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Smartest BoeBot

HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
edited 2012-11-28 07:01 in Learn with BlocklyProp
Smartest Boebot
Boebot is an excellent robot platform for doing experiments.
In this tethered experiment, the intelligence of BoeBot is massively
increased. Forty prop chips, providing 320 tiny RISC computers, are
added to BoeBot along with the BASIC Stamp Board of Education
using twenty Propeller Proto Boards in a high rising skyscraper
stack. Available ports now exceed 1,280 and computational speed
tops out above a blazing 6,400 MIPS. The balance point is shifted
slightly towards the front of BoeBot to increase stability during motion.
Motions are typically slowed to stabilize the platform during travel
as Smartest BoeBot carries around his big new brain.

attachment.php?attachmentid=71797attachment.php?attachmentid=71798

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humanoido
*Stamp SEED Supercomputer *Basic Stamp Supercomputer *TriCore Stamp Supercomputer
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*BASIC Stamp Supercomputing Book *Three Dimensional Computer *StampOne News!
*Penguin Tech *Penguin Robot Society *Humanoid Toddler Robot
*Ultimate List Prop Languages *Prop-a-Lot *Propalot Stuff *Prop SC Computer
*Prop Super Mini Computing Machine *Hobby Space Program *Smartest BoeBot at
http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=6&m=469004


Post Edited (humanoido) : 7/14/2010 10:11:24 AM GMT
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Comments

  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2010-07-14 23:25
    humanoido, that is one crazy experiment.
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2010-07-15 16:11
    Watch out! That Boe Bot may soon be self aware.

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    Whit+


    "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
  • dandreaedandreae Posts: 1,375
    edited 2010-07-15 16:59
    This is truly the·most intense Boe-Bot that I have ever seen.

    Dave

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    Dave Andreae

    Parallax Tech Support·
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-07-19 11:05
    Questions from here: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=923757
    legoman132 said...
    Looks REALLY top-heavy. Did that Boe-bot chassis move without flopping over? or did the poor servos even move? How many milliamps (amps?) at how many volts does this use? I think we could replace one of the avionics computers in a large aircraft with this (or not, unless someone is willing to be liable for any code glitches that might come wink.gif ).

    And I thought one prop was fast. 6.4BIPS/4000 IPS (approximate instructions per second of a BS2)=1,600,000. That means it would take 1,600,000 BS2s to get the equivalent processing speed of this thing! Impressive work!
    It moves along just fine. If you have seen the space shuttle being moved with a special transport to the gantry, it sort of resembles the Smartest BoeBot. It looks top heavy, as does the Space Shuttle, however it's well balanced, and it moves along slow and perfectly fine on a smooth level surface. From what I can see, the servos work just fine at the slower speed (move slow, start slow, stop slow, and use ramping). A bonus is the added traction to the rubber wheels. I use the standard battery pack and for extended life, use the optional add on battery. For the brain, of course a tether must be used to supply power from an external source. Here the power depends on the clock mode selected.

    Thanks for the calculations. 1,600,000 BS2s are required to get the same processing speed - wow! I wonder what that would cost? [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    There's two Props per board and 20 boards. With two BS2s per board, it would take 800,000 boards. If you stacked 20 boards to a vertical column, then 40,000 columns would be needed. However, a symmetrical cube could be formed using a whole number of 92 boards per side. There would be some left over boards outside of the cube, about 21,312 boards.

    humanoido

    Post Edited (humanoido) : 7/19/2010 11:39:39 AM GMT
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2010-07-21 16:20
    Dang it. I only have 1,500,000 BS2s left, so I can't even hope to rival this tower o'processing power!

    With it's high CG, it looks to be a good candidate for a balancing (Segway-type) robot. What wonderful plans do you have for this smartest of BoeBots?

    And per Whit (& Arnold), where will you run and hide when it does become self-a-way-uh?

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    ·"If you build it, they will come."
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-07-22 16:10
    erco said...
    Dang it. I only have 1,500,000 BS2s left, so I can't even hope to rival this tower o'processing power! With it's high CG, it looks to be a good candidate for a balancing (Segway-type) robot. What wonderful plans do you have for this smartest of BoeBots? And per Whit (& Arnold), where will you run and hide when it does become self-a-way-uh?
    Erco, don't give up now when you are so close... you're only 100,000 BS2's short of total. A few swift deals off ebay and you're good to go.

    Sure it could be turned into a Segway project but just look at it - for an easier project, turn it sideways and it becomes a train boxcar - add a couple wheels and tow the brain behind the Boe-Bot. But somehow towing your own brain outside of your body isn't as much fun as having it surgically implanted. What do you think???

    It has 321 processors in parallel and 1,296 controller ports.. what do you want it to do? It's your call. I was thinking of having it do some brain activities that are smart.

    humanoido
  • USMCinfinityUSMCinfinity Posts: 150
    edited 2010-07-30 06:14
    I just have one word....wtf..
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-07-31 15:42
    USMCinfinity:

    You just bought your first BoeBot and probably just finished assembly and you're beginning to explore the software coding examples in the book. Erco is a seasoned robotics and BoeBot expert (but very modest) who has built some of the most amazing projects ever conceived, and is published in many technical magazines and journals. He is also an educator and teaches many people many new things about robotics. So when it comes to BASIC Stamps and Propellers, comparing Apples and Oranges can bring about some interesting facts and figures, even gargantuan numbers, which can be not only humorous but good learning examples.

    Erco:

    I was thinking about your comment a few days ago when I walked into the Shanghai EXPO indoor area and someone was riding a SEGWAY robot. He went straight past, a few feet away, then drove directly into the distant elevator (which looked a bit out of place and strange, lucky no one was inside at the time) and the door closed. It was my first look at Segway in person! There was a huge robot presence at the EXPO so it should not be unexpected. More on this later.

    Whit:

    Very good point - AI self awareness is a topic that comes up frequently as you can see we are constantly moving closer to achieving this. It's not that far away. But it does appear that the machine brain will think differently than the human brain to achieve the same goals. I think great minds can appreciate the self aware concept and welcome it. We are still approaching the full utilization of parallel computing techniques with multi processor chips and multi chip boards, though progress is being made even at the hobby level.

    Humanoido

    Post Edited (Humanoido) : 7/31/2010 3:56:21 PM GMT
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2010-08-01 19:11
    Humanoido,

    I often lay awake at night trying to think of some practical use for so many Props.· What kind of task could multiple Props solve by working together.· I've often wished for a rendering farm for computer animation but this isn't an application appropriate for Props (at least not in the normal sense).

    I've tried to think of ways multiple Props could be used for machine vision.· I've wondered if there is a·display technology that would benefit from this hardware.· I have yet to come up with anything.

    In my opinion, your robot needs software.
    Humanoido said...
    I was thinking of having it do some brain activities that are smart.
    Yes, I want to see it do something smart.· I·think it·should also do something mobile since it's a robot.· I'd like to see it·deal with real time information/challenges.· Have you (or anyone else) come up with a practical (or entertaining) application for this robot or other many Propeller robot.· I'm still stumped.

    Duane

    Edit: I just noticed this is in the Stamps In Class forum.· Shouldn't this be in the Propeller forum?
    2nd Edit: I see this is a branch of a thread in the Propeller forum.· I've copied my coments and questions there.


    Post Edited (Duane Degn) : 8/1/2010 11:54:37 PM GMT
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-08-03 07:51
    Duane said...
    Edit: I just noticed this is in the Stamps In Class forum. Shouldn't this be in the Propeller forum?
    Duane, actually I think it will go in the completed projects forum but I wanted to release some software first. The BoeBot uses the Board of Education and my thinking was about interfacing to it, and I noticed the BoeBot is a popular classroom robot, so this is why the Stamps In Class Forum was the focal point (lots of BoeBot stuff is posted here too).

    Humanoido

    Post Edited (Humanoido) : 8/3/2010 8:20:48 AM GMT
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-08-03 16:37
    Duane Degn said...
    Humanoido, I often lay awake at night trying to think of some practical use for so many Props. What kind of task could multiple Props solve by working together. I've often wished for a rendering farm for computer animation but this isn't an application appropriate for Props (at least not in the normal sense). I've tried to think of ways multiple Props could be used for machine vision. I've wondered if there is a display technology that would benefit from this hardware. I have yet to come up with anything. In my opinion, your robot needs software.
    When I mentioned being smart, I was thinking of some brain functions. As you have already surmised, these functions may include vision. I would like to see apps set up like objects in the OBEX where they can be added to a specific architecture. Vision, motion, awareness, self preservation, purpose, are a few areas to work on. I also think this machine is ideally suited for sensors and it can handle lots of sensors. Duane, does this give you some ideas? [noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Humanoido
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-08-03 18:08
    Duane: this tester machine may help develop some parallel algorithms and lead to some ideas for various parallel computing apps. What do you think?

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=927796

    humanoido
  • Justin13Justin13 Posts: 6
    edited 2012-11-28 07:01
    Wow that is cool what did you user to connect the boards.
    I want to do the same thing so wanted to know what screws and stand offs you used ?

    PS Big Ups for pushing the limits I am just gonna try stack 3 of the Arduino boards
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256

    Bumping this wonderful post from the good old days. I miss Humanoido and his penchant for a plurality of Parallax processors!

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