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Who else is going to Sensors Expo in San Jose? Looking for roommate(s)!

Stephane BoucherMay 29, 20186 comments

This will be my first time attending this show and I must say that I am excited. I am bringing with me my cameras and other video equipment with the intention to capture as much footage as possible and produce a (hopefully) fun to watch 'highlights' video. I will also try to film as many demos as possible and share them with you.

I enjoy going to shows like this one as it gives me the opportunity to get out of my home-office (from where I manage and run the *Related sites) and actually meet people in the flesh.  I always get back from these shows very much energized and motivated.  Sometimes I even meet people who have been using one of the *Related sites on a regular basis and it is a blast to associate a face to a username.  

As far as travel arrangements are concerned, I have rented what looks like a nice and comfortable apartment through Airbnb (7 minutes walk from the conference center) but the apartment is way too big for me alone (5 beds!).  If you are planing on attending the show and/or conference and are looking for a place to stay, please get in touch as I am willing to share the space - this could be fun!

Also, I have one free day and I would like to make it count.  One idea I have is to rent a Tesla and drive on Rt 1 all day, stop here and there and maybe take a dip in the Pacific Ocean.  Are your from the Bay Area?  Which section of Rt 1, starting from San Jose, should I focus on?  The Big Sur looks like a safe bet?  I'd appreciate any tip that could contribute to make my free day one that I will remember.   


The Bixby Creek Bridge in Big Sur (Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC-BY-SA 3.0)

By the way #1, if you plan on attending the conference but haven't gotten your pass yet, you can get it with a $100 discount if you use the coupon code EMBREL100 - Registration Link

By the way #2, I have created the very first Sensors thread in the #FAQ section

By the way #3, if you would like a shot at winning a complimentary 'VIP' pass ($1,399 value!), all you have to do is like and/or share and or re-tweet the following social-media references:



I really hope to see you there and feel free to let me know if you are going by sending me a private message or by adding a comment at the bottom of this blog post.


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Comment by mr_banditMay 29, 2018

Computer History Museum. 101 and Shoreline. http://www.computerhistory.org/

Fantastic stuff. Early "computing" (techniques from 100's of years ago) to the latest. They once had a Difference Engine as part of a traveling show. They are restoring old mainframes. History of mainframes to embedded. Great collections of early lugables, hand-held calculators, PC (of all stripes), video games. The computerized bike a Wired author (forgive my memory of his name).

For those into serious computer graphics: They have "The Teapot"!!! - you know the one...

And - they have The Mouse Prototype - the real thing. 

When Jim Williams died, they setup his desk in a corner. (It was there for 6 months. They commonly do 6 month exhibits - gotta be quick.)

http://www.computerhistory.org/atchm/an-analog-lif...

https://mightyohm.com/blog/2012/02/an-analog-life-...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyohm/6926143499

Plan on spending most of the day there. Really. You will not be disappointed. It is like Mecca for nerds. Trust me - I'm an engineer! Find one of the old-fart docents who saw the entire computer revolution.

Get the t-shirt. There is a binary code on it. What more could you ask for?

... bandit

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Comment by stephanebMay 30, 2018

Thanks a lot bandit, I will consider for sure.

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Comment by Rick LyonsMay 31, 2018

Hi. I "second" bandit's suggestion regarding the Computer Museum.

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Comment by mr_banditMay 31, 2018

We want a trip report - actually two - one of the show (which you were going to write anyway) and of your visit to the Computer History Museum (which you are going to because you are a nerd... :^) Take pictures...

When you go (I am optimistic) find the old-fart docents - they are retired engineers. You can get a lot of perspective on how things changed from them. They were some of the folks who made the change.

Ask if Ed Thelen is around. This is his website: http://ed-thelen.org/ Tell him "Son of Sherbie" suggested him to you. He will understand.

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Comment by neiroberMay 29, 2018

Stephane,

I hope you enjoy your trip.  If you are planning a dip, you may want to use a wetsuit -- see this link on ocean temps:

https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/spac.html

regards,

Neil


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Comment by stephanebMay 29, 2018

Hi Neil,

yes, very cold indeed! But I am used to it (sort of), about the same temperature here on the Canadian East Coast (which is surprising!).

Still, it will take a very nice spot and a hot day to get me in the water, we'll see.

Thanks for the comment!

Stephane

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