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beam_robotics [2009-01-09 11:14] – davegriffiths | beam_robotics [2009-01-12 10:26] – davegriffiths | ||
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- | ===Biology, Electronics, | + | ======Biology, Electronics, |
See also [[Robot Building]], [[Robot Design]] and [[Category Robotics]]. | See also [[Robot Building]], [[Robot Design]] and [[Category Robotics]]. | ||
- | A design philosophy for robotics, where analogue electronics and reactive sensor control is preferred over digital electronics | + | A design philosophy for robotics, where analogue electronics and reactive sensor control is preferred over digital electronics, microcontrollers or the use of planning AI. BEAM is the invention of robotics physicist [[http:// |
- | ===Freeforming, | + | =====Freeforming, |
A key element of BEAM is the use of ' | A key element of BEAM is the use of ' | ||
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These design restrictions result in some beautifully simple and effective machines. | These design restrictions result in some beautifully simple and effective machines. | ||
- | ===BEAM Nervous Networks=== | + | =====BEAM Nervous Networks===== |
The control mechanism of a BEAM robot is a set of analogue circuits which are broadly biologically inspired, and can be connected together to provide fixed control signals (for tasks such as moving a multi-legged walker) or have sensors integrated into them to provide a link to the outside world. There is a distinctive language developed for the construction of these circuits, which I'll attempt to explain a bit of below. | The control mechanism of a BEAM robot is a set of analogue circuits which are broadly biologically inspired, and can be connected together to provide fixed control signals (for tasks such as moving a multi-legged walker) or have sensors integrated into them to provide a link to the outside world. There is a distinctive language developed for the construction of these circuits, which I'll attempt to explain a bit of below. | ||
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By playing with the values of the components, different oscillation patterns can be made. | By playing with the values of the components, different oscillation patterns can be made. | ||
- | ===Solar Engines=== | + | =====Solar Engines===== |
+ | |||
+ | The power coming from a solar cell is pretty tiny. In order to do anything much, especially drive a motor, you need to employ some method for increasing the current from the solar panel. The commonest method in BEAM robotics is to store the energy in a capacitor and use it in bursts. This circuit is called a solar engine. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====FLED Solar Engine==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | The LED is a flashing type, and is used for detecting when the voltage across the capacitor reaches around 2v - then it turns on and trips the transistor into dumping all the power to the motor. The bigger the capacitor, the more charge it will store. This method is known as a FLED Solar engine. | ||
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+ | < | ||
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+ | ====1381 Solar Engine==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | A more efficient method is to use a voltage regulator, such as the 1381 - unfortunately they are difficult to get hold of, and I couldn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====Timed Solar Engine==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Another method is to just have a timer waiting a set time for the capacitor to charge. This can be useful if that fits the application better, but it's less efficient than the methods above, as you need some power to run the timer. I tried this with a 555 IC, but the power coming from the solar cell was insufficient to run the timing chip. It might be possible with a 7555 - the low power cmos version of the 555 timer. | ||
===BEAM types=== | ===BEAM types=== | ||
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===Links=== | ===Links=== | ||
- | Mark Tilden' | + | * Mark Tilden' |
- | Some more example robots: [[http:// | + | |
- | For more detail, go to the BEAM wiki: [[http:// | + | |
- | Solarbotics is the BEAM community server: [[http:// | + | |
- | The BEAM web ring: [[http:// | + | |