Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #04811



To: "'beam@sgiblab.sgi.com'" beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: Steven Bolt sbolt@xs4all.nl
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 09:34:07 +0200 (CEST)
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Ah! Blessed Skepticism! (was: Feedback explained?)


On Tue, 22 Jun 1999, Wilf Rigter wrote:

---8<---
[ So there it is mechanical AND electronic feedback ]

> It seems to me that in a walker this MAY be a useful feedback by
> reducing wasted power in case of a stuck leg and it MAY be safer
> to change walking gait to a shorter shuffle on slope to avoid
> tipping over or on a high resistance surface it MAY produce a
> more efficient gait.

Suppose it is, for a certain mechanical design, using certain
motor/gearboxes, a certain power supply, at a certain weight &
balance and on a certain kind of terrain. Nice. But what's the
*next* step? You'd want to derive predictable qualities from your
prototype, so you can make use of your discovery in your next,
different application.

As far as I can tell that doesn't happen. Every next BEAM `bot is
all trial & error again. There may be some method waiting to be
discovered in the chaos. On the other hand, this approach may
never lead to anything designable.

Imho this is BEAM's weakest point. Newbies attracted to it may get
the impression that electronics/mechatronics is all about largely
unpredictable matters and tinkering ad infinitum. Whereas IRL it's
mostly about quickly designing to specs, and making sure that your
circuits will work as specified despite large component tolerances.

BEAM apparently claims that predictably performing, complex robots
will somehow arise from tinkering with more or less chaotic
circuitry. Intriguing, to be sure. Fun to watch. Close to living
nature, you might like to say. But it could be a *very* long term
project :)

Best,

Steve

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# sbolt@xs4all.nl # Steven Bolt # popular science monthly KIJK #
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