Doug Traster

Mr. Traster is an electrical engineering graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with 30 years of experience in embedded controller design and development, the last ten of which were in robotic applications. He is the inventor of three patents in video display design two of which are licensed for all closed caption televisions. He is also knowledgeable in data communications technology with patents in HDLC channelized T1.

Mr. Traster formed his first company, Varix Corporation, in 1981. It was one of the first personal computer based test equipment companies in the world. Varix built a universal PROM and PLD programmer, the first of it's kind to contain device programming algorithms entirely in software.

Mr. Traster's current company, Volant Corporation, was formed in 1985. It operates as a turnkey contract developer for a wide range of projects including high speed data communication, automobile diagnostic equipment, channelized T1, database applications, document management, and other embedded controller applications. In the last 15 years, the company has focused primarily on software and electronics for controlling robotic equipment - storage / retrieval systems, semiconductor device handlers and mobile robots.

Mr. Traster volunteers his time for Middle School and High School robotics. For the last three years he has mentored LEGO Mindstorms for the Indianapolis Public Library, provided technical leadership for several FIRST LEGO League teams and provided engineering leadership on a FIRST Robotics team.