Marco Walther

Member

Software engineer playing with hardware and robotics in my spare time

I started my professional life as a C/C++ compiler back end engineer
in Germany. We relocated to California in 1998. Over the years, I moved
between different software levels including a Java IDE, some Ruby on
Rails and now it’s mostly system integration for cloud systems.

I started playing with robots when our kids got into Lego Mindstorms
NXT. One kid grew out of it, the other finished his BS in Robotics
Engineering in the meantime. I kept going and now have many robots from
very small Arduino-based ones to ROS-based rovers. We designed a ROS
based robotic arm for the Science Olympiad at one year;-) There is also
a DonkeyCar in the mix, which uses machine learning to navigate a course.

I usually need a deadline to get things really completed. So I tried to
attend the RoboGames, the HBRC Challenges and BotNic. The Maker Faire’s
were also always fun.

Since our kids are pretty grown now, I try to help getting more kids
interested in STEAM. I volunteer as referee for the different FIRST
programs across Northern California, as an event manager for the San
Joaquin Science Olympiad and since now everything is virtual, as a coach
for the Oracle Education Foundation.