Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #10484



To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: "D. Michael McIntyre" mmcintyr@swva.net
Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2000 19:17:35 -0500
Subject: [alt-beam] Where's the FAQ?


Most of the links in the introductory message are broken.

I want to read the FAQs before I annoy everyone with a bunch of stupid
questions.

By way of introduction, I know extremely little about electronics
(most of what I learned has been from playing with one of those Radio
Shack 300-in-one project kits), but I read the article in this month's
Smithsonian and I'm utterly fascinated by the whole concept.

Anyway, point me at the FAQs and I'll hold off on the stupid questions
until after I've read them.
---
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?



10485 Sat, 19 Feb 2000 19:06:59 -0600 [alt-beam] Re: reconfigurable Robots: Severing the master/slave bicore connection. beam@sgiblab.sgi.com Brad Guillot

jester96beam@iname.com wrote:

I don't think BEAM has really evolved that much recently. Everyone
seems to be building the same robots and most are 2 motor walkers (or
rollers), of which we really can't expect too much other than for "proof
of concept".

I dissagree, bicore robots resemble muscles in the bodies of animals,
they work in opposing pairs. This is a extrodonary evelouton for robots,
after all, it took nature a few million years:)

jester96beam@iname.com wrote:
>
> What about Mark T's Spyder? I've never seen it move, but I'm sure it would be able to navigate quite complex terrain. I think the problem is that we're making the bots too small to be able to find their way through anything more than a smooth surface, and also most people are making 2 or 3 motor designs which really don't display much of the behavior that more complex walkers do.
>
> That Spyder looks as though it would be able to get around most environments in the average house hold, and maybe even the front yard.
>
> I could be wrong - I've only read about the Spyder and seen a few pics. 5 motor designs are also much more capable than simple 2 motor walkers.
>
> Richard what ever happened with your 8 motor walker?
>
> Now photovores and rollers are a diferent story, but they're only designed for smooth table tops etc. The only "survival" they show is that they find there own food in an environment built specifically for them. We may as well sit them beneith a 1000 watt bulb in a 1 x 1 foot RJP!
>
> I don't think BEAM has really evolved that much recently. Everyone seems to be building the same robots and most are 2 motor walkers (or rollers), of which we really can't expect too much other than for "proof of concept".
>
> This is all just my oppinion - please don't flame me TOO bad (Though I'm interested in any arguments, because I hope I'm wrong about the evolution part)
>
> Chris
>
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10486 Sat, 19 Feb 2000 08:51:43 -0500 Re: FYI: ANN: fire-fighting robot contest at Penn State (3-25)
> Is there an official website with the rules and regs that you could post
for
> us to look at. This sounds like it could be interesting!
> Dan
>
> << I'm only an hour or so away from that competition. I'm seriously
thinking
> of
> creating a BEAM and CPU TEAM of robots to conquer the course. I read in
the
> info page that a team of robots is allowed this year. So I was thinking,
> why not use 4 smaller bots to jet off really fast to the 4 rooms in the
> course. The only function they would have is to find the candle, emit an
RF
> beacon, that triggers the bigger CPU bot to respond and put out the fire.
>
> >>
>

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