Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #00400



To: JVernonM@aol.com, beam@corp.sgi.com
From: Bumper314@aol.com
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 20:36:57 EST
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: question


In a message dated 2/12/99 1:33:15 AM Mountain Standard Time, JVernonM@aol.com
writes:

> I have a question concerning cost versus ability. One of the things I've
seen
> said repeatedly by beamers is that one of the great things about BEAM tech
> is
> building a better bot at cheaper cost than programed bots. Soooo, why is it
> that I can buy a three motor hexapod walker kit from Lynxmotion that is
> programable, turns on a dime, reverses, has tactle sensors, and infrared
> object detection, for less than 200 bucks American? But a beam walker kit
> from
> Solarbotics, that as far as I know, can only reverse, goes for 300 bucks.
> Where is the cost savings? It would seem that when this technology leaves
> the
> realm of scratch builts made with found parts, they suddenly jump to higher
> than programed robots when they enter the retail kit market. I don't see a
> revolution in cost availability in BEAM walkers. Another thing, My Cybug, a
> very advanced analog bot with many higher behaviors costs less than 100
> bucks
> in kit form (including the hunger add on), while a simple miniball kit goes
> for 160. As a matter of fact the photopopper, a limited bot compared to the
> basic cybug, are almost the same price. It seems to me that once the
builder
> advances past the point of photopoppers, the kits go through the roof.
Could
> someone explain to me how this pricing reality jives with the BEAM
> philosophy
> of a better CHEAPER bot. Don't get me wrong, I love this technology and
> would
> like to see it advance into truly living machines. I just don't see how
> thats
> possible when those that will develope that goal can't afford the tech at a
> retail level. OK Johnny Storm, FLAME ON!
> Jim
> JVernonM@aol.com

Well man, I love what you have to say here, I know that Solarbotics is one of
the only places that supplies BEAM parts and I too think that the prices are a
little high (no offense Dave, i love what you have to offer, but i am 15 and I
make $6.50 an hour, so things look expensive to me) but if you live in Canada
you get it easy. So since Dave no longer does the currency conversion from US
to CAN, the price of a popper goes from $40 to $60. Where as I can find the
parts and build a photovore for $15. I too have Cybug and it is the best thing
I have ever spent $50 on, but there is an appeal to BEAM. A completely
autonomous, self contained bot that gets all the power it needs from
above.....This is what got me into BEAM. Now if we take a close look at BEAM
we can find that the two most expensive parts are the cell and the motors,
right (for a simple photovore). This is why you have to put a lot of time and
money into BEAM before it starts to pay off. If you can buy bulk then you
always save, and when you find surplus motors, cells, or whatever then you
have to pounce and grab them up. I have found one way around the problem of
solar cells and more expensive stuff. Since i have recently sold my first
robot kit, I can now clam that i am a distributor, If you go to any large
companies site or call them, they will usually offer to give samples of there
products. That's how i got my 100F caps. So I defiantly agree with you that
BEAM is expensive, but there are ways around that.......And as for the
processor bots, I agree that they are much more able robots, and cheaper if
you want the more complex controls, but the pure animal like responses from
walkers and such is really amazing.....

Hope the wasn't to long and babbling...

Steve

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