Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #09228
To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: "Seamus Allan" seamus_allan@inet.net.nz
Date: Sun, 16 Jan 2000 13:01:34 +1300
Subject: [alt-beam] small, cheap nv board
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I think David Perry is onto two completely different things. First of all, =
a suggestion was made for a small ciruit board for an nv net, possibly DIP,=
for breadboards, now it has snowballed into small circuit boards a LOT lik=
e hextiles. I personally would prefer small experimentation boards (but tha=
ts just my humble opinion), and use/modify the already existing hextiles. T=
his would probably be easier and cheaper.
By the way, I was just wondering, is it a violation of the patent to sell t=
hese boards????
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>
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6256152238538471
9230 Sat, 15 Jan 2000 18:22:37 -0700 [alt-beam] Re: Interseting, additional idea. and include Solarbotics.RE: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com Dave Hrynkiw
>At 11:03 AM 1/15/00 , Dennison Bertram wrote:
>>But we should include Dave into this as well, as he has the capital and
>>experince to get a project like this off the ground. Not only that, but
>>Dave is already in the planning stages of Hextiles, if he were to make
>>the design open to suggestions from the list, not only would he be
>>building something people really want, but it would be a fine, fine,
>>product. Like I said, $4.50 still feels a little pricey.
>
>We're totally open to an "open source" type of Hextile project, and we
>suggest the following as our design criteria:
>
>- MUST use DIP packaging. These are available, inexpensive, and more
>powerful than their SMT counterparts. And easier to handle too!
>
>-Same form factor as MWT Hextiles. Why? Why not? I've played with MWT
>Hextiles, and they're about as small as they can get using DIP packaging,
>and still have all the pads necessary for relatively easy access.
>
>-Standard 1/4watt resistors, etc. See point 1 - easier to handle,
>inexpensive...
>
>-TLED indicators everywhere! (Pretty lights go blinky blinky are nice nice)
>
>-These would be raw kits - pcbs, plus parts in a baggie. Perhaps even
>using chip carriers. This'll keep the costs down.
>
>Our initial idea is to produce 9 hextiles on a 8x11 type PCB that could be
>snapped apart, with several square/triangular boards in the filler spaces.
>As for what the hextiles are, I was thinking 6 bicores, 3 microcores, and
>motor drivers on the square ones (perhaps 3).
>
>We're working on this design criteria as we want to have it ready for the
>next big workshops we'll be doing, and want something more "flexible" to
>play with. Therefore, no "Nv/Nu" bricks, or single-gate devices this time
>around.
>
>Comments?
>
>-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
9231 Sat, 15 Jan 2000 17:53:45 -0800 [alt-beam] Re: does anyone know where those single inverters can be found? beam@sgiblab.sgi.com Chiu-Yuan Fang The contest has been completed, judged and buried 6 feet under.
The videos and pictures all went down when the beamzine.com server was taken off
line. Blame should be put on me for taking so long to wrap things up.
Chiu
jester96beam@iname.com wrote:
>
> Hey Chiu. It's good to know you're still alive.
>
> Are you planning on judging the last contest anytime soon? Istill very interested to see all the contestants (the robots, that is - I don't care about the people! ;-)
>
> Chris
--
Chiu-Yuan Fang
chiumanfu@home.com
ICQ=5614919
http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/6897/beam2.html
9232 Sat, 15 Jan 2000 21:04:20 EST [alt-beam] cutting LEDs beam@corp.sgi.com Bumper314@aol.com How do you cut an LED to make the lens completely flat and still shinny? I
keep trying but they just crack or are scratched so bad the light is barely
visible. Anyone know
Steve
9233 Sunday, 16 January 2000 7:19 BeamBlocks ... was: microcore experimentation kit beam@sgiblab.sgi.com Bruce Robinson
>> David Perry wrote:
>>
>> ... What if (as someone suggested) i create a small circuit
>> board complete with a single schmitt inverter and either a
>> plug to put in your own resistor or an adjustable pot built in.
>
>This simple suggestion evolved into a multi-thread discussion (BEAM
>LEGO, Back to the Hextiles). As soon as someone made a suggestion,
>neurons started to fire in several hundred minds; next thing you know
>we've got 20 variations on the original theme.
>
>I've figured out that there are actually 4 different ideas (at least)
>being discussed here. This is my crude attempt at putting this in
>perspective.
>
>Hextiles: Preconfigured boards with many redundant connections.
> Everything you want to make a complex nervous net, and then
> some. Using the boards involves cutting traces, adding jumpers,
> soldering on wires, etc. PURPOSE: build prototype robots after
> the circuit concepts have been debugged.
>
>"Nv chip": This was (more or less) David's original suggestion.
> The sales volume isn't there to justify actually manufacturing
> a single-chip Nv (not yet, anyway). So the suggestion was to
> make up a very small board with the Nv components on it, a
> board that could be plugged into a breadboard somewhat like a
> DIP chip. PURPOSE: build experimental circuits with fewer
> individual parts to hook up.
>
>Modular blocks: Wilf suggested a complete SET of plug-together
> blocks that would allow you to build complete robots. You could
> build a functioning robot using only the blocks; no soldering or
> external wiring required. A "prototype" block would be available
> for those who wanted to move beyond the capabilities of the
> blocks. PURPOSE: build experimental circuits and experimental
> robots, try out new configurations.
>
>Lego-compatible blocks: Same as the modular block idea, but
> physically compatible with the LEGO (TM) system. PURPOSE: as
> above but able to use all the existing blocks, wheels, shafts,
> motors, etc.
>
>Each idea has it's own niche. The modular blocks have tremendous
>potential, but it is requires a lot of experimenting and ingenuity to
>get a flexible, damage-proof system.
>
>As always, there is no reason not to pursue all 4 ideas simultaneously.
>Using the net to share discoveries and experiences will surely lead to
>improvements everywhere.
>
>For discussions on this list, I suggest the term "BeamBlock" for the
>modular blocks, which doesn't imply compatibility with the Lego system
>(doesn't exclude it, either). Off the list is another story ... check
>for trademark violations whatever name you choose.
>
>Bruce
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