Internet of Things (IOT)

Join us on **Saturday, Mar. 7th** at **Hong Kong Pearl** in **Falls Church, VA** for our 2026 Annual Lunar New Year Celebration. Enjoy a delicious multi-course dinner, grab a refreshing beverage, try your luck at multiple exciting raffles, watch spectacular cultural performances, and more! Our coveted 2026 Lunar New Year celebration is set to be a truly extraordinary event. Space is limited, so be sure to buy your ticket soon. 📅 When: Saturday, Mar. 7 (doors open at 5:00PM, dinner served at 6:00PM) 📍 Where: Hong Kong Pearl (Falls Church, VA) Dress Code: Smart Casual or International Dress Follow along on our website or social media to learn more event details, sponsorship opportunities, and more about this can’t-miss event. For large group purchases, please reach out to Ascend Chapter President Steven Lazo [stevenlazo@ascendgw.org](mailto:stevenlazo@ascendgw.org) and VP of Membership, Alizabeth Cho [alizabethcho@ascendgw.org](mailto:alizabethcho@ascendgw.org) Let’s ring in the Lunar New Year together in unity and celebration!

To help us estimate attendance and to see the venue address, please RSVP on Luma!: https://luma.com/af0yjzz6 *A free, public workshop—no technical background needed* ​Artificial intelligence is no longer just getting better at narrow tasks—it’s beginning to look *general*. Many researchers believe we’re entering the early stages of the **AGI transition**: a period where AI systems start to match or exceed human abilities across a wide range of domains. ​This workshop explores what AGI actually means, how to think about it intuitively (without hype or jargon), and what this transition could mean for your job, your relationships, and your day-to-day life—much sooner than most people expect. ​Together, we’ll explore questions like: ​**What is AGI?** ​How do experts define artificial general intelligence, and how is it different from today’s AI tools? ​**Work & Jobs:** ​Which kinds of jobs are already being automated or transformed—and which ones experts believe are most likely to remain resilient? ​**Human Connection:** ​How is AI starting to replace or supplement roles once filled by coworkers, friends, tutors, therapists, and companions? ​**Robots & the Physical World:** ​What happens when advanced AI is paired with rapidly improving robotics—and which parts of the economy could change next? ​**What you’ll get:** * ​A clear, beginner-friendly explanation of AGI and why it matters * ​Real-world examples of how AI is already reshaping work and social life * ​Live demos that highlight both impressive capabilities and emerging risks * ​Interactive discussion and exercises to test your own intuitions about the future ​Come ready to grapple with one of the biggest transitions humanity may ever face—a shift that could redefine not just how we work, but how we relate to each other, find meaning, and navigate a world increasingly shaped by intelligent machines.

Friday night Greenbelt International Folk Dancing has gone "virtual". As we all practice good social distancing, many in our folk dance community are feeling the absence of our usually scheduled local dances. In response, please join us for the Greenbelt Virtual Folk Dance Session. Let’s keep dancing! • Connect and dance in our own homes • Watch hosts leading familiar dances • See each other; listen and dance to our favorites How: We will be using the ZOOM video conferencing app to share music and live videos of the leaders and each other. This can be used on a desktop, laptop, or smartphone. What to Expect: Your hosts are Linda Mansdorf, Vita Hollander, Ben Hole, and John Robinson. Collectively they will play 25-30 dances, which should approximate the number of dances normally done on a Friday night in-person event. The hosts will do a quick teaching or demonstration of the steps to some of the dances that may be less familiar to you or just as a refresher, but the session is not designed as a workshop, so the majority of the evening will be spent playing dances that many of us already know and love to do. How To Join Us: Each week we will send an email with the Zoom Meeting link ID. Make sure John Robinson knows you would like to receive this email with the link. John's email address for Info: j_srobinson@verizon.net. https://www.facebook.com/GreenbeltInternationalFolkDancing/ Co-sponsored by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington

***Join us for a day in an electronics lab, as we attempt to finalize the system, and run scans for atoms.*** We will likely not succeed on our first attempt - but we still plan to put the time in. If you RSVP, you will get a DM with the address but it's located in Silver Spring. We will attempt full, clean lab - clean tip repeated scanning tests to see what we can learn and improve. We will experiment with online attendees, but if all possible showing up in person is strongly encouraged. Online join link is: - [https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers](https://meet.jit.si/mocomakers) Our community is building (and documenting for other teams) how to build a scanning tunneling microscope using a mix of common and 3D printed parts. This will allow us to scan and visualize a single atom - an ambitious we are doing over the course of a few months. The MoCo Makers community is one of the most innovative and competent groups in Maryland, and we've done everything from [publishing cancer research](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38136356/), to [launching products](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gotim/cozy-curvy-multi-contour-pillow), [winning grants](https://covidinfocommons.datascience.columbia.edu/awards/2014255), and inspiring thousands. Now our biggest challenge yet has appeared. We are building a Scanning Tunneling Microscope, that will allow us to scan and visualize single atoms. To get a better idea of what we are doing, see our reference project here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N3OqTEq08g](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N3OqTEq08g) All starting CAD, code, and reference files should exist. However, let's be the first Maker community to document the build process and share it with learners around the world. We will be publishing our work here -[ https://hackaday.io/project/202816-qt-panda](https://hackaday.io/project/202816-qt-panda) If you need a ride, let us know.

This month, we'll have a recorded talk, followed by discussion, on API design and single-header libraries. How should we structure and program libraries to impose as few usage constraints as possible? We’ll look at [the STB libraries](https://github.com/nothings/stb) and other examples as case studies. We're still at the West End Library - see the location in the sidebar for details. **Agenda:** \- 2pm \- 3pm: Library discussion \- 3pm \- 4pm: Open\-ended discussions\, presentations\, etc\. \- 4pm \- whenever: We'll go get food nearby\! **What we do** Presentations on lower-level, foundational programming topics, ethical software, knowledge sharing, mentoring, and discussion. **Who we are:** We are all about handmade software. Rather than focus on frameworks, heavy abstractions, and buzzwords - we typically create projects or research topics that build an understanding of foundational computing concepts, essential data structures, and hardware/software interaction. **What to bring?** Bring a laptop, project, or just a curious mind. If you're not sure you're ready to contribute, don't worry: we're all here to share our passions and hone our craft. **If you arrive late:** Please enter the room quietly as to not disrupt anyone that is presenting. You can take any empty seat.

The[ Simplicity Living Study Circle of Northern VA](https://www.coachingwithdanijk.com/blog/important-community-update-join-our-new-meetup-group-simplicity-living-circle-of-northern-va) meets on the first Saturday of each month from 4:00 to 5:30 PM at Lacey Woods Park in Arlington, Virginia. **\*This is a rain or shine outdoor event.** This free community group offers a unique and empowering space for individuals seeking to live a simpler, more intentional life. Through participant-driven discussions and facilitated activities, our circle fosters connection, reflection, and mutual support. Hosted by members of the Simplicity Living Circle of Northern VA, we welcome those who are curious about simplicity, mindful living, and environmental care. Whether you are just beginning or deepening your journey, you are warmly invited into this inclusive and supportive space. *Note: Our official Meetup group changed due to administrative complications. This new group is now our verified and active community hub, which you can confirm at our in-person events.*

We will be playing up to two games of Power Grid. All experience levels welcome. Expect the game teach to start promptly within the first 10 minutes. Power Grid is an economic network building strategy game with a fluctuating commodities market and an auction round. The objective of Power Grid is to supply the most cities with power. Players mark pre-existing routes between cities for connection, and then bid against each other to purchase the power plants that they use to power their cities. As power plants are purchased, newer, more efficient plants become available, so by merely purchasing, you're potentially allowing others access to superior equipment. Additionally, players must acquire the raw materials (coal, oil, garbage, and uranium) needed to power said plants (except for the 'renewable' windfarm/ solar plants, which require no fuel), making it a constant struggle to upgrade your plants for maximum efficiency while still retaining enough wealth to quickly expand your network to get the cheapest routes. Find [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfvCc9uGN-U&pp=ygUWaG93IHRvIHBsYXkgcG93ZXIgZ3JpZA%3D%3D) a how to play video on youtube. Find [here](https://www.riograndegames.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Power-Grid-Recharged-Rules.pdf) the rulebook. Note: Please remember to update your RSVP if you can not attend the event. By updating your RSVP when you can't make it other players on the waitlist will have a chance to attend. No-shows may make it harder to attend future meetups. Also, all library rules apply to this meetup event. Mainly that no food is allowed in the library. Covered drinks are allowed.

Greetings from the capital! Every Saturday at 7:30 PM, people from all walks of life — students, diplomats, travelers, locals — gather to unwind and connect. [[Click this whatsapp groupchat link to join](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GNKKoBtgiU73RYeypZoN6y)] Our age range is mostly 20s to 30s. If you enjoy discussing culture, politics, travel, or just want to practice a new language, this group is for you. A perfect blend of diversity and dialogue, right in the heart of D.C.

DC Code and Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. It's community-led and community-run by devs, for devs. People of all skill levels attend. Whether you’re dev-curious, aspiring, or a professional developer, we’d love to have you! Come chat or learn to code on a Sunday afternoon with coffee and cool-inclusive people. Bring your laptop! We typically meet every month on the weekend. **Join our online community!** For all things Tech in DC and to get latest updates and tech events from the DMV area, join the [DCTech Slack](https://dctech.chat/). All DC Code & Coffee announcements are in the #dccodecoffee channel **How it works** Near the beginning of the event, we do an introduction circle. You say your name, what you can help others with, and what you would like help with. You can also share job opportunities. After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized. **Event Host and Directions** We are meeting in the big meeting room at the back of the library.

Title: What Is Space Density? From Medium Ontology to the Spacetime Constant K Date: March 8 2026 10:00 am - Noon EDT Abstract: Spacetime plays an active role in gravity, wave propagation, and quantum behavior, yet physics rarely treats it as a physical medium with intrinsic properties such as density or inertia. This missing layer creates a major conceptual gap—especially when interpreting large-scale gravitational anomalies that are often attributed to dark matter. In this talk, Lynn will propose a clear conceptual framework for what it means for spacetime itself to possess a density-like property, and Lynn will explain why Unified Field Theory (UFT) naturally encodes this property through the constant K, called the spacetime background inertial intensity constant. Lynn will introduce a space-density constant μₛ as a universal property of space itself—independent of matter, energy density, or gravitational sourcing. However, μₛ cannot be inserted directly into field equations, because it belongs to the ontological level: it describes what space is, not how spacetime responds. To influence dynamics, μₛ must be expressed geometrically. This leads naturally to K, which carries the same physical meaning but operates at the level required by geometric field dynamics. This is a change in representation—not the addition of new physics. This approach provides an alternative way to interpret dark-matter-like effects. Instead of requiring unseen particles, gravitational anomalies can be viewed as consequences of spacetime’s intrinsic rigidity and its global, cumulative response in large coherent systems such as disk galaxies. In local, weak-field environments, standard Newtonian and relativistic gravity remains an effective approximation. The goal of the talk is not to present a final empirical model, but to clarify the physical meaning of spacetime constants and open discussion between UFT and mainstream theoretical physics. Keywords: Spacetime ontology; space density; intrinsic spacetime properties; Unified Field Theory (UFT); spacetime background constant K; geometric response; gravitational coupling; dark-matter-like phenomena Brief Biography Lynn Lou Beran is a Senior IT Security Analyst and an author, translator, and editor working at the intersection of science, engineering, and communication. She translated and edited multiple editions of Zhang XiangQian’s Unified Field Theory and co-authored recent manuscripts developing a geometric, motion-based view of physical reality. Lynn’s broader work focuses on making advanced ideas accessible without sacrificing rigor, and on connecting conceptual insight to testable predictions and practical tools.

Let's meet up for Pizza and Ping Pong at Comet in DC Fun event to play ping pong and eat some good pizza. WE can play some games too Parking lot in the back and street parking available Guests must be over 50 This is a non reservation event. It's time to RSVP for a fun evening.

Many popular movies about flying machines bear the title “Drones,” but this isn’t one of them. No, this is a little-known gem about love in the workplace possibly leading to the destruction of planet Earth. Witty writing, solid acting, and slick direction all work together in this movie like bees in a hive, which coincidentally is the point of the title. The cubicle-bound employees of a vast corporation attend to their various tasks, each contributing to the productivity of the whole. But wait – is one of these workers not like the others? And if so, what is this person’s true agenda? When the answers to these questions arrive, the story gets hilariously crazy. The R rating is earned strictly by occasional rude language in this dialogue-driven production, and bluntly your host thinks PG-13 would have been sufficient. ■ Title — *Drones* ■ Director — Amber Benson, Adam Busch ■ Cast — Angela Bettis, Jonathan M. Woodward, Samm Levine ■ Rated R for language ■ ©2010 \| 1h 38m \| Comedy\, Fantasy ■ Distributed by Quiver Entertainment

ike Turkey Run Park- Pho Lunch, VA Sunday March 8 With winter weather receding, this is a great way to fight cabin fever and head back outside with views of the Potomac. This is a 3 to 4 mile loop hike along the Potomac River just below the American Legion bridge off the GW parkway. The trail is mostly easy and flat, but there are some slightly rocky areas. Be aware that this time of year where segments along the river can be muddy and there are some rocky areas we must maneuver around. Bring a mascot! The park is dog-friendly, but must be on a leash. For more info and maps (see side links): [https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/turkeyrun.htm](https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/turkeyrun.htm) What to Bring: Good hiking shoes Water Meet: 9:00 am Where: Parking Lot C-1. (First parking lot when entering park. See map at link below for details) Park Trail Map: [https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/upload/Corrected-Turkey_Run_Park_Trail_Map_11242023_508c.pdf](https://www.nps.gov/gwmp/planyourvisit/upload/Corrected-Turkey_Run_Park_Trail_Map_11242023_508c.pdf) Departure: 9:10 sharp. We should return to the parking lot no later than 11:15 am. For those interested, we can later head over to nearby Pho 75 (1721 Wilson Blvd) for a great hot pho - one of the best in the area. **Note: Cash Only!** **In the comments section please indicate if you need a ride. If you are coming by car and wouldn’t mind picking someone up at a convenient metro stop, please indicate how many people you can take. Hopefully we’ll have enough room for everyone. I can pick up three at the Braddock Road metro (yellow), located in Alexandria, VA. Or, I can pick up folks at Rosslyn metro (orange/blue). Carpoolers, please chip in generously for gas.** Note: This event is cross-posted with other Meetup groups.

**Bringing presence to the moments that matter most!** Life moves fast and it’s easy to live on autopilot. This uplifting, practical workshop invites participants from all backgrounds to explore how mindfulness can bring greater calm, clarity, and connection into everyday life. We’ll explore how to be more present in daily routines, communicate with more intention in relationships, and respond to stress with steadiness instead of reactivity. Whether you’re new to mindfulness or looking to deepen your practice, you’ll leave with tools you can use immediately, at home, at work, and in the moments in between. **Key Takeaways:** o Simple mindfulness practices for real-life situations (work, home, commuting, conversations) o Greater emotional balance, resilience, and self-awareness o Increased clarity and focus for everyday decision-making o Supportive habits that strengthen mindful living over time o A deeper sense of inner peace and connection with yourself and others Saturday, March 7th, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM. Held at the Meditation Museum, 9525 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD. Free Event – Register at: [https://shorturl.at/QEBc1](https://shorturl.at/QEBc1) | | | --- | |

Bring your Raspberry Pi, Arduino, microcontroller, or any other electronic project and join fellow electronics makers for a night of creativity and collaboration! This session is open forum to share your current projects—whether complete or in progress, it’s all interesting! Whether you’re deep into embedded systems, exploring new ideas, or just getting started, you’ll find a welcoming space to collaborate, share, and get inspired. **New to electronics or curious about tinkering?** You’re absolutely welcome. If you’re a beginner and want to experiment, I’ll have a couple of starter kits available so you can try things out—whether that’s blinking your first LED, putting something on a display, or experimenting with simple sensors. No pressure and no experience required—just an interest in learning and building. While we continue to pursue a more permanent venue for this Meetup, we’ll be using public library facilities based on availability. This session will be at the Worthington Park Library in the Olentangy Meeting Room.

Discover Kiro, AWS’s innovative development environment that adapts to your workflow. Whether you prefer specification-driven development or a more intuitive, vibe-based approach, Kiro empowers you to build applications your way. In this session, speakers will explore Kiro’s core functionality and its evolution through re:Invent 2025, along with demonstrations of prompts used to create APIs, hooks, and steering documents. In the latter part of the session, watch as we build a complete example from scratch, showcasing Kiro’s agentic AI workflow in action for spec-driven development and vibe coding. What You'll Learn - Core Kiro concepts and development philosophy Feature evolution: pre and post re:Invent 2025 Practical examples: API creation, hooks, and steering docs Live coding demonstration with real-time problem solving Who Should Attend - Developers, solutions architects, and technical leaders interested in modern AWS development tools and AI-assisted coding workflows. **Speakers Bio:** Matthew Jorat: Matthew Jorat is a Customer Solutions Manager at AWS with nearly three decades of expertise in AI, cloud transformation, migration, modernization, IT, technology, and business. His career spans infrastructure engineer, solutions architect, security auditor, customer success director, support and services director, and operations officer. He was an early adopter of AWS services as a customer, and his current role at AWS uniquely blends his technical and business skills as he partners with executive teams to translate strategic priorities into measurable business outcomes through cloud adoption, AI implementation, and operational excellence. Matt leads end-to-end AI initiatives for enterprise customers, identifying high-impact use cases and maintaining relentless focus on measurable ROI. He holds eight AWS certifications and serves as Adjunct Professor at Franklin University teaching cloud computing and AWS architecture. His expertise encompasses GenAI, agentic AI systems, migration, modernization, and optimization strategies that drive transformation at scale. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/) Girish Bhatia: Girish Bhatia is a seasoned technology delivery leader with deep expertise in cross-domain program management. He holds multiple AWS certifications, including AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, AWS Certified Developer – Associate, and AWS Generative AI Practitioner, and is also an AWS Community Builder. Girish brings over two decades of experience in the information technology industry. Throughout his career, Girish has led major technology-driven business transformation from modernizing on-premises applications to driving large-scale cloud migrations. His work includes API-based integration platforms, data-center and mainframe modernization, and enterprise cloud adoption initiatives. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Girish works at a tech-forward fintech company. He is passionate about AWS serverless architectures, Generative AI and emerging cloud technologies. An avid learner and builder, he continues to explore and apply the latest innovations in AWS to help organizations accelerate their digital transformation. https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/[https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/) **THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/ **DIRECTIONS** Franklin University Fisher Hall 300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8 Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map. NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

Connected Westerville Night of Networking flips the script on networking, with surprises and connections that'll make you say, "Who knew networking could be this much fun?!"

Drake Lundstrom is presenting: Code Anywhere by Talking to your Phone Abstract: Have you heard the trend of people deploying code anywhere from checkout lines to doctors' offices? In this talk, you will learn how to talk to your phone and have an app on Azure to show your friend 5 minutes later. The basic DevOps tools you already know, plus a little bit of AI magic, are all you need! If you want to follow along, the demo will be in Azure with GitHub Actions and GitHub Copilot, and you can have it set up on your phone by the end of the session. Just come in with an Azure account and a GitHub repo. Join us for pizza, drinks, and networking @ Improving's office. Doors open at 5:45.

Join us for a casual chat over coffee & tea at Porter’s Coffee House. Come out and meet some new people, enjoy your favorite drink, and make some new friends!

**Google Analytics Alternatives** Is it finally time to make the switch away from Google Analytics? Two-and-a-half years ago Jason Packer asked this question at Columbus Web Analytics Wednesday. Since then: Google’s Universal Analytics has been sunset, we’ve changed our name to Columbus Data & Analytics Wednesday, and Jason has released two editions of his book “Google Analytics Alternatives”. Fresh off the release of the 2nd edition of his book, we thought it was time to re-open this conversation. While people love to complain about it, GA’s market share has remained relatively constant (at least in the United States). Why is that? You won’t find any complaints about GA4 in this talk, but rather an overview of what’s currently available in the market and how to frame your decision-making process. We’ll also be giving out some free copies of Jason’s book! So even if you’ve got a “GA4Lyfe” tattoo (no judgement), there’s free books to go with the free pizza and beer. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

We will show a variety of methods for building agents that run in Microsoft Foundry. This covers the different types of agents: Prompt, Multi, and Hosted, as well as the development lifecycle using evals and traces.