Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #02521



To: sbolt@xs4all.nl
From: Mark Dalton mwd@sgi.com
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 1999 17:52:51 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: BEAM and newbies, programmables & cliques...


> > Ahhh, again, PICBOT II. Why is that 'less attractive', simply because
> > it has a programmable device?
>
> You mean Terry's work? He recently described a little PIC-based
> `bot which I find very sexy.
> But for every 1 BEAMer on the list who is interested in programmable
> devices, I'd estimate there are at least 10 who couldn't write five
> coherent lines of code in any relevant programming language, and
> what's more, they don't want to. We should be careful what we flood
> their mailboxes with, don't you think? Unless we want to treat this
> list as a plaything for some tiny group of `advanced' people. Which
> I hope Mark Dalton wouldn't allow.
>

Me allow... I get flamed if I interfere (^8 ... The list was
more or less started to help people to:
1. Pool resources.
2. Work on projects together.
3. Learn new stuff.
4. Have 'civilized' discussions.

Beginners and advanced are welcome. I don't like practicing much
control (unless it gets WAY out of hand). Otherwise I just ask
it be on BEAM robotics..

STAMPs and PICs are pretty cool.. But for now I am just trying to
get some time to build again, then interface a STAMP to it. It should
not be difficult, if the Nervous Net is in control, and the STAMP
influences more of the long term. (treat the STAMP outputs as just
a sensor for the Nervous Net).

> > But the desire for 'new and cool' designs, BEAM evolution has been
> > very clear to me. Its also implicit in the 'original work' you speak
> > of.
> ---8<---
> > By building new things, not by maintaining focus on specific circuits.
> > We dont seem to use the happy birthday singer anymore now do we?
>
> That seems to be mostly because the supply ran out. The creative
> re-use of that hbs was very much BEAM. Nothing to do with a circuit
> being `advanced' or not.
>
Welcome to the 'bleeding edge' things don't always move fast. People
need to build and experiment if they want to understand, and others
that like their scopes can analyse (while taking into account reality).
And actually new technology is being released regularly.

Just have fun and learn... The name of the list reflects the purpose,
and I want to see development on every front and pull it all together.

Some other areas of development are the mechanics, and that is continuely
growing. As the first word in BEAM describes.. Biology. Biology has
the 'suspesion', however, it is much more than crude suspension systems
seen in cars..
- You have optimal and sub-optimal resonance that allows you to
maximize speed, smoothness, and increasing efficientcy.
- You have structural changes at different speeds/gaits, which
allows for things to move (instead fall), and move more efficiently.
(like a horse when it goes to a gallop, has to have a certain
speed builtup and then changes the body formation, which in
turn changes the attach of the hoof to the ground).

So not only are CPUs related to BEAM stuff invited, but also biology,
mechanics, etc..

I would much rather see people talk about robotics and specifically
BEAM stuff... then
- what should be posted
- me too's.
- etc..

Mark
--
Mark Dalton CH3-S-CH2 H H O H
Silicon Graphics, Inc. | | | \ |
Eagan, MN 55121 CH2-C-COO //\ ---C--CH2-C-COO C-CH2-C-COO
mwd@sgi.com | | || || | // |
NH3 \\/ \ / CH NH3 O NH3
NH
My home page: http://www.cbc.umn.edu/~mwd/mwd.html
Cell Biology: http://www.cbc.umn.edu/~mwd/cell.html

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