Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #10478



To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: "D. Michael McIntyre" mmcintyr@swva.net
Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2000 16:30:11 -0500
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Cutting Perf Board


> To try something new and perhaps even find a building method I =
prefer to=20
>free-forming, I've built the usual photopopper photovore on a Perf =
board. I=20
>knew I'd need to cut it so I bought a X-acto Razor Saw. Guess what- that=
=20
>razor saw doesn't work so well. Not well at all. I had no idea perf =
board was=20
>so hard to cut.=20

I'm just getting into this whole BEAM thing, but I used to make little
electronic doodads for my model trains all the time.

I used to just cut the perf board with tin snips. Not always the
neatest job in the world, but it works.

Depending on the shape you want, you can make your razor saw work more
efficiently by getting a model-sized miter box. It keeps the blade in
line and lets you cut more efficiently. Of course that all depends on
how big the sheet of perf board is before you cut it, since the miter
box is only like 2.5" wide.

You could rough it out with tin snips, then get nice, neat edges with
the razor saw and miter box. Just saw in enough to make a kerf and
snap it off. Don't kill yourself for nothing, as it snaps off pretty
cleanly.
---
D. Michael McIntyre | mmcintyr@swva.net | USDA zone 6a in sw VA
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/index.html

Have you hugged a tree today?



10479 Fri, 18 Feb 2000 16:35:56 -0800 [alt-beam] Re: BEAM: Tendency toward miniaturization "Dennison Bertram"
> > I built a two motor one, which did work, but it
> > was aggrivating as hell.
> That is the nature of the two motor. Perhaps if you built that upscaled
> walker on a 5 or more motor platform, you would get better results.

Note exactly, there are quite a few highly adpet two motor walkers. While
most may be aggrivating there still are a few that can be considered in the
relm of serious bots. You would actually be surprised but 5 motor walkers
are far more aggrivating to build than two motor walkers. Why do you think
you don't see many? Even Mark T must have several times as many two motor
walkers than five and four. While indeed they are nice, they are
complicated. In addition they are expensive.

>>>
I don't think so, not yet anyway. We can make them LOOK like insects and we
have pretty much mastered getting them to find a light source, but that's
about it.
If you build an environment
specifically suited to the bot, with no cracks and minimal obstacles, you
can
get some semblance of "survival".
>>>

Well, perhaps that is true with our RJP's. But you could build a two motor
walker that could take care of iteslf pretty nicely out in the desert, or
the snow. Do you disagree with that? I'm not saying we are Exactly on the
level with insects, but indeed we can start to emulate them reasonably well.
Sure there are things out of our reach, smell, vision, etc... But for basic
insects we can start to get neat things going on. There are a variety of
insects out there as well, some being more capable than others, (IE Ants)
But if surviving is what is important, that's all you need to do.

>>>
it's simply
a system that keeps the bot moving.
>>>

Ah! But what is living really? I'd say alot of living has to do with a
system to keep the entity moving.

A rider will be needed to break
BEAM past the stage of singular sensing

No dissagreemnt here. Rememeber Mark T talks about the concept of Smart
bodies. He doesn't discredit the need for Microprocessors, but having been a
vetern AI programmer for years, recognizes the need for autonomous frames.

dennison

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