Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #09147
To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: Bruce Robinson Bruce_Robinson@telus.net
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2000 14:51:45 -0800
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: BEAM LEGO was microcore experimentation kit
Wilf Rigter wrote:
>
> What about BEAM LEGO?
Don't even hint at that word. The patents will have expired long ago,
but you can bet the word (or anything resembling it) will be protected
by trademark.
> For example, put the Nv complete with trimpot and LED into a
> suitable block with GND,V+, INPUT, OUTPUT, BIAS POINT contacts
> in such a way that the blocks can be put side by side ...
To be truly versatile, you need two inputs (Nu & Nv). Or one input and a
DIP type switch. Or two different style blocks.
I have in front of me an LED with the following package size, width =
0.063", length = 0.075", diameter of the yellow lense = 0.040". Needless
to say, it is a surface mount device. For drawing attention or
signalling over a long distance, it is useless. For inconspicuous
trouble shooting, it's great. Current draw = 0.5 mA with a 4.7 k
resistor.
Don't forget the cap(s) either. I imagine 3 sizes would be reasonable.
Diodes for shorting the bias points? Two? how many connections are these
things going to have?
You may want to colour code the blocks. Choose colours that won't get
you into trouble (orange, cyan, magenta ...).
Unlike that un-named plastic building material, you will not get away
with two many different sizes.
> ... and interconnections made with a SOLARCELL, NiCAD, SUPERCAP, PD
> SENSOR, DRIVER and MOTOR block.
Also a couple of different contact switch options.
> The default contact arrangement should allow standard uCore walker to
> be assembled in BEAM PLUG'nPLAY fashion. A JUMPER and PROTOTYPE block
> can be used to configure experimental BEAM LEGO Bots.
Don't forget Richard Piotter's fascination with branching nervous nets
(which is also the design described in Mark's original patent). At least
TWO outputs required.
To keep these small enough, the prototype block might have to be just a
connector block. You could have an associated prototype board, and a
related multi-conductor jumper cable. Heck, have jumper cables in
different lengths ... more things to market :)
The geometry would be crucial. Much experimentation required. It would
have to be flexible, but you would need to ensure that newbies couldn't
accidentally arrange the blocks in a way that would fry the contents.
Come to think of it, a few of us oldbies need that kind of protection,
too.
Mark is quite right about being able to move into 3 dimensions. Perhaps
your design would allow blocks to be assembled in planes; special
connectors would transfer signals between planes. Of course you would
then have to take into account the placement of trimpots.
> In this way standard BICORE, PHOTOVORE and other BEAM bots can be
> bundled into standard kits.
>
> So what do you all think?
It is worth following up on. Best to start with Mark's suggestion of
mockups made on Post-It (tm) notes. You also have plenty of volunteers
just dying to get some made up.
Bruce
9148 Thu, 13 Jan 2000 18:07:30 -0500 [alt-beam] Re: BEAM LEGO was microcore experimentation kit George Rix > Don't forget Richard Piotter's fascination with branching nervous nets
> (which is also the design described in Mark's original patent). At least
> TWO outputs required.
Why not tetrahedral blocks with four outputs and four inputs?
Complexity, here we come... =3D)
But seriously, folks, I'd make that at least three.
Peace out!
Rob Rix
No doubt it will all make sense when we're older =8B Calvin and Hobbes
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