Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #00445
To: beam@corp.sgi.com
From: Darrell Johnson stymie@simplyweb.net
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 1999 12:16:13 -0800
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: hmmm...i wonder which subject
Having a bot take on a job is a little over the current state of BEAM
robotics, and is not really keeping in tune with the general "bottom up"
approach..We aren't trying to make a bot that can get from point A to
point B so that it can accomplish a set goal. The BEAM/bottom up
approach is to make a bot that can start from point A and *not get
itself killed* without even trying to get to point B..
Until one of us builds a bot that can keep itself from getting
stuck/stepped on/flipped over I really don't think there has to be any
'higher purpose' to these things... think about survival behaviors that
you can put in your bot.. they don't have to just move toward light..
I'm working on a bot that will bask if the light is bright enough, and
wake up and move if the light isn't' bright enough or something gets too
close to it... kind of a take off on Bob Shannon's 'smart cap'
circuit.. but hey, mine's a solar powered bot....
If your 5 motor walker isn't solar powered, don't make it phototrophic..
just make it not get itself stuck, make it turn and back up... if you
get that done, give it the capibility to replenish it's own power
supply. That should keep you plenty busy.
-darrell
> Noam wrote:
> (this thread was "question")
>
> Look, we can argue about these things all day. Personally, I'm starting to
> get bored. The one question of value (in my opinion) which wasn't answered
> was what real world jobs can "BEAM" robots take on? No one really >
> I'm just throwing this idea out to see what other people think. MAybe a
> little bit because i'm gonna build a 5motor walker, and i want it to do
> more than just walk toward light.
>
> hope this at least makes this thread a little more interesting...
> Noam
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