little time to experiment and play around and this is what happens.