Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #04387



To: Beam mailing list beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: Bruce Robinson Bruce_Robinson@bc.sympatico.ca
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1999 23:59:43 -0700
Subject: [alt-beam] Instant PNC.



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I got tired of waiting for my PNC to do its thing, so I patched together
a "cold start" circuit which allows a complex microcore to start up with
just one neuron firing -- and it does it instantly.

I first took the original PNC from Tilden's patent which kills all the
processes permanently, and connected ALL the neuron inputs to it with
diodes, to make what I call a Pulse Suppression Circuit (PSC). That's
because pulses never get a change to get started. This leaves you with a
dead robot. Next I used the output of the PSC to fire a conventional Nv
neuron very briefly to inject a pulse into the microcore. Unfortunately
the output polarity is wrong so I had to add an extra inverter. No doubt
Wilf et. al. can clean this one up.

This circuit works so fast you don't notice any startup delay. Just one
pulse circulating around your loop. Even better, if you want two pulses
circulating at once, you can just connect the injector circuit to the
desired neuron with a diode.

I tested this out with a 6 Nv microcore, injecting 1 and 2 pulses. I
started with higher capacitor values and worked my way down to the ones
shown. I suspect you could reduce them even more.

Thought some of you might want to play with / improve on this. Or have I
just re-invented the wheel?

Enjoy,
Bruce

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4388 Fri, 11 Jun 1999 09:35:35 -0600 [alt-beam] Another "Tilden & crew" in-the-press link.. beam@sgiblab.sgi.com Dave Hrynkiw This came to me from "Michael Bazzarelli" :

http://www.edtn.com/story/tech/OEG19990607S0035-T

Another story about Bicores in space...

-Dave
---------------------------------------------------------------
"Um, no - that's H,R,Y,N,K,I,W. No, not K,I,U,U, K,I,_W_. Yes,
that's right. Yes, I know it looks like "HOCKYRINK." Yup, only
2 vowels. Pronounciation? _SMITH_".
http://www.solarbotics.com

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