We’re heavy into planning and designing the new CIR web site, and evaluating various tools, techniques, and frameworks. As an example, we’re evaluating AJAX (Asynchonous JavaScript And XML–think GMail, Google Maps, or Flickr) for the parts database search engine interface. We’re doing so not because it’s trendy and steeped in hype (even though the basic techniques have been in use for years), but because it may prove to provide a better user experience. In the end, you can trust that we’re aiming for usability and value, and not merely trying to satisfy a need to be techno-hip.

Are there other technologies you’d like us to incorporate? RSS feeds for news? A web services API which could, for example, provide programmatic access to our parts database? What other software technologies should we consider to help you do your job better?

There are two major milestones that truly matter for projects such as CIR. One is when the website, with content, goes live. We are working hard on making that a reality, and making it as useful as possible to both new and experienced robotics enthusiasts. The second milestone passes when we can point to a real, physical location and say that the center lives there! We are very close to being able to say that now. The Collaborative Innovation Center on Carnegie Mellon’s campus has a beautiful fourth floor, and if all goes well in a matter of weeks we will be peering out windows on that floor, creating a space where the robot testing grounds will live as well as the engineers and designers on our team who are making the CIR website a reality. Stay tuned for pictures of the physical CIR once we have moved in and made the space comfortable.