Recently I have been doing a lot of field work and have seen a lot of people looking for random things or asking people if they had those items. In many of those cases I had the items they needed. This is not because I am great or anything, this is from building up my bag over the years. I keep all of these items in my laptop bag where it becomes my every day carry (EDC) for robotics. So here is the list of what I carry.
· Laptop Bag
· Laptop (I like to get a real serial port, but they are getting harder and harder to find. If not I get a laptop card with a native serial port.
· Laptop charging cable (I use a dock at my desk so I can leave the cable in my bag)
· Serial cable with DB-9 connectors (w/ male & female gender changers and null modem)
· Ethernet cable w/ coupler
· Pens
· Marker (Black Sharpie)
· Zip ties
· Tweaker (small screwdriver with Phillips on one side and flat head on the other side)
· Multi tip screwdriver
· Leatherman – I always carry this on my belt
· Medical kit (band-aid, alcohol wipe, gauze, tourniquet). Should I add a CPR mask?
· Multimeter (Minimum voltage and continuity)
· Head light (hands free light is great)
· Electrical tape or duct tape (you can wrap tape around a business card to save space)
· USB memory drive
· VGA to X display adapter (what does your computer use??)
· Cell phone
· Cell phone charger
· $20 (or so) tucked away in a laptop bag pocket
· a few granola bars (or similar) for when you get stuck somewhere
· Sunscreen (travel packets are nice)
· Hand warmers (air activated pads) climate dependent
Things I used to carry and still should:
· Emergency mylar blanket (for covering robot in rain or medical)
· Cloth tape measure
· 8.5 x 11 camera calibration and focus target. It was attached to thin wood.
· Rope (paracord)
· Rain gear
While I was making this list my wife said I should add the following items that I never really gave a second though to:
· Feminine hygiene products
· Pain killer (Tylenol, Motrin, etc..)
