Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #00613
To: Steven Bolt sbolt@xs4all.nl
From: Bob Shannon bshannon@tiac.net
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 23:20:41 -0800
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: hmmm...i wonder which subject
Steven Bolt wrote:
>
> On Wed, 17 Feb 1999, Bob Shannon wrote:
>
> > > There has been quite a bit of talk about adding a programmable
> > > device to some combination of Microcores, Nervous Nets and so on to
> > > gain something, but I have yet to see a worked out example to prove
> > > the point.
> >
> > Again, look at Terry Newton's work. He used a PIC to drive a BEAM smart
> > body.
> >
> > AS it turns out, the microcore is not predictable enough for the
> > CPU to get along with.
>
> I'm aware of Terry's work, which is very interesting. However, as
> you say, he didn't seem to gain much performance by adding a uC to
> a Nervous Net - though it increased complexity quite a bit.
Not at all Steven!
Implement that same behavior set with pure BEAM tech, then compare the
bill of materials. Its less complex with the CPU.
It's behavior is also more complex. I think you have this backwards.
> > Also the microcore does not do anything that cannot also be done
> > directly by the CPU, so why penalize the robot with the microcore
> > at all?
>
> BEAMers get lots of fun out of two motors, a very simple mechanical
> setup and a couple of time delays. Will a uC add something
> significant to the `bot-building experience? My Spider is uC-based,
> so I apparently think so. But I also like my photovores a lot, and
> they don't have or need a uC brain. I believe it depends on what
> you want from your `bot, and on your willingness to learn how to
> use a uC.
Clearly using a CPU to control a small robot adds a lot of repeatability
and versatility. Its much easier to experiment with different behavior
sets.
A friend recently modified a PIC based photovore program to generate
some really interesting behaviors onceit finds a light pool.
By looking at what he did to the code, I think I can duplicate this same
behavior in a photopopper like circuit with another pair of transistors
and such. But I doubt this modification would be obvious at the
circuitry level. Sometimes very small alterations can give some very
interesting behaviors, and this is fast and free to test on a micro
based bot.
Once its 'right', you can translate it into pure BEAM, and have it work
right.
The results might just be a photovore competition contender!
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