Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #09349



To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: "stuart alp" kidney90@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2000 19:34:09 MST
Subject: [alt-beam] plans



I am new on the BEAM mailing list and am looking for plans to make my own
sloarpowered insects ,do you have any that you could please send to me
from Stuart alp
______________________________________________________



9350 Tue, 18 Jan 2000 20:40:15 -0600 [alt-beam] Re: Pertaining to the Hextile things. You should really make them beam@sgiblab.sgi.com Richard Piotter I make my own boards, and all I need is two power rails on either side
of the chips, and I have the out form one chip lead to the proper in on
the next. I also redesigned the board to accept through hole or SMT cap,
so a .22uF cap could be mounted to the board. The Nv/Nu deal being
configured by the board also prevents you from putting the wrongly
configured neuron in a socket (yeah, you'd just switch the resistor and
cap, but if it's standardized, it's simpler to work with).

below, where i talk about cutting the DIP out, I'm refering to cutting
the hextile's outer PCB, leaving only the core, and soldering headers to
it, thus CONVERTING it into a DIP package INSTEAD of a hextile. Look at
the latest gif file I sent to the list. look at the hextile itself. If
you must, open it with a graphics program and zoom in on it. you'll see
that there are dotted lines that indicate where to cut the hextile to
convert it into a DIP chip.

I'd only use sockets myself, so DIP removal and reuse would be simple
and easy.

trace cuts are easier to work with. they can be resoldered easy. you
have it configured by default to be an Nv, and by cutting the existing
traces and soldering the pre opened pads. Desoldering such tiny pads is
more dificult than cutting a trace. Believe me, I know!

What exactly are you talking about with headers and cables??? The DIP
core can be incorporated into the core of nearly any PCB hextile. I
personaly am not concerned about the surrounding structure. You can make
the thing how you like, but what reason is there to not include the DIP
core. Make it into a hexagonal or square deal if you like. I'm just in
the market for a small single neuron device that can plug into a DIP
socket. I'm actualy not that interested in the hextile idea as of now,
but I can see myself using the technology now and them for a quick bot,
and I know others want it. That's why I'm trying to find a way both
parties can get what they want.


David Perry wrote:
>
> >Who has a bread board on their final robot anyway? I designed the pinout
> >of that DIP chip so you have the positive power runnnig above the chip
> >and ground below the chip. The ouputs can lead straight to the inputs of
> >the next neuron.
>
> The original intent was experimentation, these aren't designed to make it
> easier to build a NV net on your robot (although the DIP design would be
> very good at that).
>
> >As you can see, you can create a 4 Nv Microcore with NO JUMPERS. I'm not
> >about to draw it in ASCII, but it'd be a simple task to physicaly have
> >the chips oriented at angles to each other, literaly forming a physical
> >loop!
>
> But you couldn't do that with my breadboard...
>
> >On each board, a .22uF capacitor could come soldered on (SMT or through
> >hole, whatever works). The resistor (and optionaly, BOTH the resistor
> >and capacitor) can have small machined sockets so you can switch out
> >various values of resistors. It'd be nice to have a variable resistor,
> >but the way I see it, it can always be added later.
>
> You could use the sockets and instead of having the two inputs you could
> just swap the resistor and cap around.
>
> >For breadboarding, the chips can easily be placed in rows and groups
> >that indicate loops, branches, etc. It can't be that bad! If you have a
> >decent bread board with more than one row for chips, then it's even less
> >of a complaint!
>
> One of the major hassles for the DIP chips will be wiring up the power which
> i really don't want to do, personally i would like some kind of mechanism to
> transfer power and signal from neuron to neuron. Maybe you could have the
> boards and use some kind of 3 core cable that clicks onto some headers, it
> would add to the cost but would be very helpful.
>
> >Plus, the fact that if you need a socketable DIP circuit (which is
> >smaller as well), you merely cut off the portions of the hextile that
> >aren't necessary for the DIP package! So simple!
>
> I wouldn't want to cut it out in case i had to put it back in, i'd much
> rather have it in a DIP socket.
>
> >An "x" is a configuration point. There are configuration points to
> >configure the Hextile for Nv and Nu opperation, and to disable the LED.
> >You cut the point with an x-acto knife or something and this configures it.
>
> I don't like the idea of cutting this and cutting that, i'd rather use
> jumpers or even solder pad that can be linked and then desoldered
>
> Don't get me wrong, i love the design, and if i wasn't developing it i'd buy
> it.
> Perhaps another compromise using headers and optional cables is in order.
>
> David

--


Richard Piotter The Richfiles Robotics & TI web page:
richfile@rconnect.com http://richfiles.calc.org

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9351 Tue, 18 Jan 2000 22:40:05 -0500 [alt-beam] Re: FLEDs in Sunlight alt-beam@egroups.com David Simmons Ben,

Thank you, a very straight answer, my son grasped the concept at first
reading. He still wanted it printed out for "future reference," as with
everything else. He liked Fred, both the picture and the circuit diagram,
and asked me to print out all the info pages you have set up on your web
site.

I was wondering if we could sub 2N3906 and 2N3904 Transistors for the ones
you listed?

Thank you,
Dave and Kyle




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