Dan Mathias I'm the owner and founder of Future-Bot Components with a few disciplines in Electrical engineering, Mechanical engineering and Embedded computer science software engineering to name a few. Future-Bot Components , an electronic components company specializing in robotic component parts for the hobbyist and professional for the last 25 years with 2010 being my 25th year in bussiness. The company was founded in 1985 after I built my first mobile robot George. But did not go full time until 1992 when I decided there was a need for a company to sell various parts like computer chips, motors, and robot body parts to the public that was building and experimenting with electronics and robotics. The company specializes in used and new computer chips from TTL parts 7400 series, Pic Micros, Op-amps, i860 super computer chips, 80188, 80286, 80386, DSP, Microprocessors, TI DSP, Pentium processors 1-4 chips, to memory chips old 4004 to modern flash memory, embedded microcontrollers. I carry a large inventory of thousands of chips on my website plus various motors and sensors and other robotic sensors. This is a fun company to have founded I hope to expand it to a larger company in the future to help the needs of robot builder and the USA to be in the world leader in robotics development. "I have also been nominated for the Franklin-Bower Robotics award for 2008" Update, I did not win, damn! Franlin - Bower Robotics Award page. Nomination winner will be made public in April 2008. I was Senior HI-Rel Enginner for SOLITRON DEVICES, INC., for 8 years, and 1 year at PPC semiconductors devices. The Company manufactured semiconductor power devices for space vehicles and military: Working from customer specs I tested and evaluated power bipolar transistors, mosfets, voltage regulators and digital devices for isb, esb, frequency, switching-time, thermal resistance, voltage break downs, leakage, hfe, capacitance, Vin/Vout, hot/cold temp, cob etc., to Mil. Std. 883 / 750 specs for customers like NASA, ATT, Rockwell. I evaluated die or dice samples from production line HI Rel Dept. and assisted other engineers in solving any production problems. Working closely with customers in evaluating power hybrids for thermal design in ceramic, beo, copper and kovar packages with different ceramic substrates and etectic bonds and die types. Also did wire bonding assembly design and testing of hybrid devices to Mil 883 specs. EDUCATION: 4 year undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from N.T.E.C. in Industrial Electronics, Computer Hardware and Industrial Robotics system and Controls for a total of 1878 hours of technical engineering training. PUBLICATIONS: Midnight Engineering Jan-Feb 1997 Fume Vent Project pages 47 to 49 Robot Digest Jan-Mar 1997 Floppy Bot part 1 Robot Digest Jan-Mar 1998 Floppy Bot part 2 Robot Digest Jan-Mar 1999 Floppy Bot part 3 SPECIAL SKILLS: I have written Robot articles, build various Robot systems wheeled and legged over the years from scratch designing them at my company Futurebots. Worked with HeNe - LED lasers rangers and optics, Super conductors, Wire bonding, Semiconductor Die mounting. I build Fiberglass molds and plugs. I do Arc welding, Tig welding, Mig welding, Lath work, Mill machine work, Drill press. I work and build CNC machines, ACAD, Hi speed dremels, Various power tools. I also know Video camera processing systems, networks. I repair and build IBM PC computers from XT to Pentium 4 in Mini and nano ITX formats to component level. I have a vast knowledge of semiconductors Bipolar, Mosfets, IC chips, Microprocessors, and Semiconductor partnumbers and their functions. I build to component level Microprocessor robot controllers, Single board computers, worked with 3 axis gyros mems and Accelerometers, Lithium Battery systems, Windows XP embedded, Windows 7, PC/104, systems, Servos ands hydraulics. I also built and drove drag race cars a few years back. AWARDS: I Won Robot contest sponsored by the SFSM - South Florida Science Museum in 1985 with robot George. From Ed Sobey Ph.D. ED Sobey founding director of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and founder of the National Toy Hall of Fame My dad Calvin working on his Mill Machine at Pratt & Whitney back in the 1970's on some top secret SR71 jet engine part or RL10 rocket motor.