Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #05094



To: "'beam@sgiblab.sgi.com'" beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: Wilf Rigter Wilf.Rigter@powertech.bc.ca
Date: Wed, 7 Jul 1999 20:59:36 -0700
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Something funny with the 1382 voltage triggers?



content-type: text/plain;

Argghhh!

Methinks there is more "trial and error" (tinkering if you like) between the
solar cell and the wheels of a beam bot than between the ears of some of our
esteemed contributors and I they must be pleased to hear that (grin no LOL).

I've been working all day doing megawatt tests and it's nice to relax, do
some BEAM work, neutralize some negative energy and balance my karma. So
join me for a little dip in the stream of consciousness: Perhaps a new gear
mechanism (the Nutating gear: coincidence ? anyone try this Beamish gear ?
Yup, it's real, look it up) . Spring loaded leg suspension to deliver more
useful energy (Shannon struts?) A propulsion system for very small air
floaters, at that size, air is like syrup (what was that jellyfish with the
major henry bladder thingy again?) My first walker ( i'll never look at
insects the same way!) My first head. (watching it still blows me away: what
about a 3DOF head with claws: turn, track, telescope out, close claw when
object between fingers, contract, release in basket. Oops! is that a foil
ball or what?) A new circuit (Schmitt, Hartley, Collpits, Wien, Eccles,
Jordan, etc, etc,etc : now those were the days) Embarassed by such
distinguished company, but I just had to try out this cute little idea ergo
the rigter oscillator. Is it possible that newbie "trial and error",
"thinkering", "i wonder what would happen if" could have produced this dead
simple but (afaik) unique oscillator circuit. You bet your life, anyone
could have discovered it (and probably has but without realizing it ) :
evolution IS trial and error! Now with a non-inverting oscillator, I can do
the multi monocore NuWorm thingy without any inverters (grin). ok there you
go: a five worm segment driver. Details to follow! Anyone else care to
share a little consciousness?

<> <>
enjoy


Wilf Rigter mailto:wilf.rigter@powertech.bc.ca
tel: (604)590-7493
fax: (604)590-3411

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steven Bolt [SMTP:sbolt@xs4all.nl]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 1999 2:24 PM
> To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
> Subject: Re: Something funny with the 1382 voltage triggers?
>
> On Wed, 7 Jul 1999 JVernonM@aol.com wrote:
>
> > Yes, I see your point. One could even say that Tilden himself
> > relies on the trial and error method to make these things.
>
> Afaik Mark T. tries very hard to do better than that.
>
> > Further, the bots themselves are engineered to use trial and
> > error to function randomly. It would seem that BEAM IS trial and
> > error. I'm not sure how you change that if it is so all
> > encompassing.
>
> BEAM `bots may be charming, remind us of living insects, be
> skillfully built or even art. But any behaviour, any trial & error
> we see is entirely between *our* ears. They `try' to move about and
> make `errors' as much as an aeolian harp tries to make music and
> errors the tune...
>
> > And I really am having problems seeing how BEAM would ever come
> > up with, say, a manipulator that can pick up a certain object,
> > ignoring others and doing something meaningful with it using that
> > criteria.
>
> BEAM `bots don't have to perform tasks, but they might be more
> interesting when based on properly designed, described and
> explained circuitry. That kind of stuff can behave just as
> `insect-like', if that's what is wanted.
>
> > But, aside from all that, it is still a great way to pull kids
> > away from video games and get them to pick up a soldering iron.
> > Getting them to realize that they are doing weird things and that
> > there is a conventional method to these components is the hard
> > part.
>
> Which present BEAM makes harder than necessary.
>
> > I do wonder if it really matters in the end. If a newbie
> > wishes to learn "proper use" they will. If they just want to
> > build something cool without knowing what's going on inside, they
> > will. Perhaps, just getting them interested is the real hurtle.
> > And BEAM puts them over that one quite well. There are many
> > online who I have seen start out with asking "which way does a
> > resistor go in" who are now discussing advanced neural nets. Not
> > many, but they are there.
>
> It seems to me that fewer would turn away in frustration, and more
> would learn to really enjoy mechatronics if BEAM would put them not
> so much in the dark to begin with.
>
> Best,
>
> Steve
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> # sbolt@xs4all.nl # Steven Bolt # popular science monthly KIJK #
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>


------------------------------------------------------------------------

eGroups.com home: http://www.egroups.com/group/alt-beam
http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications





Attachment: rigterosc.gif


Attachment: NuWorm.gif

Home