DJI Mini 2 Drone - Angel of the North and Penshaw Monument

I've always loved cool technology, and finally DJI have released an absolutely awesome drone that just about made it into my price range.

The DJI Mini 2 has all of the great features you'd expect from a top of the range drone, but for a few hundred pounds instead of approaching the thousand pound mark.

Check out the awesome footage I managed to take (on a reasonably windy day) after just watching one or two youtube tutorials...

To get the shots in the above video I used the 'Circle' QuickShot mode. You take it out to about 50-60m from the target, click 'Circle', then tap the target and click Go. The drone does the rest. Amazing footage without needing any real flying skill.

The two north east landmarks are:

• The Angel of the North - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_of_the_North
• Penshaw Monument - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penshaw_Monument

Discover the DJI Mini 2 for yourself at:

- https://www.dji.com/uk/mini-2

Caricature at AU2018

At Autodesk University, as part of the promo activities at the Dell stand for their Surface Pro device they had a very talented lady from EventToons doing caricatures.

Pics below...

Outline

Black lines

A bit of colour

Finished

Signed and downloaded

The kit being used

5,000

I've just been 'followed' for the 5,000th time on Twitter. A big thank you to everyone who has clicked the 'Follow' button - hopefully I tweet stuff of interest (occassionally at least). A quick look through the Twitter Analytics portal shows some of the more 'engaging' tweets from the last couple of years below...




October 2017...

The key slide from @BIMgcs Mark Bew at #DCW2017 - where money will be saved and outcomes improved... pic.twitter.com/m4YnTuiuZy

— Stephen Hamil (@StephenHamilNBS) October 18, 2017

June 2017...

One of my favourite photos to demonstrate the need to coordinate information 😉... pic.twitter.com/TQKUU8PriX

— Stephen Hamil (@StephenHamilNBS) June 3, 2017

April 2017...

A quote from @ThePhilpster on the big screen... pic.twitter.com/KUAP9kAAQk

— Stephen Hamil (@StephenHamilNBS) April 26, 2017

February 2017...

#BSL2017

Classic slide... pic.twitter.com/JX1YtG3sVr

— Stephen Hamil (@StephenHamilNBS) February 1, 2017

June 2016...

In response to demand - we've made @theNBS Periodic Table of #BIM interactive...https://t.co/S8X2xXrYXV pic.twitter.com/rGLFSgRvPo

— Stephen Hamil (@StephenHamilNBS) July 6, 2016

First ever Tweet in September 2011 - no followers - nobody engaged :(

Hope everyone enjoyed the conference this morning? - I thought I'd better join Twitter and check out the feedback #bim #nbsbim

— Stephen Hamil (@StephenHamilNBS) September 16, 2011

And of course - a big thank you to the 5,000th follower...

Thanks for the follow Mr Reis!

Machine Learning demonstrated beautifully in a fun game

The website of the year winner has just been won...
- https://quickdraw.withgoogle.com/

It is cool and fun for three year olds up to 103 year olds... and demonstrates machine learning beautifully. Lovely to play around with on a desktop with your mouse - or on a touch screen device with your finger.

Watch the video...

...and how did I do when I gave it a go?

It guessed four out of six of my sketches (you get 20 seconds for each).

A bit disappointed that my brilliant penguin sketch though. Come on a fire hydrant!!!???

Check it out,..

- https://quickdraw.withgoogle.com/

First Fiver - Newcastle Snow Dogs

I saw the #firstfiver campaign on Twitter last month, where everyone is encouraged to give the first new design five pound note to charity and thought, it was a really nice idea.

Earlier this week I got my first fiver (the change from a lovely jacket potato at independent Newcastle sandwich bar Hippo House) and wondered who to give it to?

Well, the easy decision was St Oswald’s Children’s Hospice who NBS are currently supporting as part of the Newcastle Snow Dogs initiative. Our snow dog was painted by Newcastle College - black and white - and called WorGeordie.

Lots of fund raising activities are planned over the next few months - but nice to be able to give my #firstfiver to a good cause.

Some Snow Dog photographs from lunchtime walk around the Quayside and then evening walk up to Newcastle University and back...

Arriving into Central Station - On the right in the distance is the 'New castle'

Our very own Wor Geordie Snow Dog with our Old Post Office building in the background

Three snow dogs on display in the Sage Gateshead with RIBA Sterling Prize winning Millennium Bridge in the background

Outside of the Sage Gateshead

Pitcher and Piano pub with Tyne Bridge in the background

Newcastle Eldon Square shopping centre

The beautiful Theatre Royal on Grey Street

Looking up Grey Street to Central Arcade, Greys Monument and the Monument Mall

So, if you are wondering what to do with your first fiver - then maybe a donation to one of your local charities would be a nice touch.

Periodic Table of BIM and Social Media

Back in June we published the Periodic Table of BIM. This was basically a table of contents covering all aspects of BIM to introduce the industry to this topic.

In July, my colleague Stefan Mordue decided to stick it on the side of a mug and ask social media who wants one.

I've just returned from a two week holiday to see that the hashtag #cuppabim went a little crazy when I was away.

A selection of some of the best ones below...

My clear favourite

National BIM Library objects in action

Flown all of the way to Dublin

Stop the meeting for a photo of the periodic table on the big screen!

One sent to our #BIMGeordie friends up the road

Every noticeboard needs a period table of BIM

Loving the selfies

Hard hats and cool mugs

The revolving door BIM object seems to be a bit of a favourite

A cuddly panda, a cuddly owl and the periodic table of BIM - the three essentials for any workspace

To see what all of the fuss originally was about...
- https://www.thenbs.com/periodic-table-of-bim

Win a limited edition BIM mug

When Stefan from NBS got a mug printed featuring the Periodic Table of BIM he didn't expect to receive 40+ likes on Twitter and many requests for us to send out mugs in the post.

#CuppaBIM

Our web team then set a challenge to those that want a free mug through the post. For details on the challenge please see the webpage below:
- thenbs.com/knowledge/mugs-for-mugshots-share-your-love-for-our-periodic-table-of-bim

So if you want an exclusive limited edition collectors' BIM mug of your own - let's see your tweet with a photo or screenshot of how NBS is helping your organisation digitally.

An example screenshot for inspiration is below. This is just a collection of images showing NBS content on a real life project helping designer, contractor and contract administrator...
(A tweet with an image like this would definitely win a mug)

Example screenshot

Check out the conversation so far...
- #cuppaBIM

Construction News Awards - Twenty years old

This years Construction News Awards is the 20th celebrating the best in UK construction.

As NBS has been short-listed for the BIM Excellence award and was kindly sent a birthday cake by Construction News.

A celebration cake through the post

Construction News also put down the challenge to illustrate changes in the last 20 years at your organisation...

20 years of Construction News

Lots has changed at NBS since 1996. We were digital of course back in 1996 (well at least at the start of our digital journey with floppy disks etc...). But it's fair to say that our digital journey has been pretty significant over that time period...

How NBS has changed since the first CN Awards in 1996

I hadn't quite joined NBS in 1996, I do have happy memories of this though.

Digital change - funny gif

Spotted this one over the weekend...

Game on - Retro gaming exhibition

If like me you have a career connected with the 'digital-world' in some way - and you are around about 40 years old - then you probably have fond memories of the computer games from the 1980s and 90s.

Currently at The Life Science Centre Newcastle the Game On 2.0 focuses on these games. Loads of games you can play and some behind the scenes stories and concept artwork. Some photographs below...

Mario on the side of Life Centre Newcastle

Huge Pong

One of my favourites - Asteroids

Haven't lost it - top of the charts!

The best driving game - Ridge Racer

Early handheld devices - Touch Me?!?!

Rare Pac-Man and Donkey Kong hand-helds

The 'all conquering' Nintendo Game Boy

Original concept art from Tomb Raider

Little-Hamil tries his hand at Donkey Kong

Original Donkey Kong concept sketches

Used to love this game - Atari Star Wars

Those based in the North East may want to consider a visit:
- http://www.life.org.uk/whats-on/game-on#.VZ4hePlVhBd

Wembley

I visited the new Wembley for the first time at the weekend. My home town club North Shields were in the FA Vase final and therefore it seemed a great excuse for me and little-Hamil to get the early train down to London for the game.

In recent years I've not had much to cheer from a football point of view [ref 1, 2]. You can sometimes question whether it really matters as much to those making the decisions and those playing as it does to the fans. But watching a small, local club, close to your heart win a cup at the national stadium makes for a pretty special day.

Some photographs below...

The huge arch

An impressive stadium

Memories of 1966

North East vs North West

The hallowed turf

Shields win the game 2-1 with a goal in extra time

Souvenir programme, scarf and tickets