Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #00405



To: beam@corp.sgi.com
From: Sean Rigter rigter@cafe.net
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 19:56:43 -0800
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: questions


Oops! OK, we're blowing off steam and that's good. Take a deep breath
and
let's work it out. It's entirely up to this group to solve these
problems of accessibility, cost, supply, information. All reasonable
suggestions are welcome. Keep in mind that there are a number of
different view points on each subject, use the same creative cooperative
approach shown in other thought experiments (ie cool, microcore failure
analysis, BEAM bot sensor strategy and "combot" group behaviour). Be
persistent, demand the best, and don't take it too seriously! There
after all many alternatives.

SO HERE ARE SOME SAMPLE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Q: How can we reduce the BEAM hardware cost?
A: Creative solutions, adapt consumer goods, dumpster diving,
competition

Q: What are some practical BEAM applications I could build?
A: A "GUARDOGWALKER" to patrol the fence, a ridable size "BICORE CYCLE",
a 2x6ft "UV shield" photovore head for the beach, a BEAM car direction
walking LED flasher, BEAM christmas lights, a BEAM head camera mount, a
solar panel orienting controller for third world appropriate technology
apps, an AQUAVORE shark alarm, AQUARIUM VORES, BEAM fish lures, etc

Q: Why BEAM?
A: Because BEAM is my "METAVORE METAPHOR" - the simplest most elegant
solution to a problem!

Q: Could these "practical" applications be done in any other technology?
A: SURE! and may the best tech win!

BTW my walker cost was about 1 day and $5 using a RS prototype solder
board and for the rest surplus parts. The motors are old MAC floppy disk
ejectors, the legs paper clips, the chips and other parts scrounged from
old PCBs. In all my years of thought experiments about robots, it was
the first off the assembly line.

Here is my gripe: I write a lot of articles, push the BEAM envelop a
little and this is what I get: the Zoz, dead silence, and some nice
private comments.

I would really like to hear some "questions" like: "I don't get it!",
"could you explain how you use this in a microcore?", "where is the
PCB?" or at least "wilf your full of ........" (you fill in the
dots).
Thanks for letting me get that off my chest!

enjoy

wilf

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