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JudoGeek Blog

Last Man Standing 

Last Man Standing Last Man Standing is officially my favourite reality TV show to date.

Unlike most reality TV shows, these guys are out there really doing the do!
They go on a world tour and participate in some of the maddest sporting events you can imagine.

I recommend it to anyone.

Check it out on iPlayer... assuming of course you can.
I can't being a Mac User! Hey BBC how about that, people who are not using Windoze! Grr....


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WOW... I have a university education!!! 

Those of you who read my www.judocaoch.com/blog blog will know that for the past three years I have been attending the University of Bath and doing a foundation degree in sport.

Well, I have completed the programme as of today!!
A few short hours ago i sent in my final assignment officially completing my three year course! I now can say that I have a University education.

Graduation is not till December, but I now have that degree my parents said I should get immediately after leaving school. Which was great advice I wish I had listened to way back then.

That said... the reason that I didn't go to Uni (other than being thick) was that I wanted to be a Judoka. And the reason I have completed this course is because I am a Judoka.

Anyway... WOOT to me!!! I am an educated person finally, sorry it took so long Mum & Dad. ;)
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Simulation software for Judo. 

As I have just blogged over on www.judocoach.com/blog I had a really interesting lecture today on a video analysis project for Judo. Which if implemented would generate some amazing data.

Discussing the research done to date, it became clear that my e-Judo project needs reviving as I believe it could be really powerful.

I'd like to see it mature into a tool to provide players and coaches of Judo the ability to get an accurate simulation of what an opponent might do in a fight. We know a fair amount about the structure of a fight and about the content of the actios, which is pretty linear and predictable. So simulating it is a matter of analyzing the data and working out the best way to apply that data to to the stages in the segments of a Judo fight.

So when I get back home, I suspect I shall be taking a long look at the e-judo software and trying to progress it along a bit.

If a notation system like Kat's was in use, it would be amazing and it would make my life much easier. As I said to her after the lecture, my research last year at the commonwealths and so forth is all leading towards my e-judo software. Basically the problem as I see it is that there is not enough data available to make an accurate model of Judo...yet! So her system along with some smart coding would get us a long way down that path.

Stay tuned!
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Social networking and life and the web. 

So... as many of you know I am in Bath (at University of Bath) this week, and am enjoying two weeks with my Judo peers. I always enjoy being around such an amazing array of people. Judo is obviously a key part of my life and in recent visits to Bath my Judo life and my computer geek life have grown closer together.

On this block of the degree I have become a lecturer, trying to share my enthusiasm for IT with my Judo colleagues. I do my www.thejudopodcast.eu podcast and update www.judocoach.com/blog daily with a summary of the course. Increasingly I have become incvolved with helping my fellow tudents with tehir technology issues. (My room is now referred to as "the Helpdesk").

Why am I mentioning this?

Because, I have a passion for Judo AND a passion for technology.

The two are intimately linked, well in fact everything in life is becoming more and more linked to technology. Who uses the yellow pages when they can "Google it"?

Who writes letters to their friends? Why write letters when you can SMS text message or email ro write on their wall on Facebook or send a twitter message?

Recently someone (I forget who) started using this term "social sixth sense" when talking about the effect that twiter and facebook, etc are having on us. And I agree, I know more about people in my social networks than I do about the people I know who are not technologically up to date. In a weird way i feel closer to those who keep facebook/blogs/twitter up to date than I do with my own family and "real" friends.

I know have a "feeling" for what my "internet friends" are up to, what they are doing, where they are, what they are reading, what they are feeling. I do not have that with my older friends, family, etc.

Is it worthwhile?

I would argue yes.

This week I have found a photo of myself I would never have seen otherwise, I have met up with a colleague and had a great discussion with him as a result. I have been able to write replys to peoples questions which have helped me clarify my own thoughts. I have made chit chat with colleagues in different (and the same) room, keeping "in touch" and also making plans for lunches and dinners, etc.

People have approached me and asked me about things I have been thinking about and blogging. So new conversations have occured which would have never happened otherwise.

I have involved a friend in one of my projects, and hopefully, helping him do something new.

All this as a result of new technology!

Call me a fan, so visit my contact me page, lean about what networks I use, how I keep up to date and join the conversation... please!

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Nabaztag, Andy and me at Hackday London. 

AndyP has posted on www.flickr.com a nice shot of my little Nabaztag bunny hack at Hackday London.



One for the photo album!
500 people (ish) that you can't see that I was speaking too, wot me nervous!?

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