the El Dorado Hills Fire Board of Directors erased the “interim” from Fire Chief Michael Lilienthal’s title and approved 4-0 a three-year employment contract with the newly named permanent chief
“Mike has done a tremendous job,” said board President Greg Durante
commending Lilienthal for his handling of organizational and unexpected issues in his first few months on the job
The board named Lilienthal interim chief after the retirement of Maurice Johnson in December 2024
“I think he has done a stellar job,” said board Vice-President Tim White
Directors Dan Donelli and Kevin Gotro both praised Lilienthal for his leadership
noting that morale within the department has improved as has the public’s satisfaction with EDH Fire’s services
Lilienthal’s first few months included the unanticipated closure of EDH Fire Station 86 due to extensive mold damage
transitioning residential sprinkler and smoke/carbon monoxide alarm inspections to the El Dorado County Building Department and developing a long-term succession plan as many in the fire department’s upper ranks will be retiring over the next few years
A few days after his permanent position was approved
Lilienthal sent out a community message reading
"It is an honor and privilege to serve as the fire chief for the El Dorado Hills Fire Department
With more than 28 years in the fire service
I am proud to lead a dedicated team committed to protecting lives
property and the unique spirit of our community
"El Dorado Hills is not just where we work — it’s where we live
raise our families and build lasting connections" the message continues
"I believe that strong relationships and open communication are the foundation of a truly successful fire department
a public safety event or simply a moment to educate and engage
reducing wildfire risk and remaining fiscally responsible," Lilienthal notes
"We are continually evolving to meet the changing needs of our growing community
while honoring the values that have shaped this department over the years."
The fire chief’s employment contract runs through April 30
unless terminated earlier in accordance with the agreement
The board will conduct performance reviews on at least an annual basis
Lilienthal’s monthly salary is set at $21,971 plus incentive pay
as well as salary increases matching any adjustments granted to other unrepresented management/safety employees
Donelli and Gotro approved the contract at their April 17 meeting
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Noah Lilienthal enters his first season as an assistant coach with Rutgers in the 2024-2025 season
Lilienthal played at Wesleyan University (CT) where he helped the team reach as high as the Elite 8 in the NCAA tournament
Lilienthal was named Division III National Rookie of the Year
Division III Player to Watch and was five time All-American
he made multiple appearances in the NCAA Division III National Individual championships
including a run to the doubles finals with his partner
Lilienthal has mentored several junior tennis players who have now reached top 100 nationally
He previously coached at the Marc Hill tennis academy and at Kings County Tennis League (Brooklyn
N.Y.) where he helped expand their high performance and community tennis programs
Lilienthal received his B.A in Psychology and Music while at Wesleyan University
where he graduated with honors and Phi Beta Kappa
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Posted by Bill Sullivan | Apr 25, 2025 6:31 am | El Dorado Hills
The El Dorado Hills Fire Department has a new official fire chief
The El Dorado Hills Fire Board of Directors has approved interim Fire Chief Michael Lilienthal to become the new permanent El Dorado Hills Fire Chief
The permanent title was approved with a 4-0 vote by the board and comes with a three-year employment contract that officially takes effect May 1
Lilienthal assumed the role of interim chief at the conclusion of 2024 when former Fire Chief Maurice Johnson made the decision to retire
“It is an honor and privilege to serve as the fire chief for the El Dorado Hills Fire Department
El Dorado Hills is not just where we work — it’s where we live
raise our families and build lasting connections
I believe that strong relationships and open communication are the foundation of a truly successful fire department
a public safety event or simply a moment to educate and engage.”
Chief Lilienthal brings over 28 years of fire service experience to the El Dorado Hills Fire Department
Beginning his career with the Stockton Fire Department
he has served in various leadership capacities
including Fire Marshal and multiple Deputy Chief roles
supporting employee wellness and safety,” he continued
“Reducing wildfire risk and remaining fiscally responsible
We are continually evolving to meet the changing needs of our growing community
while honoring the values that have shaped this department over the years.”
The 4-0 vote came from EDH Fire Board Directors Tim White
and Kevin Gotro at last week’s meeting
Director Debbie Manning was absent from the most recent meeting
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Bill Sullivan has over 25 years of professional journalism and content creation experience in which he has earned 37 professional awards
He is the co-founder/publisher of Folsom Times an All Town Media LLC product
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How many artists have been encouraged by their parents to follow their vision and pursue beauty? Not so many, perhaps. Adán López Alemán felt the creative impulse from a young age and
you might expect he’d be the exception
His father was a muralist and his grandparents sculptors and painters
did they encourage him to become an artist and remain true to his creative spirit
he trained at the University of Las Palmas as an industrial engineer
but to seriously study both painting and sculpture at the Luján Pérez school
He dutifully opened a design studio upon graduation
but in 2017 decided to take the leap and pursue his art full time
His artistic growth exploded and he soon found public acceptance for his work
Samples of that work now graces the walls of Lilienthal Gallery at 23 Emory Place
in an exhibition curated by Ilana Lilienthal and Kelly Ferguson
The paintings exhibited are black and white
His pen and acrylic work on silk captures motion and movement
Even the still portraits reflect recent motion—an arching of the back
Most of the portraits are not of famous people
it is about painting the soul.” And that comes through
He’s coined the phrase “soul painting,” to explain his concept
He speaks of “the collision,” that being the moment
whether early or late in the painting when “the energetic presence of the person portrayed becomes inevitable
the point at which the canvas transforms from mere pigment to a person with a soul present in his studio.”
López feels this allows a focus on line and form which is obscured if not lost with the addition of color
he is in the tradition of certain medieval and eastern artists
Even Picasso began emphasizing the sculptural shapes
At one point he claimed that color weakened his art
Galerie Alaux in Valencia and been profiled in international publications like Club del Deportista
His work is in the private collections of footballers Achraf Hakimi
he was honored with the “Estrella de la Cultura 2024” of the Canary Islands
You can catch the first glimpse of the artist and his work this Friday
April 4 from 5-9 in conjunction with First Friday
You’ll also have an opportunity to meet the artist as he’ll be present and painting for the gathering
Wear “sparkling black and white.” The exhibition will remain in place into the month of June and regular gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 12:00 – 5:00 pm
An interesting observation: looking into the eyes of each portrait they all appear to be the same
My husband and I attended last night and met the artist and the gallery owner
These pieces must be experienced in person
Their power and liveliness isn’t felt the same through the photos
I am grateful for the contribution of the Lilienthal Gallery
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If she wasn't born with a field hockey stick in her hand
Krista just wanted to play and play and play some more
played for legendary Pompton Lakes coach Eileen Allan in the early 1990s and for NCAA Hall of Famer Sharon Pfueger at The College of New Jersey before going on to her own stellar coaching career at Parsippany High School
was an outstanding soccer player at Butler and played collegiately at the University of Rhode Island and Montclair State before returning to Butler
"I grew up on the field and every time my mom went to practice or a game when I was little
I would beg her to take me along," said Krista
the three-time North Jersey Field Hockey Player of the Year who has a great chance to make it four
I played on a rec team with seventh and eighth graders
Krista got better and more involved in the game
I was never first pick or had my choice of positions," she said
"She's a one in a million kid," Pompton Lakes coach Tina Brindisi said
"There was this little girl playing up in her age group and even then
Krista finished her high school career as the leading goal scorer (158) and playmaker (72 assists) in Pompton Lakes' long and illustrious history
assisting on two of the Cardinals' three goals in their loss to Newton in Monday's sectional semifinals
But Brindisi wouldn't be surprised if she ends up on defense at Rutgers after committing to the Big Ten program a year ago
"Her defense is just insane," Brindisi said
because what mattered was getting the win," said Lilienthal
"I learned all the positions in the outdoor game
And if you think she's good in the 11-person outdoor game
wait until you see her in the indoor five-person version
"I love indoor because of its extra level of speed," she said
"I play left back because when I was little
Lilienthal also starred in softball and basketball her first two years at Pompton Lakes
but a torn left ACL in a basketball scrimmage last December led to her giving up the other two sports
But she'll still do stats for the teams in the winter and spring
I'd lay down on a wire for them," she said
While admits to shedding some tears throughout senior season − "I cried at the my first game this year because it was my last first game in high school" − and struggled on the bus coming home from the loss to Newton earlier this week − "I couldn't stand taking my uniform off for the final time" − she is definitely looking forward to college and four years at the collegiate level
There's also another game circled on her schedule: The first game she can play in an adult-league with her mom
"We have a very close-knit family and that's part of the reason I chose Rutgers
so they can see me play and I can see (her 13-year-old sister) Briana play," she said
"She's a really good goalkeeper and I practice against her all the time."
It's hard to doubt that field hockey was Krista's destiny
and so far she's fulfilled every part of it
Accomplishment: Scored five goals and had five assists in wins over Bernards and Pequannock to power the Cardinals to the Group 1 sectional semifinals
starred with comedian Rodney Dangerfield in Easy Money (1983)
and played a mobster in Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Pesci achieved broad popularity with his turn as a comically pestiferous government witness in Lethal Weapon 2 (1989).…
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Pompton Lakes' Krista Lilienthal (22) waits for the ball against West Milford in the 2023 Passaic County Tournament final at Passaic Tech in Wayne
10/21/23Brian Bobal | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comKrista Lilienthal aided Pompton Lakes with a goal and an assist to help beat Vernon
Lilienthal picked up the assist on a Lacey Fasouletos goal that helped Pompton Lakes win its season opener
Teagan Ressler scored the lone goal for Vernon (0-1)
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Robin Lilienthal is retiring from Iowa Valley Community College District (IVCCD) and Marshalltown Community College (MCC)
“Leaving a college and a job that I love has given me all the feels,” Lilienthal said
“It’s going to be difficult not seeing my work friends and the students everyday because so much of my life has been connected with them
I’m excited for this new chapter and career move
I’m sure that I will feel emotional on my last day
but I will be so excited to cheer on the success of MCC from the sidelines as it will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Her career in Marshalltown has been riddled with highs and lows
One of the biggest hurdles Lilienthal faced when she became provost in 2010 was the State of Iowa’s reduction in funding for community colleges
She described it as a very difficult budget time
We had to close programs,” Lilienthal said
“Anything we could do to minimize the impact on students while still working within the budget
It was the most difficult and challenging time.”
Three programs that were closed were construction technician
computer drafting and design and men’s and women’s golf
If more students express an interest in pursuing those
“It’s something to think about,” she said
“We did bring on women’s soccer and esports
which had potential for a bigger impact for student athletes
Another hard time was the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and derecho
The derecho delayed the start of the coming school year and caused $1 million worth of damage to MCC — the roof was torn off the 500 Hallway in the classroom building and the baseball and softball field was nearly flattened
“That was difficult for everyone,” Lilienthal said
“There was so much damage on the MCC campus just as we were trying to get back after the pandemic.”
The biggest accomplishment Lilienthal said she did was improving the student experience at MCC
but I had a housing background,” she said
I was not going to rest until we could have the opportunity for kids to live in campus housing.”
That meant more than making dormitories comfortable
Lilienthal also wanted to make sure high-quality meals were provided
along with positive social and learning experiences
Creating the positive student environment helped an increase in enrollment and retention — a point of pride for Lilienthal as this is an area in which colleges are very competitive
Retaining students already attending MCC was the first step
Staff wanted to show students the great facilities and give them a great experience
Lilienthal said now MCC has “phenomenal” retention and graduation rates
“Our team worked diligently,” she said
and MCC is on the cusp of becoming a federally-recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution
Lilienthal said it is required for a postsecondary school to have Hispanic students comprise 25 percent of the student population at the end of the year
“For the 2024 school year when the students come back
MCC could be the first Hispanic-Serving Institution in Iowa
This is a great place for diverse students to attend
Our international students are also a point of pride
Lilienthal recalled the beginning of her time with IVCCD
she was the dean and vice provost for Grinnell Community College
Lilienthal left her job as an educational advisor with Des Moines Area Community College to work for IVCCD
“I was looking for a great opportunity to advance my career in terms of advancement,” she said
“My husband and I live in northwest Jasper (County)
I wanted to work someplace that I could commute to within a respectable distance
When Lilienthal heard about the opening at MCC
The position would give her the opportunity to work in a variety of areas
“I wanted to make a difference in a larger community and school,” she said
The soon-to-be-former MCC provost will not rest for long
Lilienthal has accepted a position with the Iowa Department of Education as an administration consultant
“I am ready for new opportunities for myself and excited for the possibility,” she said
which she said is a new twist to her education career
She will begin her new position in five weeks
which gives Lilienthal time to tour Europe — specifically Greece
the United Kingdom and Amsterdam — with her family
“I have two adult kids,” she said
“The three of us will take a trip to Europe and do tourist stuff
My husband is going to stay home and take care of everything.”
Taking over Lilienthal’s duties at MCC is Matthew Schmit
who is moving into the position from serving as the dean of manufacturing & skilled trades and interim executive director of workforce development at Eastern Iowa Community College in Bettendorf
Schmit started working full-time at the Marshalltown campus on June 3
“We’ve spent almost all day together as schedules allow,” Lilienthal said
“He is really prepared to take over when I am done on July 1.”
A farewell party for Lilienthal was already thrown
She said retirement parties at MCC occur shortly after graduation
“I did not want a big shebang and I wanted to be with the rest of my colleagues,” Lilienthal said
Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext
LLC | https://www.timesrepublican.com | 135 West Main Street
The latest exhibition presented by Lilienthal Gallery
“Nouveau,” makes its debut tonight
It’s definitely a “go big” kind of exhibition
with six different artists presenting large pieces
Included are returning artists Yigal Ozeri and Swoon
joined by artists making their Knoxville debut
Vita Kari will make an appearance at tonight’s launch
Described as “hyper-contemporary,” the exhibition presents artists making bold new statements while often anchored in rich traditions
Yigal Ozeri offers new paintings reflecting
a slight departure from the photorealism for which he is best known
is renowned for producing oil paintings that cannot be distinguished from photographs
though often the artist is lifting the concepts and materials from multiple photographs though they appear seamless
his most recent work has focused on a hyper-realistic presentation of women in nature and Americana
The New York-based Israeli artist has enjoyed major exhibitions all over the world
Swoon’s work was most recently featured by the gallery in the exhibition on Street art
has had works exhibited in many of the world’s finest galleries
is both an artist and a filmmaker based in New York
She studied at the Pratt Institute and her works focus on a human element in the midst of urban life and much it references social issues
She has works in the permanent collections at MOMA
Tate Modern Museum and other prominent museums
James Gortner’s provocative paintings challenge the senses
Multiple surfaces combine found art with the artist’s own work
Often the frame (which he builds) continues the theme of the art it encloses
While much of the work presented here is representational
I felt most drawn to the abstract pieces (including in the lower level of the gallery)
Gortner lives in New York and works from his studio at Mana Contemporary in Jersey City
While Kari’s works remain rooted in tradition and family history
they also explore the deceptive world of digital representation
The “Trapped in a Can” performance generated widespread conversation the art community
offering a connecting line to Yoko Ono’s 1960’s experimental performance art and bold social statements
With a growing number of national and international exhibitions
and collaborated with brands such as Marc Jacobs
Stanley Casselman and Basmat Levin round out the exhibition which
pushes the edges of what has been seen in Knoxville
These very contemporary artists will have their work on display at the gallery for the next three months
but the first glimpse is from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm today
Don’t miss Vita Kari at 6:30 for what promises to be a memorable artistic moment in the city
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a place known for stretching artistic boundaries in East Tennessee
continues doing so with their current exhibition
“Street.” Debuting tonight for First Friday
the exhibition runs through December offering a new perspective on street art
While the words “street art” might spring anything to mind from tagging to the beautifully constructed murals in major cities
it rarely conjures the image of a gallery exhibition
That is changing and this exhibition introduces that idea to Knoxville
to get a taste of the significant art being produced on the street by people who started there or continue to produce their work there
The scale and precision of the art presented
as well as the vision executed by the artists holds its own in any forum
Several of the artists represented in the new mural alley are also represented inside Lilienthal Gallery at their “Street” exhibition
You’ll also find other street art luminaries
The exhibition features four major female street artists who were among the first to be widely recognized for their work
having exhibitions in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Their work is easily recognized for its blend of street or urban imagery with classical imagery
The two have worked together under the one name since 2007 and had their work featured most recently at the Paris Olympics
Two works by Doze Green appear in the exhibition and the connections to his Rock Steady Crew of break dancers shines though in his work which has been featured in several museums in Europe
Rounding out the exhibition are several of the artists from Knox Walls
including local and nationally recognized artists
The four women at the center of the exhibition include Swoon (Caledonia Curry)
widely recognized as a pioneer in graffiti
She started by painting train cars and by the age of sixteen was invited to be in street gallery shows
In 1982 she had a starring role in “Wild Style,” known as the first hip-hop movie
Her work can be found in the Whitney Museum
a Tokyo-born artist who has made New York City her home for the last thirty years
blending her Japanese heritage with urban New York City influences
She has large-scale works in many cities and her work has exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum and others around the world
she learned street art while also obtaining a BFA in Graphic Design
Her bold colors and style has widely influenced streetwear and urban culture
She’s had commissions for murals across the world and collaborates with such diverse business groups as MTV
Come check out the new mural alley and the exhibition starting tonight
There’s a lot happening this weekend
two of them related to relief efforts for the regional victims of Hurricane Helena
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Chess is more popular now than it has ever been. We see articles about chess and chess players in all major media outlets. As a result, chess fans know very well the current chess stars, from established elite players like GM Magnus Carlsen to upcoming prodigies like Faustino Oro
However, if you ask an average club player about chess titans of the past, you'll get a blank stare in most cases. Case in point is GM Andor Lilienthal. Before World War 2, he was one of the world's best players, but these days, he is mostly remembered for his brilliant win over Capablanca, which we briefly discussed in this old article:
But Lilienthal wasn't just an outstanding chess player. It is not a well-known fact in his biography that he was GM Tigran Petrosian's coach for about 10 years in the 1950s
Since future world champion Petrosian grew up as an orphan and even had to sweep the streets to earn some money
There is a funny story about them that happened in the mid 1950s
One of Petrosian's games that lasted over five hours was adjourned in a very complicated queen endgame
The game was quite important and was supposed to resume the very next day
Petrosian asked his coach to analyze the adjourned position and went to bed
it is important to mention that even though Lilienthal spent over 50 years in the Soviet Union
his Russian wasn't perfect—but this imperfection made it quite adorable
it is difficult to translate Lilienthal's note
While the story doesn't say how the game ended
it is difficult to disagree with Lilienthal's advice
Since the queen is the most powerful chess piece
you can expect cunning tricks and unexpected results
but even in official tournament games by top grandmasters
unexpected checkmates in queen endgames are not uncommon
Black tried to convert his extra pawn for many moves
when he was able to push his pawn and the moment of triumph was close
he got an identical gift just one year later:
In the following game, we can see an Epaulette Checkmate in an endgame:
In conclusion, try to solve a beautiful study by Czech composer Ladislav Prokes
I hope that now you can appreciate Lilienthal's advice
be very careful even if you have extra material because these endgames have numerous tricks indeed
Lilienthal is First Person to Complete Revolutionary Ride
Contact: Johnny Carawan
National Park Service volunteer Sal Lilienthal completed a 680 mile revolutionary ride at the Yorktown Victory Monument
becoming the first person to complete a full ride of the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
the Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail includes the land and water corridors that follow the routes taken by American and French armies under the commands of General Washington and Comte de Rochambeau to and from the siege of Yorktown
a pivotal event in the American Revolutionary War
The trail traverses nine states: Massachusetts
his actual journey took him on a distance of over 800 miles
He also kayaked areas of the Trail to commemorate the water crossing of French and Continental troops
wanting to encourage people to learn more about the history of the Trail and living a healthy lifestyle,” said Sal Lilienthal of Kent
visited nine states and the District of Columbia and just met incredible people at every stop I made.”
His most notable stops were Morristown National Historical Park
Sal also stopped in the Village of Brandywine
where he performed a bike clinic and led about 30 inner city youth on a ride
his support van experienced a mechanical breakdown and his team had to revert to a rental truck
containing virtually everything needed to complete the trip was stolen from the hotel parking lot
When most would have taken that as a sign to give up
rented another car and got back on the road
This ride was challenging in countless ways and for that
we are extremely grateful that Sal had the strength and passion to complete it,” said Trail Administrator Johnny Carawan
Sal has brought awareness to our Trail and its significant role in our nations history
he now has the distinction of being the first person to bike and kayak the entire length of the Trial!”
For further information please contact Trail Administrator Johnny Carawan at (610) 715-1101 or by email at johnny_carawan@nps.gov
Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go
The great thing about traveling with a van (we’re still using the term “van life,” right?) is the freedom to live and work out of your vehicle and move from place to place
As long as you’ve got fuel in the tank and food in the fridge
what if your van was powered by batteries instead of gas or diesel
Could you travel long distances and still live the semi-nomadic van life in an electric vehicle
My wife, Mercedes Lilienthal, and I entered a 7,500km (4,660-mile), 16-day road rally covering nine countries — and we’d do it all in an electric van, a 2024 Volkswagen ID. Buzz
Before the rally, we contacted Volkswagen about borrowing an ID. Buzz electric van to compete in Superlative Adventure Club’s 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally
Our Bay Leaf Metallic Green ID. Buzz Pro was a short-wheelbase 2WD single-motor model from early 2024. It had an 82kWh battery pack, 201 horsepower, and had a range of up to 263 miles. Volkswagen also included a Ququq (pronounced “kook kook” like the sound of cuckoo clock) “camping module” for us to sleep on and cook out of
Buzz had two captain’s chairs up front and a middle bench seat
which we folded down so we could deploy the Ququq’s bed and have more room for our gear
and the myriads of European snacks we’d buy
Buzz has been on sale in Europe since 2022
North America will get it at the end of 2024
we’ll only get the long wheelbase version — 9.8 inches longer than the model we used
It’ll be available in 2WD or AWD and have a larger 91kWh battery pack
Power is said to range between 282 horsepower on 2WD vans and 330 horsepower on AWD models
Germany-based Superlative Adventure Club runs the Baltic Sea Circle Rally (BSCR). We knew it would be far different than other rallies we’d done in North America, like the Alcan 5000
and we’d need to regularly charge an electric van
but this would be an entirely different ball of electrified European wax
The BSCR started outside of Hamburg Germany
and back to the finish line in downtown Hamburg
and other ways to earn points for this lighthearted competition
Avoid using motorways and stick to paper maps to find your way
The route was a choose-your-own-adventure affair
with the included road book offering suggestions on which towns/locations to stay for the night and interesting sights to see along the way
There were two parties along the route where all teams could come together and share food
Superlative Adventure Club also asked each team to raise 500 € ($544 USD) for charity. We selected The Jessi Combs Foundation
We weren’t the first team to campaign an EV during this rally
I was initially hesitant to do a trip of this magnitude in an EV
Research revealed Europe would be a mishmash of charging stations operated by a slew of independent companies
Each would have its own proprietary apps and RFID keys or charging cards strewn across the different countries and regions
Few chargers would let you pay via credit card
instead requiring you to install their app
We also couldn’t download the apps or order the RFID cards before leaving the U.S
due to app location restrictions on the Google Play store
We provided an extensive list of apps we’d need; he installed them and sent away for the EV charging cards so we could charge
We silently left the starting line armed with a fully charged ID
and a stack of apps and charging cards for the van
The first challenge was booking a ferry from Germany to Denmark
my navigator and German-American dual-citizen wife
Our EV rally/van life strategy was to be conservative with speed for maximum range
and to bump-charge to 80% most of the time
This would be the most efficient use of time
We also wouldn’t push too far on range for fear of running out of battery
We’d try to stick to DC ultra- or hyper-fast chargers (150kW+) and look for multiple charging opportunities in cities
We had paper maps of each country for navigation
but had to use digital apps to locate charging stations
My EV anxiety was temporarily eased at our first charging spot in Bogø
as one of our charging cards successfully worked to initiate the ID
this time at one of the many Circle K convenience stores
charging across Europe was even trickier than we expected
It turned out that none of our apps or charging cards worked at Circle K
There was a QR code on the charger to download the right app
I thought I’d attempt to get the app with my U.S
Sweden allowed me to get the Elton charging app
took significant time and was a taste of things to come
finding charges wasn’t an issue; it was getting chargers to work
which was tough — nearly every station had its own app
we used 13 charging apps out of the nearly 20 we downloaded and set up
we found the Elton app worked at Circle K stations in Sweden and Norway
cars with CCS plugs can utilize Tesla Superchargers
and Poland aren’t included — ask me how I know
Europe’s EV charging infrastructure is a large but messy patchwork of different providers with most requiring proprietary apps or charging cards
we wouldn’t have been able to do this rally
When it was time to turn in for the night in the Nordic countries
we took advantage of the ability to wild camp pretty much anywhere that wasn’t on someone’s property
We spent the night at a few organized sites with other rally participants
We also had 3 nights in Airbnbs — 2 nights in Helsinki
A few organized camp sports had electricity where we could’ve paid to charge our van on standard AC power at a glacially slow 2kW (the ID
While all the teams selected their own motorway-free routes on this rally
we had to plan ours around charger availability
such as ChargeFinder and ABRP (A Better Route Planner)
as well as the digital map from each EV charging app
Before finding a place to camp or stay at night
We shopped at local grocery markets throughout the trip
and kept our tiny fridge well stocked with fresh food and local beer
We also tried the local foods when possible
Fun fact: The 7-11 stores in Norway had incredible smoked-salmon-and-egg sandwiches on beautiful bread
Why people would still opt for McDonald’s or Burger King is beyond me
we’d need to average about 500 km (311 miles) a day
That sounded simple compared to the 600-650-mile days on the Alcan 5000 Rally
the BSCR was more exhausting than anticipated
This was partially due to lots of slow speed limits
and the fact we had to stop to charge the van regularly
which made it hard to keep up with the rally’s pace
we’d get on the road a few hours earlier than most teams
who were still sleeping at their campsites
ralliers would catch up to us later when we stopped to charge
even if you were not on an endurance rally
van life in an EV will be at a slower pace
We still budgeted time to see things: the Arctic Circle in Norway and Finland
RUMMU Quarry in Estonia (a former Soviet prison turned beach)
Our hectic pace didn’t allow Instagram-worthy meals cooked out of the back of a van in a picturesque Euro locales
Much of our cooking and eating was actually done while charging in parking lots — far from scenic — but quite efficient
Our van included a German-made Ququq BusBox-4
a removable “camping module” designed specifically for the ID
It included a powerful double-burner butane stove and a spacious pantry underneath it for dry goods
The van’s continuous 12V plug powered a small slide-out refrigerator. There were two stainless steel wash basins and two 10L plastic water jugs, albeit they leaked a bit from their plastic caps. The Ququq system helped the ID. Buzz become a practical, comfortable camper van during our journey
Buzz had a host of built-in van-life-ready niceties
There were no fewer than seven USB-C plugs for charging phones
There was an AC outlet under the passenger’s seat
although it was easy to knock out a plug with your feet when in use
The center console between the captain’s chairs could be removed
and had cupholders and two storage bins inside
there were cupholders and cubbies great for wallets
I would’ve loved to have that USB-C power on all the time
so we could’ve charged our phones while we slept
The interior had a host of light colors which could easily become dingy
you needed to disable the interior motion sensing
which had 201 horsepower motor and 0-62 time of just over 10 seconds
(VW has since bumped the base output to 286 horsepower in the German market.) The van easily cruised on Europe’s roads
though we did have a tire patch kit and tools
Driving dynamics were very good — a common VW trait
making our back-road transits more entertaining than I anticipated
The comfortable seats and admirable ride really helped on the long days
such as the cruise control and climate control
offered a steep learning curve and a healthy dose of frustration
The bottom line is this: you can live your van life dreams in an EV
There’s more time spent charging and you must find chargers — and hope they work
If you were just living the digital nomad life
the ease of long trips (and even van life) should get easier
we took 47th place out of 140 entries; a total of 120 teams crossed the finish line
After spending over 2 weeks in nine countries
I can tell you long-distance travel in an electric van on a rally is a hell of an adventure
It’s a different kind of adventure than camping in the wilderness or off-roading in the middle of nowhere
The Baltic Sea Circle Rally was incredible
and extraordinary cultural experiences — I wholeheartedly recommend it
unless you’re trying to prove a point (or are an automotive journalist)
you might want to stick to an ICE vehicle for the time being
faster luxury EV with a boot full of retro good looks
Check out our top picks for the best minivans that are perfect for life on the road
Andy Lilienthal has been writing about cars
and gear for 23 years at a host of publications
Andy spent time at/worked at a student newspaper at the University of Wisconsin – Stout
Andy enjoys working on his Japanese domestic market 4WD Mitsubishis
When I picked up the 2025 MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2-Door
Since the modern BMW-made MINI’s debut in 2001
the performance-oriented Cooper S models have been a blast to drive
My test car wore Sunny Side Yellow paint with a black roof
Would it continue the Cooper S legacy of being a fun-sized boosted road rocket
In short: The latest MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2-Door aims to continue the heritage of offering spirited performance and great driving dynamics in a practical subcompact package
The latest model offers a host of changes that — for better or for worse — modernize this MINI while still holding on to being a driver’s car (with one major caveat)
But the lack of a manual gearbox or a way to manually select your own gears takes away some enthusiast appeal
yet is a sign of the times regarding modern cars
My wife and I picked this car up at the airport after arriving home from a trip. We opened the rear hatch, which had already had the rear seats folded down, and our carry-on luggage was easily swallowed up. This is why I love hatchback configurations; they’re so versatile
I was also looking forward to spending time with an actual car
a tiny MINI thumbs its nose at the boring crossovers of the world and the jacked-up 4x4s used only to retrieve one’s offspring from school
The gear selector is a small tab on the dashboard’s lower left
You press it down to go from park to drive
Then it occurred to me that there wasn’t a way to manually shift this thing: no paddle shifters
How can the performance-oriented Cooper S not offer the driver control over gear selection
The new Cooper S is a point-and-shoot affair
and the TwinPower engine comes to life with a satisfying growl
Making 201 horsepower and a healthy 221 pound-feet of torque
this front-drive hatchback has lots of zip
MINI claims a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph
There’s plenty of power to move around this 3,014-pound hatchback
the MINI Cooper S 2-Door feels like a go-kart
quick shifts and a satisfying exhaust note
the MINI Cooper S 2 Door is rated at 28 mpg city
one of a host of “experiences,” as MINI calls them
that changes the center-mounted gauge cluster’s appearance and driving dynamics
Go-Kart mode increases accelerator pedal sensitivity and adjusts automatic shift points to be held longer
optimizing the engine’s power for performance
The MINI Cooper S has always been known for its handling
The car has fully independent suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars and electronic torque vectoring
The busy-looking black-and-machined 18-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in grippy 215/40R18 Perelli Cinturato P7 tires
The hatchback handles like the aforementioned go-kart
The car is a blast to drive in the corners
as it darts easily and confidently through the twisties
The fun factor is high with this hatchback
a Fiat 500e has a 31.5-foot turning radius
The steering wheel is super-fat and chunky
the 10 and 2 o’clock positions are comically large and border on too big
The wheel also has stereo controls and cruise control
even if they’re not the most ergonomic or easy to use
I love the big round center cluster’s look
but some modes are too bright at night and require dimming
Most controls and readouts are handled on this screen
steering wheel — and nearly everything else — are controlled on the touchscreen
there are several different “experiences” you can choose from
or a gauge cluster that simply looks like an old-timey dial
These changes are mimicked by the retractable heads-up display — yes
I found the MINI’s infotainment challenging to use
even when wirelessly hooked to Android Auto
showed me to be around 25 miles from where I really was
It was suggested that I create a MINI ID account
but the pairing process failed a few times telling me
Technology aside, the interior is attractive and comfortable, at least for two people. Anyone with legs probably wouldn’t want to be relegated to the back seat. With the rear seats folded, you’ll get 34.4 cubic feet of cargo-carrying ability; 8.9 cubic feet with the seats folded up. Those seeking more space may want to investigate the Cooper S 4-Door
The front seats are comfortable and heated
and they offer ample bolstering and support
which was great after driving so many crossovers
I had to retrain my brain to get in and out without needing to step down a quarter of a mile
There are two USB-C outlets and a 12V socket in front of the armrest
In front of the armrest is a wide spot for stuff like phones
but it’s so large that you could probably get an iPad or tablet there
and it has one of the crispest rearview cameras I’ve seen
Restyling a car meant to be a retro tribute can be tricky
MINI has done this right since its first refresh
and that continues here — it’s unmistakably a MINI Cooper
From the round headlights (with illuminated halos) to the overall square hatchback shape
the car retains styling cues from the original 1959 BMC Mini
The restyled semi-triangular taillights show part of the Union Jack flag
The car is available with or without a black roof
The lack of a manual transmission or at least a way to manually change gears removes from driving luster
The MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2-Door starts at $34,600
Our tester included the $1,700 Iconic Trim
but this is a performance hot hatch in a tiny
Maybe a John Cooper Works model will give us back our ability to row our own gears
Mini knows the stick shift is a big part of driving fun
it wants to help more people learn the joy of three pedals
This guide will get you started on how to drive a manual transmission vehicle
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volume 4 - 2011 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fneng.2011.00020
This article is part of the Research TopicBioinspired solutions to the challenges of chemical sensingView all 14 articles
Roboticists often take inspiration from animals for designing sensors
or algorithms that control the behavior of robots
Bio-inspiration is motivated with the uncanny ability of animals to solve complex tasks like recognizing and manipulating objects
or navigating to the source of an odor plume
In particular the task of tracking an odor plume up to its source has nearly exclusively been addressed using biologically inspired algorithms and robots have been developed
In this paper we argue that biomimetic approaches to gas source localization are of limited use
primarily because animals differ fundamentally in their sensing and actuation capabilities from state-of-the-art gas-sensitive mobile robots
we compare actuation and chemical sensing available to mobile robots to the corresponding capabilities of moths
We further characterize airflow and chemosensor measurements obtained with three different robot platforms (two wheeled robots and one flying micro-drone) in four prototypical environments and show that the assumption of a constant and unidirectional airflow
which is the basis of many gas source localization approaches
This analysis should help to identify how underlying principles
which govern the gas source tracking behavior of animals
can be usefully “translated” into gas source localization approaches that fully take into account the capabilities of mobile robots
We also describe the requirements for a reference application
monitoring of gas emissions at landfill sites with mobile robots
and discuss an engineered gas source localization approach based on statistics as an alternative to biologically inspired algorithms
The animals that have inspired most of the robotics research for odor plume tracking are:
Moths, which use odor localization to find mates (Kuwana et al., 1999; Ishida et al., 2001; Pyk et al., 2006)
Lobsters, which use odor localization to locate food (Grasso et al., 1998)
Escherichia Coli, which use odor localization to locate nutrients (Russell et al., 2003)
Dung Beetles, which use odor localization to find hatching niches, habitation, and food (Russell et al., 2003)
The bio-inspired gas source tracking algorithms that have been implemented on mobile robots are based on two principles
Chemotaxis refers to a mechanism in which the movement of an organism (or robot) is determined by the distribution of chemical compounds
most often by the concentration gradient of one or more volatiles
Anemotaxis instead refers to a mechanism in which the movement of an organism (or robot) is determined by the perceived airflow (air can be generalized to fluid)
More recently Vergassola et al. (2007) proposed infotaxis, which is a search strategy based on probability and information theory. It was designed for addressing the gas source localization problem in uncontrolled indoor or outdoor environments characterized by a high Reynolds number and thus dominated by turbulence (Roberts and Webster, 2002)
Instead of using concentration and flow gradients
infotaxis models the location of the source as a probability distribution derived from previously collected measurements and the next actions of the robot (i.e.
move to a neighboring location or standing still) are decided based on a minimum entropy criterion
a statistical approach that follows the same principles as infotaxis
The authors performed their experiments inside a 18 m × 4 m wind tunnel with an ethanol gas source and a robot equipped with a commercial gas sensor
The experiments were carried out under laminar flow conditions
Turbulent airflow disperses the gas plume creating a complex structure of gas patches with different concentration levels
advection can create areas of high concentration away from the location where the gas was released
The main contribution of this paper is to highlight the weaknesses of state-of-the-art bio-inspired algorithms for gas source localization that aim to directly reproduce insect behavior
The argumentation brought at support is twofold: first
the sensing mechanisms available to robotic systems are completely different from biological receptors
the chaotic environmental properties of natural environments do not allow the formation of a steady odor plume that would lead a robot that implements a form of bio-inspired anemotaxis to the gas source
for localizing a gas source a mobile robot does not necessarily need to travel toward it tracking the odor plume
the robot can collect measurements in locations far away from the gas source and still be able to infer the position of the emission source
We provide observations collected in four different experimental areas with three different platforms in order to support our claims
We then use an engineered approach as an alternative to biologically inspired gas localization algorithms
we argue that isolated principles of animal behavior can help us to understand the task of gas source localization better
provided that we carefully take into account the limited mobility of a robot and the difference between biological receptors and the sensors that are available to a robot
In order to investigate the characteristics of measurements collected by mobile robots in natural environments
we perform experiments in four different locations with three different robotic platforms
The different locations have been chosen in order to have a wide spectrum of possible environmental conditions
to a long corridor with open ends and two different courtyards
the selection of the robotic platform aims at investigating different sensor configurations imposed by the constraints of the different platforms
the experiments were performed with two wheeled robots and one flying quadrocopter
and they can have large computational resources on-board
On the other hand flying platforms have less restrictions regarding mobility compared to wheeled robots but typically they have limited payload and battery life
Another shortcoming of helicopter platforms is that the action of their rotors can influence significantly the airflow
In all the experiments the robots were following a predefined trajectory that covered the area of inspection
The robots were stopping at regular intervals in order to collect series of measurements
No attempt was made to move the robot toward the location of the gas source but instead
data have been collected over all the area of inspection and then
gas distribution maps have been produced at the end of the experiments
gas distribution maps can provide good indications on the location of the gas source
In the next subsections we will first introduce the robotics platforms (Section 2.1)
then describe the experimental environments (Section 2.2)
and finally illustrate the sensing modalities employed for chemical (Section 2.3) and airflow (Section 2.4) sensing
a control interface that simplifies access to standard robot sensors and actuators and provides implementations of standard algorithms
adaptive Monte Carlo localization (amcl driver)
and the wavefront path planner (wavefront driver) were used for localization
The localization module implemented in the amcl driver uses the odometry and the laser scanner readings in order to localize the robot on a map provided to the algorithm at the startup
Gas sensors used in the electronic noses mounted on the three robotic platforms
Notice that the three pictures are not in scale
(A) Outdoor wheeled robot (B) indoor wheeled robot (C) outdoor flying robot
The e-noses and the PID inlet were mounted 0.065 m over the ground
The photo ionization gas detector shows quick response to a wide range of gases
and provides calibrated readings of the gas concentration (given that the chemical compound is known)
The responses of the metal-oxide gas sensors are slower and the sensors are not calibrated
The robot is also equipped with a two-dimensional ultrasonic anemometer (WindSonic
The device can measure the airflow velocity from 0 to 60 m/s with 0.01 m/s resolution
The specifications of the Gill WindSonic anemometer are very similar to the ones of the Young 81000
and the only major difference is that the WindSonic provides a 2-D reading instead of 3-D
The third robot that we used for our tests is the AR100-B micro-drone developed by AirRobot GmbH & Co. The micro-drone was modified by the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM, Germany) to incorporate gas-sensitive devices as payload. The sensors mounted on the micro-drone are listed in Table 1. The AR100-B (Figure 1C) is a highly maneuverable and compact platform
With a diameter of 1 m and a weight of approx
it supports up to 200 g of payload and its LiPo battery can provide a maximum flight time of about 20–30 min
The flight control relies on an on-board Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that comprises a three axis accelerometer and a three axis rotation rate sensor
The IMU is also used along with a GPS unit and a compass for localization purposes
Communication with the ground station is established through a 2.4-GHz RF link in which the data packets sent can include steering instructions or data coming from the payload and micro-drone sensors
Due to the restrictions imposed by the platform
the micro-drone doesn’t carry an anemometer
wind measurements are estimated by fusing the different on-board sensing modalities using the wind triangle approach explained later in Section 2.4
it is possible to measure windflows in the range of 0–8 m/s
A first set of three experiments was conducted in a 5-m × 5-m × 5-m × 2-m closed room shown in Figure 2A
Although no artificial airflow was induced
a weak circulating airflow field (0.01–0.03 m/s) was formed in the room by natural convection
Ethanol and 2-propanol vapors were used as detection targets
and were released from two tubes at a constant flow rate (0.2 l/min)
the robot was programmed to move along a predefined spiral path that covered the whole experimental area
The robot was stopping at regular intervals for data collection
The reason for stopping the robot at each waypoint to collect wind measurements is due to the difficulty in compensating for the movement of the robot on the anemometer readings
the sensor data were recorded for 30 s and the sensors were sampled at 4 Hz
A total of three experimental trials were conducted in this scenario
Experimental locations considered in this work
The dashed line displays the path followed by the robot and the dots indicate the points where the robot was stopping for collecting measurements
The squares denote the actual location of the gas sources
(A) Closed room (B) Orebro University corridor (C) Orebro University courtyard (D) BAM courtyard
four experimental trials were carried out in an 8-m × 8-m region that is part of a much bigger open area
the gas source was a cup of ethanol placed in the middle of this area
the robot followed a predefined sweeping trajectory covering the area of interest
the robot stopped at predefined positions and carried out a sequence of measurements on the spot for 10 s (outdoors) and 30 s (for both indoor locations)
The predefined sweeping motion was performed once in each directions and the robot was driven at a maximum speed of 0.05 m/s in between the stops
In these two scenarios the measurements were recorded at a frequency of 1 Hz
A set of five additional trials were conducted in the outdoor environment shown in Figure 2D
with an electronic nose mounted on the micro-drone previously described in Section 2.1
A CH4 (99.5%-pure methane) gas cylinder was placed in a 14-m × 14-m area and at each trial
the valve of the cylinder was let open to release CH4 in the environment
In order to spread the analyte away from the cylinder
an AC fan was placed near the odor outlets
The air current introduced by the fan also prevented the CH4 to immediately rise up to the atmosphere when released
The micro-drone was programmed to explore the experimental area following a sweeping trajectory
starting from a remote location and moving at 1 m/s toward the gas cylinder
Data samples were acquired at a sampling frequency of 8 Hz and transmitted down to the ground stating using the micro-drone’s RF link
At each measuring position the micro-drone stopped to take gas concentration measurements for about 20 s
RH and Rs are respectively the heater and the sensor resistances
while RL is the load resistance that is applied in series to Rs in order to be able to read it
VH is the voltage applied to the heating resistance and it is proportional to the operating temperature
VC is the reference voltage for the measurement
In order to calculate the value of the sensor resistance (inverse of the sensor conductance – the quantity that changes when the sensor responds) the following formula is applied:
the output signal is linearly proportional to the concentration of the chemical compound being analyzed
As a standalone detector PIDs are broad band detectors and are not selective
as these may ionize everything with an ionization energy less than or equal to the lamp output
PIDs provide true concentration measurements
Moreover the response dynamics of PIDs is much quicker compared to the one of MOX sensors
Two of the main drawback of PID gas sensors compared to MOX gas sensors are the high price and the considerable weight (738 g for the ppbRAE that we use in our experiments)
that makes them unsuitable for platforms with a limited payload
that we adopt for our indoor wheeled robot is to use both sensor modalities in order to try to combine the advantages of both while limiting the shortcomings
Wind information can be of high importance for gas-sensitive robots. For example, the steering trajectories of anemotaxis plume tracking algorithms are based on wind measurements. Moreover, more accurate gas distribution models can be obtained by considering the advective influence of local airflow (Reggente and Lilienthal, 2009)
Anemometers based on ultrasonic measurements are a convenient solution for robotics applications due to of their high resolution
wide measurement range and their relatively compact size compared to anemometers based on mechanical principles (e.g.
The basic operational principle of an ultrasonic anemometer can be explained with the schematic shown in Figure 4A
Pairs of piezoelectric transmitters and transducers are placed at locations s1 and s2 separated by a distance L
The oscillator at s1 produces a sonic pulse that reaches the transducer at s2 in a time of flight t12 while a second pulse travels from s2 to s1 in t21
the wind speed and direction can be estimated
t12 ≈ t21 and therefore |u|≈0
the sonic pulse emitted from a location j will travel faster than the pulse emitted from i and therefore tji < tji
The wind direction is then inferred from the sign of u
By placing additional orthogonal arrays of transducers/oscillators
2-D and 3-D wind information can be acquired
Schematic diagrams of the wind measurement principles considered in this work
(A) Ultrasonic measurement principle (B) wind triangle measurement principle
While ultrasonic anemometers are a reliable means to acquire wind information
alternative approaches have been developed for platforms with particular restrictions
the micro-drone described in Section 2.1 has a limited payload capacity which imposes weight and size constraints for on-board equipment and furthermore
the turbulence and vibrations caused by the micro-drone’s rotors can disrupt the anemometer readings
By fusing different sensing modalities, it is nevertheless possible to estimate the wind information. Neumann et al. (2010) proposed a method that can be used by aerial robots to estimate the wind vector . The authors used data coming from the embedded sensors of their micro-drone to compute the parameters of the wind triangle shown in Figure 4B
The ground vector and its direction wdir were directly obtained from the GPS readings while the flight vector was calculated using a reference function computed from a set of wind tunnel measurements
the orientation information coming from the on-board compass was used to compute the flight direction vdir and finally
the wind vector and direction udir were computed from the wind triangle by applying the law of cosines
In this section, we analyze the data recorded with the three robotic platforms in the four experimental locations summarized in Table 2
We characterize the wind measurements to describe the environmental conditions that prevailed during the data collection in the four locations
we analyze the response dynamics in the frequency domain of a PID sensor and two MOX sensors that are commonly used in robotic olfaction
we explore a non-biological approach to gas source localization
Measurement configurations used in the four experimental locations considered in this work
uneven speed distributions were sensed even in the indoor experimental set-ups where one might expect less distinct fluctuations
Wind measurements collected during one experimental trial
The squares denote the points where the robot stopped to collect measurements
The dashed line denotes the robot trajectory
(B) Polar plot of the measurements acquired at the waypoint denoted by a red square in the airflow map
(C) Wind speed histogram for the measurements acquired at the waypoint denoted by a red square in the airflow map
Örebro University courtyard set-up
As expected the frequency content of the signal collected with MOX sensors is much smaller than the one of a signal collected with the PID
Responses in time domain and frequency domain of a TGS2620 and a PID ppbRAE 3000
The responses were recorded with the robot stopped at a fixed position in the Closed room experimental set-up
(A) Time domain responses of the TGS2620 and the PID (ppbRAE 3000) normalized to be between 0 and 1
(B) Frequency spectra computed from the response of the TGS2620 and the ppbRAE 3000 in the Closed room experimental set-up
This algorithm is a non-parametric estimation approach that neither makes strong assumptions about the particular form of the modeled gas distribution
nor relies on expensive fluid dynamics computations to generate the model
Kernel DM + V takes a set of spatially located measurements and computes a discretized grid model where
a confidence value as well as distribution mean and predictive variance are computed
The model is computed by extrapolating from neighboring measurements weighted by a Gaussian function 𝒩 of width σ
the parameters that regulate the Kernel DM + V algorithm are kernel width σ and cell size c
the authors proposed a method to learn the parameters of the algorithm from the measurements by minimizing the average negative log predictive density (NLPD)
which is a standard criterion to evaluate distribution models
In order to estimate the gas source locations
we used the variance maps as indicators of the source proximity
It can be noticed that the cells adjacent to the actual source location have a higher variance value
which is represented by brighter color shades in the figures
Kernel DM + V learned parameters used in the four test locations
c Stands for grid cell size and σ is the kernel width
Predictive variance and mean distribution maps obtained with the Kernel DM + V algorithm in the four experimental locations considered in this work
The dashed lines represent the exploration path followed by the robot and the red circle represents the actual gas source location
OU courtyard (F) Variance distribution map
Probably one of the most crucial aspects of research in mobile robot olfaction is the design of the experiments that enable to study and develop systems for airborne chemical monitoring
A major technical difficulty is that the dispersion of chemicals in natural environments is difficult to observe since most chemicals produce an invisible plume
the plume evolution is also difficult to predict a priori due to the chaotic dispersal of gas
A second major difficulty is that environmental conditions are often very variable and therefore experiments are hard to repeat
Thus it is difficult to obtain ground truth that can be used to validate experimental results
experiments are often carried out under controlled conditions that limit variations from the expected ground truth plume behavior and thus increase repeatability of the experiments
it is hard to predict how the results obtained in such experiments extend to uncontrolled environments
It is very important in the mobile robot olfaction domain that great care is used in describing the experimental set-up in which the claimed results are obtained
and it should be avoided to state that results obtained in an environment with
steady and controlled airflow trivially extend to more general and complex environments
In an attempt to identify possible reasons why the clearly successful reactive tracking behavior of animals cannot be mimicked by current mobile robots
we make two observations: the chemosensing mechanisms currently available are much slower than the biological receptors and mobile robots do not have the same maneuvering capabilities of animals
According to Justus et al. (2005) the filtering applied by moth antennae is a linear
noise-free representation of odorant concentration in the range of 1–10 Hz
while the gain is reduced for frequencies below 1 Hz
It is argued that the most likely cause for this effect is the adaptation of the receptor cells
a common feature of biological sensory receptors that is most often seen as a slowing or cessation of response to a constant stimulus
According to the data we collected in the four different scenarios mentioned in this paper the bandwidth of the signal collected with MOX gas sensors contains frequencies in the range of 0–0.04 Hz while the signal collected with a PID contains frequencies between 0 and 0.015 Hz
It is striking that currently available chemical sensors stop filtering out the signal in the bandwidth that insects actually can perceive and use for tracking an odor plume
chemical sensors capture the signal in a bandwidth that insects filter out through the adaptation process
the perception of the chemical stimulus is totally different for insects compared to state-of-the-art gas-sensitive robots
the angular speed is mainly limited by the actuation principles
Based on these differences it seems possible that current gas-sensitive mobile robots are just too slow to perform insect-like reactive steering strategies that allow successful plume tracking in a highly dynamic environment with turbulent airflow
the design of gas-sensitive mobile robots should take into account the limitations of the sensors and robotic platforms currently available
This does not imply that the design of olfactory mobile robots can not be biologically inspired but that mobile robots should not try to directly replicate the movements of insects without a deep understanding how the underlying principles depend on the sensing and actuation capabilities of animals
Instead of mimicking “zigzagging” and “casting” paths
the importance of mechanisms to recover from situations in which the animal or robot looses contact with the plume
should be applied when developing gas source tracking approaches
A very interesting example in this regard is the infotaxis algorithm which minimizes an entropy function but is nevertheless observed to produce “zigzagging” and “casting” paths similar to those observed in the flight of moths and other animals
Here the underlying principle is probably that the information gain is highest close to the boundary of the plume and this principle could also be used in approaches that do not attempt to zigzag toward a gas source
In addition to non-biological algorithms that take inspiration from the successful principles reflected in animal behavior
the mobile robot olfaction community should also consider emerging gas sensing technologies like methane laser sensors or infrared cameras that can provide valuable inputs for locations that are meters away from the actual position of the robot
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest
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Bio-Inspired and Probabilistic Algorithms for Distributed Odor Source Localization Using Mobile Robots
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Effectiveness and robustness of robot infotaxis for searching in dilute conditions
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Peter Lilienthal refurbished the broken clock that has adorned the facade of 57 Park St
in Lee since 1991. "This clock might fall into that borderline between antique and sentimental," he said
Peter Lilienthal is proprietor of Good as Old Antiques Repair & Art Gallery in Sheffield
“We specialize in restoring things that can be very sentimental," he said
Knollwood Antiques in Lee displays wares from 30 vendors.
agreed that the clock that long has adorned the building at 57 Park St
“[Paul] believed as I believe that it is part of the history of the town,” LaVigné said
The clock will hang on Knollwood Antiques at 57 Park St
in Lee in the semicircle at the top of the facade.
Peter Lilienthal and Crystal Lehmann have refurbished the broken clock that has adorned the front facade of 57 Park St
in Lee. They transformed the clock so it still looks old but shows no signs of rust or decay
Peter Lilienthal recently refurbished the broken clock that long has adorned the front facade of 57 Park St
It turns out that he was helping a fellow lover of preserving old objects: Richard LaVigné
Peter Lilienthal sees potential where others see none left
“I hate to see good things go in the garbage,” he said
Now 68 and the proprietor of Good as Old Antiques Repair & Art Gallery in Sheffield
Lilienthal’s most recently refurbished the broken clock that has adorned the facade of 57 Park St
Lilienthal has been in the business of repairing objects for 35 years
After he helped a friend who owned an import business repair merchandise damaged during shipment
he developed a reputation as a good repairman
He says he was born with the ability to fix things
“I always just knew" how to fix things
He previously did repairs — mostly for antique shops — out of his home
he opened a store and began doing more repairs for individual customers
They began their antique and interior design business in 1984 in Boston
they have a total of five galleries in both New York City and Florida
drawn out of the city after an antiquing business opportunity didn’t pan out
they fell in love with the space at 57 Park St
pottery and other antique items from 30 vendors who rent spaces
and you don’t see it a lot anymore,” LaVigné said
Why can't we reuse one of those things and make a unique space?”
LaVigné found his love for finding beauty in old objects at a young age
while running his paper route in his hometown of Marlborough
he drew inspiration from his neighbors’ interior design
One couple replaced a wall in their Colonial-style home with colored panes of glass and put old glass bottles on shelves in front of the window that had a view out at Mount Wachusett. LaVigné thought it was beautiful
LaVigné and Concannon got the keys to the building on Park Street on March 1
asked what they would do with the broken clock
why don’t we get it restored?” LaVigné said
Lilienthal and Crystal Lehmann — who worked with Lilienthal since 2016 doing restoration work herself and managing the business' operations — took on the project
“We take things every day and make them beautiful.”
The inner molding of the clock was rotted or missing
and some of the nails that held it together were gone
The one remaining hand on the clock didn’t tick
and LaVigné found the missing hand on a shelf in the building’s back office
Lilienthal and Lehmann transformed the clock so it still looks old but shows no signs of rust or decay
They hope it will remain on the building for decades to come
The building was constructed in 1935 and housed a series of various businesses
When John Elling leased the building in 1991 and opened Elling Hardware
did some renovations that included building the clock and its surrounding archway
Ray Elling painted the numbers on the clock and included the the names "Franklin & Holmes" in gold lettering because that's what the brothers had considered naming the hardware store
though these names had no significance in their family.
"We added the clock because it was an icon on Main Street," John Elling said
"It was good to have the clock because it was useful."
Carr Hardware moved into the building in 2003
but relocated to a building on Main Street in 2022
vacant until the Knollwood Antiques moved in
David King has lived in Lee on and off since 1989
and worked at Carr Hardware since January 2006
the clock was a central element of its storefront.
“You look at it when you go by and it’s iconic," King said.
Lilienthal also appreciates the clock’s prominent position in Lee
“Anybody coming down Route 20 going south is looking at this clock on that building
"It's sort of a touchstone for travelers.”
Although the clock has long been displayed
it’s been broken more often than it’s been working
King remembers that Carr Hardware hired someone to fix the clock around 2010
but it stopped working again after a few years
Lilienthal and Lehmann didn’t have too much trouble restoring the clock — they’ve faced far greater and labor-intensive challenges restoring old high chairs
porcelain and grandfather clocks — but Lilienthal says that some objects are mysteriously challenging to fix
“There are some things I’ve worked with that just don’t want to be fixed
and you could almost sense that they were fighting with you,” Lilienthal said
And there are some things that just act like normal things
Time will tell if the clock will decide to keep diligently ticking
the dean of regional antiques dealers and appraisal specialists
discovered his passion for art while in high school
little did he know that he would create an …
The Tavern at the A in Pittsfield is preparing to reopen for food service this May
even as the fate of its liquor license remains uncertain after Monday afternoon's Licensing Board meeting
Hancock residents will vote on a 20-item warrant at the 2025 Annual Town Meeting 7 p.m
The town election will be held noon to 6 p.m
At least 70 job-seekers connected with 18 employers at Lenox's annual job fair
Dalton's annual town meeting will begin at 7 p.m
The town election will be May 12 at the Dalton Senior Center
three men discussed plans for a secret raid that would become America’s first offensive victory in the Revolutionary War
locals gathered to commemorate the largely forgotten meeting that helped shape history
Becket voters will consider the proposed fiscal 2026 budget
adopting the seasonal community designation
a bylaw regulating outdoor lighting and other items at the annual town meeting on May 10.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device
Hyundai IONIQ 5 N vs. the Grueling One Lap Race: Hyundai & Grassroots Motorsports Take on America's Toughest Road Challenge
Mercedes to Add High-Volume Model to US Assembly Lines
Completing a 16-day, nine-country rally around the Baltic Sea is hard enough. Doing it in an all-electric car might seem like madness. Right? Well, that’s exactly what my husband and I did, tackling the 2024 Baltic Sea Circle Rally in a European-spec short wheelbase Volkswagen ID
The Baltic Sea Circle Rally is the brainchild of Hamburg
Germany-based rally organization Superlative Adventure Club (SAC)
the Baltic Sea Circle Rally is part fun run and part competition
touring through backroads with no GPS and only paper maps
packed with a massive sense of adventure as teams camped along the way
Each year, the Baltic Circle Sea Rally (both summer and winter iterations) asks teams to raise at least 500 euros (approximately $540 USD) for their favorite charity. We chose to support The Jessi Combs Foundation – the charity named in honor of the late racer and TV personality
which supports young women seeking careers in automotive trades and similar fields
we raised $3,239 USD (over 2,985 euros) for the nonprofit
Unlike some competitions in North America, like the Alcan 5000 Rally
the Baltic Sea Circle Rally is an adventure rally where unique daily challenges and off-the-wall missions created an exciting journey around the Baltic Sea while basking in the midnight sun
There were 140 teams entered in this year’s Baltic Sea Circle Rally
with all but one team not from Europe or its nearby regions: us
My husband and I traveled from Oregon to Germany to compete
We were also the only team piloting an all-electric vehicle this year — an incredible feat given we needed to travel 5,000 miles through nine countries
are based on precision and particular routes
But the Baltic Sea Circle Rally has a suggested course that’s noted in a thick spiral-bound roadbook
you could massively deviate from the course or head home early if you chose
Teams started in northern Germany and worked their way through the nine countries
we drove a clockwise route from Germany through Denmark
much of the rally takes place quite far from the actual Baltic Sea
We made our way through all of Scandinavia
and we achieved one of our personal goals: Drive to the northernmost point in all of Europe
This special place beckons adventurers with its steep cliffs and iconic globe sculpture located at 71°10′21″N 25°47′04″E
Nordkapp is just 1,306 miles from the North Pole and is considered the mid-point of the Baltic Circle Sea Rally
Buzz Pro arrived sporting a very cool Bay Leaf Green paint job with a matching two-tone interior
Buzz that will eventually come to the United States
short-wheelbase two-row model with two power sliding doors
it features several smartly designed areas for storage
including a clever floor-mounted center console with bins
drawers and cubbies that’s removable and reversible
making the most of the vehicle’s storage capabilities
Our ID. Buzz Pro van also featured a Ququq BusBox-4 camping system for sleeping
and storing gear — an extra installed for the rally
This unique interior camp unit is easy to set up in any ID
The system works super-well; Andy declared it well-built
Buzz has a single rear motor that generates 201 HP and 229 pound-feet of torque
which is the same output as the ID.4 Standard sold here in the United States
it shouldn’t be surprising that it hits 62 mph (100 km/h) in 10.2 seconds
that 82-kWh battery was said to achieve 250 to 262 miles of range
based on the WLTP European testing cycle that's typically uber-optimistic
After 36 charges and extensive statistical analysis
Buzz Pro netted a wide range of total kilometers after charging to 100%
arriving with 57% and 272 kilometers (169 miles) of charge left
We had a lot of remote traveling coming up
Buzz up to an impressive 467 km (290 miles)
We also managed two other charges that topped over 440 kilometers (273 miles)
we amassed a few charges that barely topped 200 miles when fully charging it
Buzz Pro was said to have a 30-minute charge time from 5% to 80% SOC (state of charge)
This time frame seemed accurate compared to our figures
Most of the chargers in our nine-country jaunt were 150 kilowatt (a few were faster)
though when we crossed from Finland into the Baltic nations of Estonia
We packed patience and left earlier each morning as other teams still slept so we could keep pace with the competition
“I was worried about whether or not we'd have enough range between charges,” my husband Andy said
This was his first long-distance endurance event in an all-electric vehicle
“There were so many unknowns having an EV in Europe; I worried we might run out of charge in the middle of nowhere.”
Andy was confident in traveling longer distances with an EV
especially as we were driving one with a relatively modest range like the ID
Buzz has great outward visibility and it was able to do everything we wanted to do in it
The one that’ll show up in the United States will be bigger
complete with a 91-kWh battery and a more powerful 282-hp motor from the updated ID.4
all-wheel-drive variant good for 335 hp will be available
It’ll also have an updated infotainment system and interior controls
unlike ours that was still blighted by what came in the original ID.4
Previous ralliers told us to cover at least 310 miles (500 km) a day to finish the rally in time
we pressed beyond and forged our way through 500 miles (800+ km) multiple days
maintaining continual reserves in case broken chargers
Right now charging an electric vehicle in Europe is rather difficult for Americans
We could not download charging apps to our U.S.-based phones before our trip
nor could we pay with our American credit cards at most chargers as they inevitably required apps
we learned this in advance and enlisted my German nephew
Not only did he procure a number of those special charging cards
he loaned us an old iPhone that would in fact work with the various charging apps
Once in Scandinavia, we needed to download additional charging apps and discovered we could use our U.S.-based phones to pay for charging. We also were able to use Tesla Superchargers
The eastern side of the Baltic Sea brought new challenges. Once we crossed into Estonia, no app would work, including the new ones we loaded. Our initial research showed they should have, but that seemed to be incorrect. The Baltic nations’ Circle K chargers were apparently not the same as Scandinavia’s Circle Ks, and that app didn’t work, either. Even Tesla no longer worked in Estonia
New QR codes and app download instructions on charge machines came to the rescue
GreenWay is the largest charging system in Poland
and once we figured that out it became our go-to charging system until back in Germany
it was fascinatingly complicated to figure out how to pilot an all-electric vehicle through nine countries and 4,771 miles with multiple smartphones and charging apps as non-Europeans
That’s an infrastructure and technology issue
giving us smooth charging experiences time after time
new European EV chargers will be mandated to accept credit cards without needing charging accounts
Only two of the 36 chargers we used had direct credit card capability
Photos by Mercedes Lilienthal (finish line photo by Katharina Müller)
nine-country international rally in our electric Volkswagen van
we became the first duo that lived outside of the European Union or adjacent countries to compete in and finish an SAC rally with an EV
We also proved an important point: Long-distance EV travel is possible
but what we accomplished is a whole lot harder than trying to travel 4,771 miles through nine American states
Our charging infrastructure still needs a ton of work
but at least you don’t need to borrow your nephew’s phone or download 13 different charging apps
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Memorial service for Robin will be at Pathways Church 9160 FM 1409
She graduated in 1986 from Eisenhower High School in Houston and lived in the Dayton/Daisetta area for the past 10 years
Robin was full of joy and love and it genuinely radiated from her and was felt by anyone who ever knew her
She was a woman who truly enjoyed the simple things in life such as being at the beach or lake in the summer and bonfires with friends in winter
Relaxing with her cat while reading a book
And by spending time with her family and daughters
Robert and Paula Lilienthal; her daughters
Jane Suchma and husband James; grandchildren
Queen Lola; numerous other relatives and friends
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HistoryNet
an American studying chemistry and physics at the University of Berlin
received a letter from Otto Lilienthal on August 8
Lilienthal was the German experimenter who had become known as the “Flying Man” after gaining international attention with his glider flights over the previous five years
His letter was an invitation for Wood to join him the following day in the hills north of Berlin
where Wood said the engineer “was in the habit of exercising every Sunday with his flying machine.”
had watched Lilienthal make several successful flights with his glider the previous Sunday
He had even attempted two glider flights himself
Lilienthal’s glider exercise “produces an impression that can never be forgotten,” Wood wrote
But the American was busy preparing for a trip to Siberia
so he was unable to join his friend this time
he was “spared the ordeal of witnessing the dreadful accident which caused his death
the news of which reached Berlin the following evening.”
Wood wrote those words from London on October 16
part of a lengthy description of the flights Lilienthal had made the week before his fatal crash
published later that month in the Boston Evening Transcript newspaper
provides one of the most detailed accounts of Lilienthal and his glider flights
and is a reminder of how the German’s work and the hundreds of test flights he made helped advance the science of aeronautics.
Lilienthal’s life and his death inspired Wilbur and Orville Wright to make history a few years later
“My own active interest in aeronautical problems dates back to the death of Lilienthal in 1896,” Wilbur Wright said
adding Lilienthal had “accomplished so much.”
Otto Lilienthal was born in 1848 in Anklam
As a child he became transfixed by the flight of birds
mesmerized by and jealous of their ability to glide effortlessly across the sky
His fascination with the shape of different birds’ wings would later help him design the wings of his gliders.
After graduating from Berlin’s Royal Technical Academy in 1870 with a degree in mechanical engineering
Lilienthal volunteered for military service and fought in the Franco-Prussian War
Even before that he had started working with his brother
These early studies dated as far back as 1867
Lilienthal made his living as a mechanical and construction engineer but remained committed to the study of aeronautics
who were then young and wholly without means
the money to prosecute our investigations; and often the struggle for life compelled us to interrupt them indefinitely,” he said
The brothers became members of the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain in 1873 and Otto gave his first public lecture that same year on bird flight.
In 1883 the elder Lilienthal founded a successful company in Berlin that manufactured boilers and steam engines
He later used the factory to build his gliders
In 1889 he published Birdflight as the Basis of Aviation
one of the first scientific studies of aeronautics
The Wright brothers would later use calculations from the book as a guide for their early glider designs
better airships that could fly faster and farther
and the exclusive attention which it so attracted
as a hinderance rather than a help to the development of the art of flight,” he said in an 1894 story in the New York Herald
it is probable that more serious investigations would have been prosecuted toward other solutions of the problem.”
many leading scientists of the day remained skeptical about the art of flight
“While we were devoting every moment of our spare time to the solution of the problem
almost everyone in Germany regarded the man who would waste his energies in such unproductive labor as a fool,” Lilienthal told the Herald
a distinguished professor of mathematics at the Berlin Industrial Academy told Lilienthal it would “do no harm” to amuse himself with his glider experiments
“but warned me earnestly against putting any money into them.”
Lilienthal continued to believe that understanding the curved
tapered shape of the wings of flying birds would provide the key to success for manned flight
Lilienthal wrote that it is “unmistakable that the wide portion of the wing close to the body
which does little work and has little movement
with their much greater amplitude of movement
have to furnish the tractive power necessary to compensate for the resistance of the bird’s body and for any possible restraining component.”
Lilienthal constructed his first piloted glider in 1891
It had curved wings with a span of 23 feet and weighed about 40 pounds
The design was similar to modern hang gliders.
Lilienthal was able to glide about 80 feet in the Derwitzer
Otto and Gustav built a succession of gliders over the next few years
tinkering with the shape and length of the wings and the materials they used in the quest to make them lighter
including a biplane glider and even a version with flapping wings
and applied myself to the discovery of the simplest form of wing that would enable me to sail steadily through the air on a gentle incline
that hereditary foe of all aeronauts.” He later tinkered with a powered glider
hoping to mimic the flapping of the wings of a bird
From 1893 to 1896 he experimented with a small engine powered by carbonic acid
the motor “acted with such unexpected vigor that the wings were broken
and the modifications thus shown to be necessary will require some time for their completion.”
Lilienthal made more than 2,000 glider test flights and eventually was flying up to 300 yards on a regular basis
Newspaper accounts from around the world described his experiments
“He flies stretches of several hundred yards
and feels as much at home sixty feet above ground as he does six feet,” wrote Britain’s Guardian on December 30
“He can also guide the machine.” An 1894 headline in the Chicago Tribune declared
The Flying Man described his latest glider model and the art of flying in a newspaper story published in several American newspapers in 1894
By this point his glider was composed primarily of woven muslin stretched over ribs of willow
In addition to the two muslin-covered wings
this glider had rudders for additional stability; a vertical rudder in the back shaped like a palm leaf and a flat
Lilienthal sat on a narrow support seat suspended beneath the apparatus
On some gliders Lilienthal could swing each wing forward as he took to the air to maximize lift
At the edge of the hill he would leap into the air
and sail majestically across the sky.
Mastering wind currents was a delicate balancing act
“The operator must be able in a moment to transfer the center of gravity so far to the rear as to overcome the action of the air
which might otherwise tend to throw him forward and precipitate him to the earth,” Lilienthal said
“It is not easy to realize in practice at first
but after a short experience the movement becomes almost involuntary.”
Lilienthal sold at least two of his gliders in 1896
owned by media mogul William Randolph Hearst
who never turned down an opportunity for publicity
who attempted to fly the glider on April 24
“a date which will hereafter occupy a permanent place in the history of aeronautics,” the Journal proclaimed
but “the wind struck the wings with such force as to almost throw machine and operator over backward.” Someone then suggested flying the glider as a manned kite
Local illustrator Frank Ver Beck was on hand and he volunteered to pilot the machine
Three strong men were recruited to pull the 50-foot rope attached to the glider
“man and machine shot twenty feet into the air
The rope was torn from the hands of the men with lightning velocity
taking particles of flesh from one hand as it went.” Ver Beck remained aloft for a few seconds before returning to earth
“not very slowly or yet very gracefully.” The right wing hit the ground first
Had Ver Beck known how to pilot the glider
The glider was repaired the next day and the wind was a bit calmer
Bodine made several untethered test flights
“There is an overwhelming ambition to reach the clouds,” Bodine said
after you leave the earth there is not the least bit of fear.”
Octave Chanute, a French American engineer and aviation pioneer
Chanute and three others—one of them an early researcher into manned flight named Augustus M
Herring—assembled the glider on the banks of a lake about 30 miles south of Chicago in June 1896
“The natives waited patiently for the boat to be brought out
thinking a sail on the lake was in prospect,” wrote the Chicago Tribune
Herring mount the odd-shaped affair and sail through the air.” Herring made several flights
Lilienthal’s machines “have found their way to almost every country in Europe and to the United States
but few except the inventor have been able to master the problems of their manipulation.”
Wood visited Lilienthal’s factory in Berlin later that summer and “it was here that I first became really acquainted with him,” he wrote
In a small corner of the boiler and engine factory he saw the Flug Apparat
where several men were assembling a new glider with enormous wings
Lilienthal “explained every detail of its construction
little realizing that he was destined never to put it to actual test.” A week later Wood accompanied Lilienthal
his 14-year-old son and a “manservant” on an expedition to the hills north of Berlin
First they took a train to Neustadt and from there a horse-drawn cart carried the party the 20 miles to Rhinow
Storks flew above and Lilienthal told Wood they were “his teachers.” The party had lunch at an inn in Rhinow where
Lilienthal’s “arrival always causes a hum of excitement among the peasants.” They loaded a glider
“A more ideal spot for flying could hardly be conceived,” Wood wrote
and “so perfectly was the machine fitted together that it was impossible to find a loose cord or brace
and the cloth everywhere under such tension that the whole machine rang like a drum when rapped with the knuckles.” They carried the glider up a hill
and then to the top of a 30-foot tower Lilienthal had built
The pilot wore a flannel shirt and knee-length breeches with thickly padded knees
The padding was in case of a hard landing “for in such an emergency he had learned to drop instantly to his knees after striking with his feet….” Over hundreds of flights he had made over the past few years Lilienthal had survived several emergency landings with only minor injuries.
as Lilienthal took three quick steps forward and was immediately airborne
the wind playing wild tunes on the tense cordage of the machine….” It happened so fast that Wood didn’t have time to take a photograph
in what Wood called a forerunner of the disaster to come
Lilienthal twisted his body violently in the opposite direction and “brought the machine once more on even keel
and sailed away below me across the fields at the bottom
kicking at the tops of the haycocks as he passed over them.” Wood ran over to Lilienthal
“I thought for a moment it was all up with me
and I threw out my legs thus and righted it.”
Wood was very impressed by what he had witnessed
“I have seen high dives and parachute jumps from balloons
but I have never witnessed anything that strung the nerves to such a pitch of excitement or awakened such a feeling of enthusiasm and admiration as the wild fearless rush of Otto Lilienthal through the air,” he wrote
Lilienthal climbed back up the hill again and again to take off and glide down to the grassy pastures below while Wood took photographs
Wood “managed to screw up enough courage to try the machine.” He found it difficult even to hold the 40-pound machine steady as the wind battered the wings
“The first feeling is one of utter helplessness,” Wood wrote
He stood on the side of the hill far below where Lilienthal had started his flights
the weight of the machine lightening with each step
The next instant my feet were off the ground…the apparatus tipped from side to side a good deal
and immediately determined to order a machine for myself and learn to fly.” Wood’s second attempt was less successful
as one of the wings dragged across the ground and he could not get airborne
He hoped someday to construct a flying rink in Berlin “with an artificial slope which could be turned so as to always face the wind
Here people could come and hire machines and learn to use them
commencing with small elevations and gradually going higher up the slope
as practice gave them skill.” The proposed flying rink would serve as a laboratory of sorts
as Lilienthal would learn from the visitors and improve his gliders
He compared the development of the glider to that of the bicycle
saying that since no single person was responsible for the design of the bicycle
it “must be the same with the flying machine.”
Lilienthal made the trek to Rhinow to continue his weekly test flights
he was about 50 feet in the air on one flight when disaster struck
“Suddenly his machine stopped and Lilienthal threw himself toward the rear,” newspapers reported
“The apparatus turned several somersaults and finally shot down like a rocket
Lilienthal striking the ground head first.” He died a day later
his final words were: “Mine is the true inventor’s death; I am satisfied to die in the interest of science.” Another version is: “Sacrifices must be made.” It’s doubtful he said either
Wood believed his friend had begun work that would ultimately lead to powered flight
“If the unfortunate death of the pioneer does not deter others from experimenting along these lines
the results accumulated by him will not be lost and he will not have given up his life in a vain cause.”
Chanute remained as the thread that would connect Lilienthal to the Wright brothers
After his experiments with Lilienthal’s glider
Chanute went on to build gliders of his own design
and eventually met and advised the Wrights in the years leading up to their first successful flights
“Of all the men who attacked the flying problem in the 19th century
Otto Lilienthal was easily the most important,” wrote Wilbur Wright in a posthumous article that appeared in the September 1912 issue of the Aero Club of America Bulletin a few months after his death
“His greatness appeared in every phase of the problem.”
Augustus Herring continued his own research in aviation and on October 22, 1898, supposedly flew a powered glider he had designed. Later he partnered with aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss to form the Herring-Curtiss Company
Gustav Lilienthal continued to work on their concept for a wing-flapping aircraft
The “other Lilienthal” did find success in the housing industry as one of the pioneers of prefabricated housing
Wood had a long and successful career as a physics professor at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins University
became a pioneer in the field of ultraviolet and infrared rays and served as a consultant on the Manhattan Project
Wood never forgot his time with Lilienthal and gave lectures over the years on the man and his machines
Wood died in 1955 after living long enough to see the airplane advance far beyond anything Otto Lilienthal could have imagined.
Steve Wartenberg is a freelance writer based in Columbus
Whether they produced battlefield images of the dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers
In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earhart’s disappearance
Did Curtiss-Wright deliberately sell defective engines to the U.S
“History is a guide to navigation in perilous times
History is who we are and why we are the way we are.”
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Vibe, the latest exhibition at Lilienthal Gallery
opened last week and will run through August
and color,” the exhibition virtually explodes with color
encouraged guests to ramp up the color quotient
The exhibition includes two artists from Knoxville and four from Israel
These artists exemplify a deep connection to the spiritual and natural world and encourage us to find a place for our inner vibe together
it seems necessary to examine the roles and roots of these materials in creating the process of art
As with all the exhibitions at the gallery
Vibe challenges conceptions of art incorporating more traditional forms with multi-layered works that require more thought
The six featured artists include Gili Avissar
Each challenges limits in their own way whether by the subject matter include
or the construction of sculpture with non-traditional materials
The exhibition is curated by Ilana Lilienthal
for the opening and gave a brief presentation of her work
Here’s a bit of an intro (shortened from the promotional material) to each artist and what you’ll encounter at the exhibition (be sure to visit the basement for an entirely different “vibe”):
Gili is a multidisciplinary artist who primarily works with textiles to create large-scale installations and videos
His practice involves a dynamic interplay between object-making and performance
with a deep interest in investigating the interaction between materials and movement
Avissar turns every work inside out and rearranges it into intense and colorful compositions
and video performance to uncover the “flesh” and create immense and transformative environments that engage the viewer in new and unexpected ways
Gittit Alexandra Fridberg is a textile artist whose work explores the intricate relationship between fashion and art
With an education from Shenkar school and a background in fashion design
her artistic practice centers around thread and color
The thread that built the fabric becomes the primary independent material in her work
Gittit’s recent works were inspired by the beauty of a flowering garden in spring
Sitting and living in the “wild garden,” the artist drew her inspiration from the contrast between wild and groomed
quiet and storms – distinctions that are the building blocks of life
The thread becomes a vital connector between things like fabric
Combining the history of spooling threads with machine work
using technology as a tool to merge past and present
Maria Merfeld’s multidisciplinary journey spans three decades and encompasses theoretical and practical approaches
Her material culture studies from historical and anthropological perspectives have influenced her artistic practice
The use of materials and techniques showcases her ability to push the boundaries of traditional craft and create unique contemporary works of art
The sculpture – “zeitgeist” relates to the duality of the red color and how this pigment was created
the ability to create red pigment was very limited in ancient times
Therefore only kings and popes could afford red garments or objects
As the manufacturing of the red pigment became more accessible
Red moves to the “other side.” Soldiers
and the working class could suddenly afford to use elements of red
Using the Red and weaving paper pieces (that resemble change) with paper threads all around with no front or back enable us to see it from all sides
The use of paper came from the fact that most of western human history was written on paper
Gombert combines decorative art-making traditions from across the globe
quilting patterns together with symbols of Pop Cultures and stamps – all combined to create “Mandalas.” A Mandala is a geometric configuration of symbols
and Shinto mandalas are used as a map for prayers and energy movements
It represents the spiritual journey through layers from them outside to the inner core
Historically artists painted nature scenes as they saw or experienced them by trying to be true to reality
using the canvas instead of the camera we know today
Starting with the impressionist movement (circa 1869)
artists began to express their personal take on nature
Ashman takes this modern approach and brings a refreshing “Spring” feeling
Intertwining impressionism with expressionism
adoring nature through her colors and strength
Vibe offers a fascinating, complex journey through a world of color. All works are available for purchase. The exhibition continues through August and you can learn more about the exhibition and gallery by visiting the website
Current Gallery hours are Wednesday – Sunday 12pm – 6pm or by Appointment 865.200.4401
It all looks so fun and is perfect for spring
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NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY — Meskwaki Settlement School Senior Sophie Balderas
received her paraeducator generalist certificate during the MCC commencement ceremony last Friday night
MARSHALLTOWN — A celebratory mood was in the air on Friday night as over 500 Marshalltown Community College and Iowa Valley Grinnell (IVG) graduates from all over the world — including a large contingent from Tama County — received degrees
certificates and diplomas during a commencement ceremony held at the MCC Student Activities Center
But it was also emotional as longtime MCC Provost Robin Shaffer Lilienthal oversaw her final ceremony before her retirement from the school where she has spent over two decades
and Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship winner and keynote speaker Nikita McNamee got candid about her struggles with anxiety and depression and how she overcame them
Lilienthal traced her journey in higher education back to her own days as an 18-year-old work study student in the career placement office at her alma mater
“I learned that you could make a career out of working each and every day with college students
so I thought to myself ‘How cool is that
How lucky would I be to get paid to work at a college?’ So I began following a path of education and training that became my career passion,” she said
“That passion led me to working with college students across the state of Iowa
faculty and staff of Marshalltown Community College and Iowa Valley Grinnell
tonight I’m taking another step in my life because
The provost thanked everyone who played a role in helping her reach this point in her journey and hoped the students walking across the stage would be equipped with the tools they need to go out into the world — whether that means the workforce or a four-year institution — and make a positive impact
“Regardless of the next step that will lead to your life’s purpose
we are thrilled to have been such a small part of your life’s experience and are pleased to celebrate you this evening,” Lilienthal said
IVG Dean of Students Ashtyn Beek then introduced McNamee
an English major from Melbourne who is transferring to the University of Iowa with aspirations of becoming a college professor someday
He praised McNamee for her “brilliant” writing that has astounded her instructors and her “attentive listening and authentic empathy.”
if you ask Nikita about her accomplishments
her genuine humility might just mask how much of a rockstar she really is,” Beek said
McNamee started her address by referencing some of the external factors causing uncertainty in the world at large
and she then got more personal as she described her own battles with agoraphobia (fear of leaving home) and anxiety
a disorder that affects millions every year
The biggest source of anxiety for students
but she commended the professors at MCC for their commitment to ensuring that students succeed regardless of their circumstances
She praised the graduates who were heading into the trades and nursing along with how many
and she summed up her overarching message later in the speech
“We are never alone… Even when life doesn’t go your way
and even when depression tells you you are
She encouraged those in the audience to be unafraid in asking for help and grateful for all the people that have played a part in getting them to that stage on Friday
including those who played a key role in her own journey — especially her father
who she credited for moving “heaven and earth” to support her
“Take some time to thank those in your life who made this day possible
and good luck on the rest of your journey,” McNamee said
Dean of Academic Affairs Vincent Boyd then recognized several high achieving students from MCC and IVG with special commendations
and Faculty Senate President Ramona Linville presented honorary degrees to three departing staff members — Lilienthal
Bookstore Manager Paulla Hartman and Pelenatete Waddilove of the nursing department
it was time for the graduates to walk across the stage and receive those all-important pieces of paper that they will use to further either their educations or careers
and they were then received warmly outside the gym
family members and everyone else who supported them along the way
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She crossed over to be with her beloved daughter
She grew up in Los Alamos with her loving parents
Jason Lilienthal and Katy and Kevin (son-in-law) Clopper
her sisters Lois Davis and Joyce and Doug (brother-in-law) Langston
Jeanette earned her Master’s in Speech Pathology and passionately served children all over New Mexico for more than 35 years
she earned her doctorate in Family and Child Studies from the University of New Mexico
Jeanette was a long time resident of Santa Fe
in August 2020 to be closer to her daughter
Jeanette always had her wits about her and a sense of humor
gifted in working with special needs children
She was always her grandchildren’s biggest cheerleader
She encouraged them to be their best and loved watching them grow
She loved her grandchildren unconditionally and created a special bond with each of them
She devoted her remaining years to bringing Doenika’s music to life and to be shared with the world
Her steadfast dedication to bringing Doenika’s music to be heard will never be forgotten
She worked diligently with a dear friend and succeeded in creating a YouTube video and songs on CD Baby to share Doenika’s music
It is fitting that the two of them will be laid to rest together
Her family would like her to be remembered as a beloved mother who sacrificed many things for her children
who worked tirelessly to bring every opportunity to her family
and the special ways she showed her love to others
Her children and grandchildren would gladly welcome notes
and letters from friends and family to remember her by
Copyright © 2012-2025 The Los Alamos Daily Post is the Official Newspaper of Record in Los Alamos County
This Site and all information contained here including
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Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted
provided that the Los Alamos Daily Post and author/photographer are properly cited
columnists and other contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the Los Alamos Daily Post
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Krista Lilienthal is at peace inside her small Riverdale garage
It's an unusual place for a high school athlete
but not much is common about the Pompton Lakes' field hockey star
Her family lined the floor with 21 yards of turf to extend her training hours into the night
A speaker and some LED lights help illuminate her private workouts
it's a home office and a sanctuary wrapped into one
"It's really made me so much better," Lilienthal said
I go down there and hit the ball a bunch of times and listen to music
Bad games are few and far between for the junior midfielder committed to Rutgers
Lilienthal is an artist on the ball whose blistering shot can intimidate opposing goalies – and sometimes
She finished as the top scorer in North Jersey last year with 45 goals
helping the Cardinals repeat as Passaic County champions
those numbers only tell a part of the story
Her ability to break up a pass gets some of the loudest cheers from the Cardinals sideline
"Krista's field hockey IQ is not the same as most juniors in high school," coach Tina Brindisi said
"It's not the same as most collegiate athletes
She's been around this sport her entire life and she's constantly surrounded by people who are heavily involved in the field hockey community."
Lilienthal comes from a sports-minded family
is the athletic trainer at Butler High School and her mom
Krista wants to major in business and get into the entrepreneurial side of sports
Lilienthal became a student of the game at a young age
watching whatever field hockey she could find on Youtube or ESPN+
She thinks back to all the times when she tagged along at her mom's practices and hung around older athletes
Now it's her turn to mentor the players around her
"She's always there to direct everyone on the field," Pompton Lakes junior Sophia Torticill said
Lilienthal has proven to be a big-game player since the start of her career
She scored the winner in the county final as a freshman and sophomore
and was the starting shortstop for the Cardinals' softball team that won a county title last spring
Just about all that's left to accomplish is bring a sectional field hockey title to Pompton Lakes for the first time since 2010
who return nine starters from a team that broke the program record for goals in a season
"These girls are like my family at this point," said Lilienthal
the two-time North Jersey Player of the Year
"I've known the seniors now since I was 7 years old and I've been playing field hockey with them for so many years
It's so exciting to be able to play with them in a setting that's so much fun."
Lilienthal also has some personal history at stake
she'll pass Danielle Allan (144 goals) as the program's scoring leader early next year
That can provide a little extra incentive when Lilienthal goes into her garage for some 1-on-1 time or with teammates
Her mom found the idea for turf on Instagram and bought some without the tiny pebbles that invade cleats and kitchens around North Jersey
"I think my mom would kill me if I tracked in more of those into our house."
Lilienthal said she goes into her personal lab around two or three times a week and often for 45 to 90 minutes
she uses her little sister's goalie equipment to create an obstacle
Having a next-level shot can be a blessing and a curse
Andre Lilienthal was a great Soviet Chess Champion and a popular figure in chess
he had a unique style and an even more unique hairstyle
Lilienthal was one of the first players awarded the grandmaster title by FIDE in 1950
Lilenthal met every world chess champion from Lasker to Carlsen
The only world champion he did not meet was the first
In his battle with the great Capablanca in Hastings in 1935
winning the first of two famous defeats that the Cuban genius would suffer on the black side of the Nimzo-Indian in the 1930s
Lilienthal selects the Saemisch attack for this game
but then he decides not to win a pawn and make the position more chaotic
he cedes the center to Lilienthal who tries to blow him off the board
When Capablanca relies on tactics to capture on e4 with his king in the center
Lilienthal uncorks a queen sacrifice that will surely be celebrated for as long as chess is played
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May 5 is the birthday of Andor (Andre) Lilienthal who lived a very long and eventful life
He was one of the 27 original grandmasters awarded the title by FIDE in 1950
His mother was a singer and father a racer
The future grandmaster was born in 1911 in Moscow
his mother with kids Andor and Margaret returned to Hungary
The family lived very poorly and Andor got used to working from the very childhood
Andor left school to get a profession of a tailor but did not find a permanent job
Just three years later Andor scored 9 out of 12 in the international tournament in Czech Stubnianske Teplice (1930)
His chess university was a famous Paris Café de la Regence in Rue de Rivoli where playing for money was normal practice
“Alekhine also was a customer of that café,” – recalled Andor
They said that there was a boy who perfectly played simple games
he only managed to defeat me in the 4th game
whereas the three first games were won by me
Alekhine demanded revenge but I refused flatly: “I want to save this result for the rest of my life”
Though Alekhine was a nervous and quick-tempered person
this time he saw my point and burst out laughing.”
Soon Lilienthal stood neck and neck with Alekhine
sharing the first place in the prestigious Hastings tournament in 1933
he won the Ujpest tournament ahead of Pirc
Lilienthal shared 5-6 places with Botvinnik
but the tournament will be remembered for his sensational victory over Capablanca in just 26 moves with a queen sacrifice
“The motif of the queen sacrifice is to exploit the poor position of the enemy king and Black’s lag in development
A decisive factor in the attack is the opening of the e-file
the black king receives its first check only four moves later,” – Lilienthal
22…Qe4 23.Rae1 Nc5 24.Rxe4+ Nxe4 25.Re1 Rxg7 26.Rxe4+ Kd7
I couldn’t conceal that I was happy,” – Lilienthal
Just a handful of players scored well against Capablanca
Andor held his own; only Keres had a positive score against the Cuban world champion
Lilienthal played with almost all world chess champions and defeated Lasker
Lilienthal played in three Chess Olympiads for the Hungarian team
with the total score amounting to an impressive 75.51%
Andor fell in love with a lady who came to watch the competition; he decided to stay in the Soviet Union
Evgeniya became his wife and in 1939 Lilienthal got Soviet citizenship
he married two more times connecting his life with Lyudmila (1976) and Olga (1987)
Lilienthal’s major results came during the Soviet period of his life
Andor won the Moscow Championship and tied for first in the USSR Championship ahead of Smyslov
In that event Lilienthal won a great game against Mikhail Botvinnik
proving that when it comes to positional play
This “unnatural” move was obviously underestimated by Botvinnik
although after 15.dxc6 Nxc616.Nd3 Black’s position remains difficult
and 19…axb4 was lost: 20.axb4 Qb5 21.Nf4 (21.Ra3 is also not bad
“tripling” the heavy pieces on the “a” file) 21…Qxb4 22.Qxb4 Nxb4 23.Rxa8+Bxa8 24.Ra1 Rf8 25.Ra4
Here I saw that Black is getting mated in a funny way: 26.dxc6 Nxc6 27.Bd5+ Kh8 28.Ng6+
The weaknesses on c7 and e6 squares cannot be protected well and Black’s position is strategically lost
21…Bc8 22.Rc3 Bd7 23.Rfc1 h6 24.h4 Ra7 25.h5
Now the knight has fortified his position on f4
Positional 26.e3 and 27.Bf1 promises less due to b6-b5
causing massive simplifications (31…Kh7 32.gxf5 Bxf5 33.Be4)
White is completely winning anyway and Lilienthal convincingly converted his advantage:
31…Kh7 32.g4 c5 33.b5 Nc7 34.gxf5 Nxb5 35.f6+ Kg8 36.Rc4 Re8 37.Rg4 g5 38.Rxe8+ Bxe8 39.Re4 Kf8 40.Re7 Qg6
but then he would find his original plans for the middlegame
where he would create more problems for his opponent
but I also had to endure two heavy losses – in Moscow 1940
Lilienthal played his only Candidates Tournament
The competition in Budapest was won Bronstein and Boleslavsky
His playing prime was behind and he turned to coaching
helping Tigran Petrosian from 1951 until 1960 and being second to his good friend Vasily Smyslov in his world championship matches against Botvinnik
Andre stands out for his amazing intuition and feeling for the position
He is equally dangerous in positional play
His victories over Capablanca and Botvinnik make a deep artistic impression.” Smyslov said
Andor returned to Budapest and lived there since
Almost all chess kings of the XX century visited his apartment in the Hungarian capital
but Bobby Fischer was the only one who lived there for a month
It happened when he was hiding from the US authorities after the 1992 match with Spassky in Yugoslavia
“He could eat half a pot of Olga’s borsch and loved caviar,” – recalled Andor in one of the interviews
The flighty American genius approved only three chess players who could carry his coffin at the funeral: Andor Lilienthal
Lilienthal remained actively involved in chess into his ninth decade
The oldest living GM Yuri Averbakh (98 at the moment)
is Lilienthal’s disciple in this regard; we wish him to beat his predecessor’s record of chess longevity
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MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The 2019 ITA Division III Rookie of the Year Noah Lilienthal picked up his second career All-American honor
as announced by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) on Wednesday afternoon
A year removed from earning All-American honors in doubles after rolling to a national runner-up finish
Lilienthal was announced an All-American in singles in 2019-20
The ITA decided to announce their list of All-Americans despite the shortened season due to to COVID-19 pandemic
The Cardinals were affected heavily by the cancellation as Wesleyan didn't compete in any dual matches in the 2019-20 season as their last competition was the ITA Cup at the end of October
leading the Cardinals with an 8-2 mark in singles play while he defeated Justin Wang of Bowdoin in the lone dual match in the spring for Wesleyan to give him a 9-2 record on the season in singles play
Lilienthal captured the A flight doubles title and was a semifinalist in the singles bracket
Lilienthal again advanced to the semifinal round in singles
this time at the ITA Northeast Regional before being defeated by Tufts' Boris Sorkin who went on to win the singles title
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