This blog post is the most basic introduction to newbie authors that want to write picture books. The topic is monumental and everything I want to say on it is mostly not covered, thank you very much. But it is enough to propel you forward into the wonderful and magical world of picture books.
1. THOU SHALT NOT SPEW OUT OVER 1000 WORDS While it is tempting to spew out your life’s history and everything about everyone who has done you wrong on paper, a picture book is meant for tiny humans that have tinier attention spans and want to read age-appropriate, captivating books. The sweet spot is 500 words that keep the entertainment flowing. Remember, for picture books, the picture tells half the story. Also remember some words can be replaced by the illustrator, so don’t write, “Dorothy wore a blue dress and red sandals.” This sentence would be a good way to end your relationship with an illustrator, if that is what you are wanting. 2. THOU SHALT HAVE A STRUCTURE The structure is a vast topic. The basic skeleton of any book is the beginning, middle, and end. The beginning is when you introduce your main character (protagonist) in a setting, like a playground. You also introduce the protagonist’s problem. All this should be done in a smooth but swift way. You don’t want your audience to run away with an imaginary friend after reading the first two sentences of your book. For example, the following wordy sentences would be a crummy way to start my book, Ten Sheep to Sleep: “Sammy Jo lived in a two story house, with three and a half baths and a white, fenced backyard. She had her own room filled with toys, books, and artwork. Sometimes, when are mommy allowed, she liked to invite friends for sleepovers. They made funny shadows in the dark and told each other ghost stories over hot chocolate with one gigantic marshmallow.” This beginning is a great way to kill your book while ensuring no one reads it. The middle is where you focus on the problem getting worse and your protagonist attempts and attempts and attempts to solve the problem. Keep the reader hooked by using great action verbs, snappy dialogue, emotions and senses, and suspense. Remember that everything in the story happens from the protagonist’s point of view. He/she absolutely cannot — I repeat CANNOT — know what her mommy or goldfish is thinking! This is a very important point often overlooked by newbie writers. The end is when the problem is solved. Since it is a picture book, and unless you delight in kids crying, in most cases the end is happy (exceptions always apply). 3. THOU SHALT SHOW THY STORY AND NOT TELLETH IT “Show, Don’t Tell.” Engrave this rule on your hot-cocoa mug and meditate on it every morning. Example of show vs. tell statements: TELL (bad and uninterestingly lame sentence): Scruffy was happy to see me. SHOW (this is what you want to write): Scruffy wagged his tail, leaped on me, and licked my face. P.S. free advice: The Show, Don’t Tell rule applies in real life as well. People are more likely to take you (or a product you are selling) seriously if you involve the use of senses, emotion, and action. 4. THOU SHALT HAVE AN APPROPRIATE TITLE Titles are tricky business. It’s what lures your next victim (oops, I mean reader) into picking up your book. The title should be short, unique, and give some context about the story. Bad example: The Story of a Big Green Monster Who Didn’t Like Christmas or Anything Good example: The Grinch (with the word “Grinch” we understand it is about a complainer. It’s short and to the point. Plus the illustration will show the monster.) 5. THOU SHALT NOT ATTEMPT TO RHYME UNLESS YOU KNOWETH HOW For most of the rhymers out there, I have something to tell you about yourself: You are NOT a rhymer. Boo hoo. You’ll get over it. I used to think I was a rhymer. Now I know better. Rhyming ‘bat’ and ‘cat’ does not give you the right of passage, even though you successfully and hilariously rhymed them. The most common issue I see when critiquing manuscripts that have rhyme is, “forced rhyme.” Forced rhyme is when a story lacks structure and plot, and has too many random sentences following each other just so they can rhyme. Such a story is listless and does not move forward. Your first step should be to outline a clear, fast-paced plot. Then read many books on how to write in rhyme, read books written by successful rhymers, and keep practicing. Try to get a critique from someone who has successfully published in rhyme before sending off your manuscript to a publisher. 6. THOU SHALT ASKETH FOR A CRITIQUE This part can be as fun or as hard as you make it. In order to put your best writing out there, it is imperative to get many sets of eyes on it, get feedback, and revise. Because people have different perspectives, critiques can hurt. My “rule of thumb” is, if minimum three people are complaining about the same thing, you have to make some change, no matter how much you love what you wrote. At the end of the day, it is your work, take the advice that works for you, and leave the rest. Don’t get emotionally attached to the critique and ruin your summer. Don’t hate the critic — he/ she is only trying to help. Move on. 7. THOU SHALT NOT THINK YOUR WRITING IS GREAT Every writer thinks they are the best thing that happened to humanity (after bacon of course). Again, you are wrong. If you are committing to writing, you must be prepared to be criticized, get feedback, read books in your genre, write, revise, critique others’ work, improve your writing, and keep learning. It can take a lifetime to get one book published, and it has to be worth reading if you want people to take you seriously. The first step is to know you are not perfect, and stay committed to this amazing and fulfilling journey. 8. THOU SHALT EDIT AND RE-EDIT Editing never stops. One past year, I added a single comma to one manuscript … and that’s all I did that year. Just when you think you are done and you can’t change the manuscript, there’s always something you’ll find. Leave a manuscript alone for at least a week before you review it again. You will almost always find something to improve. Keep scouring your manuscript for punctuation/ apostrophe/ grammar errors. A common mistake people make is with it’s vs. its: it’s is a contraction while its is a possessive pronoun. Watch out for homonyms, like their and there. Remove all weed words, like anything that ends with an ly — quickly, carefully etc. Always look for ways to make your manuscript tighter. Wordy books are not always fun to read and in many cases don’t move the story forward. Exceptions are always there. 9. THOU SHALT HAVE A SATISFYING ENDING Ah! It’s time to celebrate. You are almost done. Ensure you tie up all loose ends from the story, before ending your book. The problem should be resolved by the protagonist, and not the helpful dad, friend, or cat. The reader wants to see the protagonist (not the cat or dad) grow emotionally as the story unfolds and concludes. Make sure your character struggles in some way during the story so the ending is satisfying. If Cinderella danced at the ball and the prince decided to marry her right there, the story would end happily but it wouldn’t be exciting for the reader. Losing the glass slipper made it exciting! Once the story has concluded, wrap up and don’t engage in endless banter the reader does not care about. Again, you are wrong if you think the reader cares about every extra word you write. (Get over yourself!) 10. THOU SHALT NEVER GIVE UP No! Thou shalt not kill thy manuscript. Writing takes a lot of patience. If you believe in your work, keep at it and don’t let publisher and agent rejections let you down. Look carefully at your work. Why is it being rejected? Is there anything you can change about it to make it more marketable? If the answer is yes, swallow your pride and make the changes. If the answer is no, keep believing with an unwavering mind, and one day it will get published. Good luck (Oh, you’ll need it!). If you know a budding kid author interested in learning how to write picture books, check out my two programs (1.How to Not Eat Your Grandma While Writing Picture Books and 2. Author Presentation) on Talkabook. Nidhi Kamra is the author of picture books, Simon’s Skin and Ten Sheep to Sleep.
- Nidhi Kamra
(All references are mentioned at the end.)
“Quarantine.”
That’s probably one of the most echoed words in the world during the Covid-19 crisis. And whether you are 9 or 99, it’s a word you won’t forget. I bet you missed that hot gooey chocolate fudge on cold vanilla ice cream sticking to your teeth, your straw buzzing while savoring that last drop of a refreshing mango smoothie, or slurping those flavorful noodles from your favorite restaurant. Didn’t you wish those delicious foods would magically drop down from the heavens? Your wish will soon be a reality faster than you think.
It’s a Bird. It’s a Plane. It’s a UA What?
A UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), or RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System), or the pop-culture word, “drone,” is an aircraft that does not have a pilot, can be controlled remotely (remote control, phone app, a more complex ground station room etc.), can carry a payload (think pizza, camera …), and flies using the principles of aerodynamics. In this post, we’ll talk about drones in different industries, types of drones, launch and recovery, policies, and how you can be a responsible citizen if you own a drone. There are lots of videos mentioned to keep you entertained as well. I promise it won’t go over your head. No pun intended. Pies in the Sky, Pigs That Fly, and Hollywood Drones are making their way into many industries, including delivering your favorite foods. Here are some examples of industries that are being disrupted and propelled forward, thanks to drones.
Wing, a company owned by Google is testing delivering a hot cup of coffee to residents in Canberra, Australia. The drone hovers over the residence, and lowers the goodies down via a string. Watch this video of the coffee delivery:
Another company, Zipline is delivering blood. The drone saved a little girl’s life in Rwanda when it dropped off a parachute containing cold, refrigerated blood, ready to be pumped via IV in minutes. It can take hours or days for blood and medicines to be delivered to distant villages with dirt roads and no infrastructure. Drone companies are seeing an opportunity and providing quick “last-mile” much needed services.
Watch Zipline’s drone delivering blood here:
Police cars. Hot pursuit. Sirens. Screeching. Wrong side of the highway. Car crashes. Explosions. You get the picture. In the real world, this dangerous ordeal can be avoided if law enforcement deploys a drone to follow the fugitive. Drones equipped with day or night vision infrared cameras and GPS can fly at high speeds above ground (avoiding accidents and casualties), and provide real time data, like location, licence plate number etc. Similarly, drones are a perfect choice for border security, searching for wild fires, crime scenes, accidents, traffic congestions etc. Some of the bigger drones can even rescue people. Hey – and even if it’s Hollywood, shooting a movie scene using a drone equipped with a high quality camera is cheaper -- you don’t need to rent a helicopter for aerial shots. It renders better shots as the drone keeps the camera stable and captures tricky angles. Drones can squeeze into tight spaces like tunnels, and are great for documentaries! Watch a drone follow a rally car here:
Pipeline monitoring for oil or saltwater leaks is a cumbersome, time-consuming task, considering pipelines can stretch for thousands of kilometers. Many times, the pipelines are in remote places and dangerous to access. Leaks from corrosion of pipelines are hazardous to the environment, properties, farms, oceans etc. and can take many years plus hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix. Drones allow for proactive and frequent monitoring of pipelines, preventing damages and high repair costs. Scientists are deploying drones to study volcanoes as traversing the volcanic landscape is risky business for humans. Some ways a potential earthquake can be detected are by monitoring changes in composition of gases like carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide in the volcanic plume, ground swelling and cracking, steaming in vents, changes to plant life etc. A drone can employ gas detection sensors and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors to perform some of the monitoring tasks accurately, potentially saving millions of lives. Watch a small documentary on measuring volcanic emissions with drones here: D for Dangerous While selecting a drone, it is imperative to first define the mission. Missions fall under the Ds category – for example, Dull, Dirty, Dangerous, Difficult, Dash, Delivery etc. ‘Dull,’ synonymous with ‘boring,’ is exactly that – a mission that would have long endurance (many hours to days), like surveying a forest or urban area. A dirty mission would involve dealing with spraying pesticides, detecting chemical agents, radiation exposure etc. Dangerous missions are a lot of what the military is involved with, for example rescuing people from a war zone, fire etc. Based on the type of D, and several other factors, a drone must be selected that will perform the job best. Examples of more missions include providing telecommunications’ infrastructure, news broadcast, hostage situation monitoring, crowd control when people go wild at a concert, building security, poaching detection, climatology, warfare etc.
Pick Your Drone
Once the mission is defined, picking the right drone is key. Most drones are either fixed wing (like an airplane where the wings are fixed), or rotary (like a helicopter where the wings are attached to one or more rotors and move). A mission that requires hovering over an area, perhaps to pick up or lower a parcel is the job of a rotary drone because rotary drones can hover. If the mission requires monitoring pipelines by flying along the pipeline, a fixed wing drone would be a better option since these drones have longer endurance. If your mission is to fly a drone for fun, there are many types available at hobby and electronic stores at affordable prices. Just attach a video camera and use it to capture bird’s-eye views of landscapes on your next vacation! Drones can be classified based on size, endurance, capability etc. The Department of Defence categorizes them in groups based on weight, altitude and speed. The US Airforce classifies them in tiers, depending on if the drones are LALE (Low Altitude Long Endurance), MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance), HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) etc. Drones will generally fall within categories inside the following parameters:
Here are some examples of cool drones:
Watch a video about the Phantom Eye here:
Launch and Recovery While your hobby drone can be launched from the ground or your palm, some other drones are launched in different ways, depending on their design, mission, and performance characteristics. Some examples of launching methods are:
Like launch methods, there are several recovery (landing) methods for drones. The usual ones are conventional (like an airplane) and vertical recovery (like a helicopter). Some other interesting examples are:
Watch a net recovery video here:
Watch a cable recovery video here:
Don’t Monkey Around! Before you venture into Droneland, check your country’s policies for drones to ensure you are flying safely and legally, as well as to avoid heavy penalties. Depending on your country, different organizations define regulations and policies for drone operators. In Canada, Transport Canada asks operators to review the rules in the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) document before flying a drone for the first time. Some points to note are (Transport Canada / CARs):
Well, that’s all for now, folks. Hopefully it didn’t all fly over your head. Perhaps next time you see a hummingbird, a bee, or a bat, you may be inspired to design your own drone, as long as you don’t use it to spy on your neighbor. But till then, be safe and have fun in Droneland! References: https://www.businessinsider.com/drone-delivery-services https://www.businessinsider.com/commercial-uav-market-analysis BBC News - Google Wing launches first home delivery drone service https://time.com/rwanda-drones-zipline/ https://www.dronedeploy.com/resources/stories/oil-gas-pipeline-leaks/ https://www.gislounge.com/uavs-improve-pipeline-routing-process/ Wide Awake Films – Benefits of Using Drones to Capture Video https://truefilmproduction.com/drone-videography-top-8-benefits-of-drone-video-for-businesses/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle Airpower Journal – Spring 1991 – Unmanned Ariel Vehicles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle#Canada PenState College of Earth and Mineral Sciences - Classification of the Unmanned Aerial Systems https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._military_UAS_groups https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AeroVironment_Nano_Hummingbird The Atlantic - Robot Hummingbird Drone Is Military's Latest Spy Toy https://www.dji.com/ca/guides/mini-drones Boeing – High Altitude Long Endurance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_X-43 https://www.nasa.gov/missions/research/x43-main.html https://sprudge.com/in-australia-the-coffee-drones-were-looking-for-are-here-139555.html https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/mach.html https://www.unmannedsystemstechnology.com/category/supplier-directory/ground-control-systems/launchers-recovery-systems/ https://www.wetalkuav.com/new-us-military-drone-will-launch-recovered-mid-air-cargo-planes/ Dynetics – The Gremlins program Fact Sheet https://www.butlerparachutes.com/military-parachutes/uav-recovery-systems/ https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/aviation/drone-safety/flying-drone-safely-legally.html Canadian Aviation Regulations Designing Unmanned Aircraft Systems by Jay Gundlach The Measure of Things “Simon thought his skin was booo-ring.
Simon didn’t like boring. So, POOF! He tried feathery fowl skin…” OH OH! We all have at some point believed or still believe the grass is greener on the other side. We try to be more like other people or are forced to act like other people, thanks to bullying, peer pressure, outdated beliefs…. One day, we wake up to the realization we were created to be ourselves. To shine our own light, and not someone else’s. And when that happens, our magic starts to unfold… The protagonist of the picture book, Simon, thinks his skin is bo-rrring! And Simon doesn’t like boring. So he “tries on” different skins -- skunk, fox, snake porcupine…. To his surprise, each comes with its own challenge. Simon soon makes a pleasant discovery about his own skin. Simon’s Skin by Nidhi Kamra. Illustrated by Diane Brown. The book is available via the publisher's bookstore: 4RV Publishing, Amazon, and online book stores like Barnes&Noble, Chapters/Indigo etc. - Nidhi Kamra Ages: 16 + (P.S. if you would like a Word version of this, message me via the contact form or Twitter and I will send you the file.It's easier to read on Word as it has the proper formatting.) I recently came across the K-word. At first, my brain, being my brain, somersaulted at the thought of a freshly brewed cup of filtered coffee – steamed, extra hot, almond milk, stevia… The pleasure didn’t last long. Words like covariance, Gaussian, probability, transpose, discrete linear filtering etc. spewed out at me, along with some very disturbing alien-like equations. Yuck. I wanted to cry. Really bad. However, after reading on the topic from a few different sources, I decided to re-write and integrate them to make it easier for me to understand the big picture, in case I ever had to deal with it in a future life. Hopefully it will help someone else as well. All references are mentioned at the end of the post. We’ll start with the big picture and equations. Don’t let it daunt you. We’ll peel the onion layers to make sense of everything as far as possible. Remember, this is a very general overview. Let’s dive in! What the Hell Is It? Proposed by R.E. Kalman in 1960, the Kalman Filter is a set of recursive equations that help predict (estimate) the next state of a system (Where will the robot move next?). The filter also incorporates and processes various measurement and prediction errors (called noise), and outputs the best possible estimate of the next state. The goal is to minimize the difference in error between the estimated values and the actual measured value of noisy sensor(s). Recursion is used in computer code and just means the output of an equation or function is fed back again into the same function. The Kalman filter has a plethora of applications ranging from navigation (GPS), tracking objects (missiles, aircraft/ spacecraft, cars, faces…), economics, signal processing etc. It was also incorporated in NASA’s Apollo navigation system. Various systems rely on different sensors or systems to provide them with input data. For example, an aircraft is detected by radar that can render erroneous / noisy data. GPS systems are prone to errors as the satellite signal travels from space into the atmosphere, and likely bounces off the ground to get to the GPS receiver. This also results in a noisy signal. A drone may rely on inputs from the GPS, air data sensors, magnetic compasses etc. Each sensor has a limitation with respect to the type of data it provides and the noise/ error. To get an accurate estimate, it would be good to somehow combine the inputs of all these sensors and eliminate errors. Relying on the input from just one sensor and not knowing the exact location of where you are or going can cause trouble, and even more if a car / drone is autonomous! Think about a medical condition and the plethora of treatment options available. To get the best treatment, you may consider consulting an MD, a naturopath, an energy healer, a homeopathic doctor etc. in order to ensure successful treatment. Each provider has his / her own specialization and provides a different perspective to optimize your health. That’s where the Kalman Filter comes in. It has a way of providing a best estimate of a state based on noisy sensors as well as their combined asynchronous inputs! En route to the Prediction Equations – Keep Breathing Through It! Let’s first define the flow state. The Kalman Filter has two easy steps: Predict and Update (predict the next state, update/correct the state from prediction by taking into account sensors and noise etc., and then use the updated state values to predict the next state (recursion)). Let’s use an example. Remember the coffee? I would like the robot to deliver my coffee to wherever I am in my home. We will assume the home doesn’t have stairs. The robot must know where it is in the house so it can come to me with my cuppa. Let’s define the next predicted state of the coffee-carrying robot as a 2x1 matrix X of position and velocity. P and v are what are going to be estimated by the filter, so this is what you will pass into the filter. This is a very simple example. Your actual state matrix would be far more complex. Sensor readings are Gaussian and there can be some covariance between them. Gaussian means they are distributed in a bell-curve fashion. In a bell curve, the mean (average) of all the data is in the center (vertical line in the below graph) and the data points are scattered around the mean to form a bell shape. The distance between each data point and the center (mean) is the variance (we also call it error), which would define how far each point is from the center (mean). Variance is usually squared in order to avoid a negative value and keep things simple: The data (some function of velocity / position) is scattered within and on the boundary of the curve. Most readings are around the mean. Covariance means there is some type of relation between the inputs. In this case, we will assume there is some kind of relation between position and velocity. E.g. if the velocity of the robot is a big number, likely the position of the robot is further ahead. The predicted state covariance (some relation) between the two variables velocity and position can be defined via a 2x2 covariance matrix, P. Now we have an idea for what a covariance matrix looks like and we also have predicted values for X’ and P’, where X’ is the state matrix of p and v, and P’ is the covariance state matrix of p and v. Together, P’ and X’ tell us about the next predicted state. Don’t confuse P and p. P is a covariance matrix while p is the position of our robot. Now, we want to expand a bit more on the X’ matrix so we know how to calculate the position and velocity. Remember equation 1: How do we arrive at p and v? There are some basic equations in physics called kinematic formulae. One of them is speed = distance /time or we will say velocity = distance/ time. We will assume there is no acceleration. We will use a superscript to define the prediction and no superscript for time t-1. Don’t get too confused with the current / previous states. They will become clear as we move forward with an example, toward the end. v’= distance / time v’ = (p’ –p) / ∆t (this is just difference in position which is distance divided by difference in time between two positions) Solving for predicted position p’ based on previous position p, previous velocity v and change in time: p’ = p + v∆t ------- Equation A Another kinematic equation from physics is the one involving velocity: v’ = v +at (velocity = previous velocity + acceleration x time) Because we are assuming acceleration = a = 0, we get: v’ =v ----- Equation B Sidetrack: From linear algebra, we know equations in the form 5x + 6y = C and 3x + 4y = D can be represented as a matrix equation in the form: The [5 6 3 4] is the matrix of coefficients, [x y] the matrix of unknowns, and [c d] the matrix of constants. If you multiply the above matrices on the left of the equal sign, you will get the equations mentioned above. Now, we can similarly write equations A and B in matrix form to give us the state matrix X: F is also called a state transition matrix or the matrix of coefficients. The state transition matrix shows how a state vector (X) will change over a time increment delta t. Remember this for the next section. X is the last state at time t-1, represented by a p v matrix. But! But! But! Remember, covariance exists between the variables p and v in X (we saw that in equation 2). So we need to convert Equation 3 into its covariant form somehow. As luck would have it, there is some matrix rule that says: If cov(X) = P (Remember equation 2 where we said P is the covariance matrix of X?) Then cov(FX) = FPFT (The superscript T (excuse formatting), is just the transpose of matrix F, implying rows become columns. You can google transpose of a matrix if you are very keen.) Apply this to Equation 3. We Forgot About External Influences! So far we have assumed the coffee-robot will meander about easily and bring the coffee right to me without much concern. In a “real” house, there may be broken tiles on the floors, stinky socks thrown about, castles erected from very expensive toy blocks etc. Basically, a bunch of evil forces preventing the coffee from coming to me! The robot’s navigation system may have to tell it to skirt the socks and the castle and the tiles, or stop and make a turn, or accelerate. So there are some external influences involved. If we understand these influences, we can add them to the original equation 3 for X’, provided we know what these external influences are. Let’s assume we are adding acceleration as an external influence. There is another kinematic equation in physics that involves acceleration: We can re-write the above as a matrix as we did before. The only difference is, we now have acceleration, which we are considering an external influence for the sake of understanding this further. Note, we did not define acceleration as part of the state matrix. Hence, it can be added as an input. Remember from Equation 3 that X’ = FX Now, from Equation C and D, (note, due to the editor’s limitation, I have left out square brackets for the ∆t matrix) Remember I asked you to remember we can define a matrix of coefficients? We can do that again with Equation 5, where we can replace the delta matrix with some matrix B and the acceleration can be called some control vector, u -> In the real world, there will be influences that are unseen. For example, a kid could suddenly come and stand in front of the robot. We did not know this would happen. Or the robot may have to stop, slow down, change direction because of a milk spill on the floor. These unknown external influences or random disturbances can be further added onto Equation 4 as a matrix for process covariance (noise /error). So we are adding more covariance (noise) to the original noise, or we are adding unknown noise to known noise. The Prediction Equations: We have arrived at the Prediction step equations! En route to the Update Equations – Keep Breathing Through It! Now let’s try to make sense of the update step. We had mentioned the sensors earlier. For any given measurement, there will be noise involved. In this step, we will add correction with respect to the noise, to the prediction we had in the prediction step, and produce a new set of X and P that we will feed back into the prediction step. Kapiche? The actual measured sensor value, z will be the estimate state matrix X’ multiplied by some gain matrix or state transition matrix H, with noise added, y. (y is just added because of uncertainty of equation … i.e. how much can we trust the equation? Or it can be added for random sensor noise) H is playing the same role as F in Equation 3 or Equation P1. H can be used for scaling X’ so it can be subtracted from z (actual sensor measurement) as shown below. Sometimes it’s possible z will have more measurements than our state matrix X’, because our state matrix may not require so many state variables. So H matrix plays a role in transforming X’ so it can be subtracted from z. Here, we are just saying we will measure the difference between the measured sensor value and our estimate. Y is also called the residual and is the discrepancy between predicted and actual. Our covariance for the sensor will be HPHT, the same way we had gotten to Equation 4, except we are using H instead of F. Now we have two Gaussians, one for our original predicted estimate HX’ and its covariance HPHT , and one for the measured sensor estimate, z, and its own covariance, R. These are both different. What is the probability of both being right? It is the product of individual probabilities of each reading. Each reading is a Gaussian probability distribution, as we mentioned before. So now we have two Gaussians. These need to be multiplied. Let’s get back to our matrices. From equations 8 and 9, remember our predicted sensor covariance = HPHT Predicted state matrix for sensor = X = HX’ We also said R is the pre-defined variance of the sensor set by the factory, and z is the actual measured value from the sensor. We can implant the sensor covariance in equation E to get Kalman Gain: Equation F becomes: new estimate = X= X’ +K (z – HX’) And Equation G becomes: new covariance = P = (1-K) HP’HT or with some algebra work, P = (I – KH) P’ Where I is the identity matrix (a matrix A multiplied by I is A) Out Update equations are: Final Equations And we finally arrive at all our equations: So, in the update step, we will take the difference between the measured sensor value and the predicted state, and the Kalman gain will decide whether to go with the ~ estimate or ~ measured sensor value. If R (sensor error) is very high, then we can assume K is close to 0, and our X will be close to X’. And vice versa, if R is negligible, we will consider the difference between the measured sensor value and our estimate. So in Equation U3, our new estimate is the previous estimate plus some weight of the difference between prediction and actual measured. X and Y will be fed back into the Predict step equations. Example The below example is simplified to show how calculations work. We will assume there is no F matrix, no H matrix, and no external noise. R = standard deviation of sensor = 0.01, and z is the measured sensor value in some units. We will assume it is just one value, so no matrix is required. Also, to start with, X’ =0 and P’ = 1, because we have to start somewhere. So our equations become: References
Keywords: Basic Kalman Filter; Easy Kalman Filter; Kalman Filter for Dummies; Simple Kalman Filter P.S. Consider buying my picture book:
Softcover Hardcover Purchase via publisher You can also visit Barnes&Noble or Chapters and order online. I had the unique privilege to get down on my fours and try the latest fad in town -- goat yoga, at Maple Hill Urban Farm in Ottawa. For those not in the know, goats are left free to do their will (on you) while you start your regime of Surya Namaskar, everything that goes in between, and end with relaxation. Goat yoga, known for its therapeutic giggles, is a must-try for yoga enthusiasts looking for a little extraordinary. It was founded by Lainey Morse in July of 2016 at her farm in Oregon, after her yoga instructor asked if she could do a class in the field with the goats. Goat yoga was born, it spread like goat fire globally, and the rest as we say, is history. Don’t Worry -- You Goat This! A bit nervous for your first session? Don’t be. Just take all your shiny stuff off -- you don’t want to wait endlessly for the goat to pass your one-carat engagement diamond ring after consumption. That’s right, goats are attracted to gold, diamonds, zippers, handbags, anything with a bling. So put them all out of goat’s reach, roll out your mat, cross your legs, and relax. As you commence the session, you are reminded by your instructor to tune-in to your breaths (or the goat's breath, if that's what works for you). Inhaling and exhaling deep breaths, acknowledge how goats show you how to live the moment, for they don't live in the past or future -- only the present -- as it should be. Also, goats don't judge. So throw away your judgment hat for the next hour-and-a-half, and live the moment. You goat this. You Goat to be Kidding Me The antics of the over-friendly and frivolous goats are a distraction and an ancillary to get you through some of the tougher stretches most people dread. Expect the unexpected should be your mantra. My ears got nibbled-on, my hair was soaking with goat saliva after one of the goats decided it made a tasty afternoon snack, and I got a plethora of goat hugs and kisses. The ‘ram’ifications of the downward dog (or dare I say downward goat) are a tale on their own. The downward dog pose, child’s pose, and similar make for a flat play area (read: your back) for goats looking to have a good time.
Don’t feel BAAAAAAD if a goat poops on you. Napkins, sanitizers, and cleaning solutions are generously placed in front of each yoga mat, courtesy Maple Hill Urban Farm! Floral-scented air fresheners cancel out any unpleasant smell that may temporarily emerge. Just when you thought you had enough goat kisses for a day, a lapaca, their llama / alpaca hybrid, will trot-in to challenge your tree pose. Its soft, wooly nuzzles are a bonus therapy. You really do feel cherished with all the attention you get. There is also a bunny available to cuddle with, if you are looking for some alone-time away from the goats. (Unless of course a goat comes forth to nibble at the bunny’s ear.) With such happy animals, you can’t expect anything less than a soulfully satisfying yoga session. Canada’s Goat Talent Maple Hill Urban Farm, located in Ottawa’s Greenbelt, is a publicly owned 20,000-hectare expanse of land including wetlands, farmlands and forests surrounding the Canadian capital. A big red barn, it is reminiscent of the barnyard stories you read as a kid. With childhood familiarity, you instantly feel welcomed. It is operated by Don Trott with assistance from Daniela Peschka. Besides some over-talented, frolicking yoga goats -- Lufthansa, Willy, Donald, and Pinky, the farm houses ducks, chickens, turkeys, cows, kittens, and alpacas. All animals roam freely across the many pastures on the farm, and enjoy leftover farm-grown fruits, vegetables, sorghum, alfalfa, and hay. Mr. Trott is a veteran in taking good care of his animals. Having a daughter-in-law with a PhD in animal welfare, a son with a PhD in nutrition, and his daughter a veterinarian, “The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree,” he says. “The best part about goat yoga is seeing the fun people and goats have interacting at the same eye-to-eye level. When people see us, they appreciate our style,” he adds. Mr. Trott sports a great sense of humor. On being asked how old kids need to be to attend the class, he replies, “Goat kids need to be at least two weeks of age to be able to handle the excitement. We watch the kids closely for signs of over excursion and send them out when necessary. As for people kids, we leave it up to the parent. I don't recall anyone less than twelve years of age or so.” Take a Goatfie Some things to keep in mind if you plan to attend a session:
The session ended with an alpaca munching on what remained of my hair. While animals have a way of calming people down with their playful and innocent demeanor, yoga is an ancient way of life to help promote healing, peace, laughter, and reduce stress levels. The combination of the two is priceless. Maple Hill Urban Farm offers one hour sessions for $30 with a certified yoga instructor. You get to stay back after for goatfies. Classes are held outdoors during summer and inside a barn during the colder months. Visit their site to find out more about goat yoga and the forthcoming sessions: http://maplehillurbanfarm.com/goat-yoga-ottawa/ Give it a shot -- you won’t regret it. Namaste! Q&A with Gemma LeGresley (instructor) How do you communicate with the goats? As you might have noticed during the goat yoga class, the goats basically communicate with us and we follow their lead. I would describe it more as a relationship of students and goats being curious observers with each other. Can the goats hurt people? Sometimes accidents can happen during class if goats or students are too excited, but the goats don't intentionally hurt anyone. The biggest risk is having the goats nibble on hair or clothing when they're curious. What do you think are the advantages of goat yoga? Goat yoga is a great stress reliever for animal and yoga lovers alike. The goats are hilarious to watch and they remind us to be playful, curious, and be in the moment. The benefits of all the laughter alone in a goat yoga class are therapeutic, not to mention the benefits of yoga. Laugher therapy: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/therapeutic-laughter.html Benefits of yoga: flexibility, muscle strength and tone, balance, breathing techniques Are there specific yoga poses that are more conducive to allowing the interaction with goats? Yes! The goats seem to enjoy hopping from student to student when they are in child's pose, table top, plank, and poses close to the ground with the back exposed. They also love to cuddle with students during Savasana. Can you mention some benefits of yoga? What other types of yoga do you teach, and where? Benefits of yoga: - Strength (bones, muscles) - Flexibility (lengthens muscles, tendons, ligaments) - Balance - Focus (relaxation, breath work) - Breathing, meditation (relaxes muscles, calms mind, slows heart rate, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, improves immunity, builds confidence) I specialize in Hatha Yoga and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) yoga. In addition to teaching goat yoga with Maple Hill Urban Farm, I teach Hatha yoga at LIV Apartments Ottawa and SUP yoga with Urban Ocean on the Ottawa River and in Carleton Place in the spring/summer. Here’s my website: http://www.supyogagem.ca Goat Yoga: http://maplehillurbanfarm.com/goat-yoga-ottawa/ SUP Yoga: https://www.urbanoceansupottawa.com/
Sloth the Lazy Dragon by Regan W.H. Macaulay is quite the unexpected story of a dragon that does not understand he has a problem: overweight! The story sheds light on how no one is too small to help anyone – even if it’s an extra-large dragon. As the story unfolds, the reader is reminded via beautiful illustrations by Alex Zgug, how important it is to eat a well-balanced healthy diet – like I said, not something you would expect from a dragon story. What a delight to read! I’m sure this will have little ones asking their mommies and daddies to replace their McDonald’s Happy Meal for fruits, veggies, and legumes. A winner with parents for sure! Buy the book.
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Michelle Fizzard recently interviewed me on my book, TEN SHEEP TO SLEEP. You can read my interview here, as well as find out how to win a copy!
http://www.michellebfizzard.com/interview-local-author-nidhi-kamra-giveaway/ I am on SCBWI bookstop for a few weeks. Take a peek at my page, and share it with primary teachers and librarians!
https://www.scbwi.org/scbwibookstop-display/?id=482092 The Alphabet Forest, by Lori Galaske, can be summed up in three words: Alliterations! Alliterations! Alliterations! A little girl seeks the letters of her name, and her search leads us through an alphabet forest, where she encounters everything from a tree growing alligators to a zebra eating a zucchini. Accompanied by her brother on this alliteration adventure, she patiently collects each letter of her name, till it spells out at the end. Eugene Ruble’s colorful illustrations complement the story beautifully. A unique ABC book for kids with a big splash of alliterations!
You can visit Lori Galaske’s website to find out more about her: www.lorigalaske.com |
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July 2021
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