User:Matt Maier



=My Log= Matt_log

WHO are you?

 * Matt Maier
 * Colorado Springs, CO
 * blueback09 at gmail dot com
 * Picture
 * Introductory Video
 * Resume/CV

WHY are you motivated to support/develop this work?

 * Do you endorse open source culture? I strongly endorse open source culture.


 * Why are you interested in collaborating with us? The idea of RE-deriving the entire history of technological development within an open source framework is just magical.


 * How do you think that the GVCS can address pressing world issues? In the broadest possible sense I think the systems we're building aren't resilient or sustainable enough. I believe this is largely the result of people not having any other systems to choose from. It seems like properly-formed open source projects take on a self-reproducing nature, allowing them to grow, evolve and spread on their own. I think the concept of the GVCS has massive potential to inject resiliency and sustainability into the world.


 * What should happen so that you become more involved with the project? I suppose finding out who's in charge and getting some direction on what I can help with.


 * What is missing in the project? Seems like it needs dedicated project management. The OSE and GVCS seem to lend themselves perfectly to project management, being very well defined projects with clear timelines and whatnot.


 * What are your suggestions for improvement of the project? Adopt one of the many open source project management systems. It looks like combining GanttProject and ]project-open[ and appointing at least one of the full-time leads to use them would go a long way towards not only organizing the current work but providing a robust model that is easy to replicate.

WHAT are your skills?

 * List all of your skills in these areas:
 * Communications: I don't have any problem communicating things once I understand them.
 * Organizational: This is something I think I can contribute to. My major was systems engineering management and I like the feeling of getting things done right the first time.
 * Computer Support: I have a limited ability to help here, but I learn quickly.
 * Design: I have a good intuition for mechanical systems and I'm an excellent brainstormer. Also, I'm good at putting my (and other's) ideas on paper in an understandable format.
 * Electronics: This is something I have a limited ability to help with, but I'm actively learning more.
 * Fabrication: I build things. It's what I've always done. I can most likely help prototype things if they're small and don't need to be available on the farm.
 * Video/Graphics/Art: I've designed t-shirts and logos and stuff like that before, so I'm familiar with graphical design.
 * Education: This is something that's important to me on a philosophical level. I like the idea of creating tools that will help numerous people advance their understanding and capabilities.
 * Product Design: Ever since I can remember I've always had at least one "product" I've been working on in one way or another. I've got a lot of amateur skill at at it.


 * How have you already contributed to the project? I started filling in some of the DVD index with links and text from other OSE sources.

HOW can you help?

 * How are you interested in contributing to the work of GVCS development? I would love to help with the designs that haven't been finalized or worked on yet. For example, I am really excited about the idea of basically reinventing the automobile as a collection of modular parts, rather than a chassis that accepts a few different components. That would satsify the Open_Source_Car and Open_Source_Truck requirements in a big way.


 * Can you volunteer to work with us, and if so, how many hours per week? Not in person, at least not right now, but I can give y'all 5 hours per week over the interwebs.


 * Are you interested in a Dedicated Project Visit? Absolutely. I think that sounds like an awesome idea.


 * Are you a True Fan? If not, why not? Yup.


 * Are you interested in being part of the world's first, open source, resilient community? Yes. But I won't be able to. However, I figure every civilization needs tourists, right?

thoughts I haven't put anywhere else yet
Add a fluid gauge to the fuel and hydraulic fluid tanks on the power cube. A clear tube with some 90* elbows should do.

I wonder if it's possible to create nestable DC motors. Like, the front shaft, mounting plat and electrical connectors of one could merge with the rear shaft, mounting plate and electrical connectors on another to make one double-sized motor. A complimentary ring-shaped motor could accept a cylindrical motor in the middle, with similar electro-mechanical coupling. Then pairs of ring/cylinder motors could be stacked front to back in the same way. The end result would be a collection of motors that work individually, but that also work seamlessly as a unit when they're combined in an arbitrary number.

What materials would we get the biggest bang-for-the-buck from building the infrastructure to process? Quartz seems like a good candidate. "Quartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar...Quartz is the source of many silicon compounds such as silicones (e.g. high performance polymers), silicon (e.g. microelectronics), and many other compounds of commercial importance. Quartz in the form of sand is reduced by carbothermic reaction as a first step in these energy-intensive processes. Owing to its high thermal and chemical stability and abundance, quartz is widely used in many large-scale applications related to abrasives, foundry materials, ceramics, and cements.[9]...Most quartz used in microelectronics is produced synthetically. Large, flawless and untwinned crystals are produced in an autoclave via the hydrothermal process. The process involves treating crushed natural quartz with hot aqueous solution of a base such as sodium hydroxide. The hydroxide serves as a "mineralizer", i.e. it helps dissolve the "nutrient" quartz. High temperatures are required, often around 675 °C. The dissolved quartz then recrystallizes at a seed crystal at slightly lower temperatures...A common piezoelectric use of quartz today is as a crystal oscillator. The quartz clock is a familiar device using the mineral. The resonant frequency of a quartz crystal oscillator is changed by mechanically loading it, and this principle is used for very accurate measurements of very small mass changes." -- So quartz is easy to get and relatively straightforward to process into a pure form. It can form the basis of industrial and microelectronic activities. Also, I think it's worth looking into piezoelectric motors (high precision replacement for steppers). Those snap-button lighters use a quartz crystal to generate the spark. Attaching a quartz-generator to a vibrating machine could generate enough power for the microelectronics. Piezotransformers are the most compact high voltage. Piezo sensors detect vibration or create it. Stacked piezos create ultra precise motion from micro to millimeter ranges.