09-13-2010, 06:37 PM INFORMATION TRANSFER The next section of brain material will focus on the transfer of information. I think wiring from cog to cog is an ideal way to communicate in a special brain lobe. The experiments with this approach are fantastic fast. This has become an incorporated feature of UltraSpark 40. The next step is to decode the 32 x 40 wiring potential with part allotment going to peripheral I/O and the other part going to communications.
09-17-2010, 01:05 PM WORK BEGINS Work has begun on the actual big brain. (wood, chewing gum, paper clips, cardboard, liquid solder and white elmers glue) As I said before, get your brain work submitted soon - so your name can be included with the roster on the upper inverted neural underside rotated etching of the frontal upper occipital lobe. It now seems we have a way of thinking with the big brain that is faster than the original specs of the Propeller chip. Internal pure thought should be the fastest, above any I/O. The prop chip now has faster internals methodology and faster I/O's. This is just the beginning.
10-14-2010, 01:14 PM AM ALGORITHM MACHINE One important aspect of a brain is the ability to move information and thoughts. It takes much more than an artificial neuron and a synapse. Not much can be accomplished without the techniques and algorithms to transport and understand information and thought. So I put together the AM Algorithm Machine for developing algorithms leading to this project of filling a brain. The AM is rather small so the WIDE BUS was introduced. The brain is a really big project requiring a lot of resources. Obviously we will deal with some kind of machine approximation.
10-15-2010, 06:51 AM SMALLER BRAIN Actually a smaller brain is possible, modeled after the bigger brain. This can fit the budget and resources of the hobbyist. But the question remains about filling it. I think we want a robot brain that can go above and beyond the basics. The basics include vision, obstacle avoidance, beeping, moving in some patterns, determining location and orientation, sumo, maze solving, wandering, not falling off a ledge, ranging, mapping, accepting input from sensors, recharge batteries when necessary, and other fundamental age proven activities. Therefore the purpose of a brain beyond the basics would include thinking, reasoning, and the ability to resolve problems and accept new challenges.
10-21-2010, 10:12 AM MULTI BRAIN CONCEPT Today I'm working on a new robot brain concept. The overall brain concept up to this point is macro in nature. However, why not induce more than one brain? More than one brain, or a multi-brain could be more useful. Humans have duplicate hands, feet, legs, ears, arms, cheeks, and eyes. Why did evolution stop there? Why don't we have a duplicate brain. It could help Alzheimer's or other brain challenged patients and certainly help solving problems with double brain power.
10-21-2010, 10:16 AM SECOND BRAIN The 2nd brain could be housed inside the 1st. Though I expect the ability to connect and disconnect brains on the outside would be a useful feature in times of service, debugging or expanding with more brains. Maybe if brains are made inexpensively, they could be discarded and recycled. With multiple brains come dedicated brains. Brains could be located anywhere inside the robot. How about off-the-shelf brains. Companies could compete to see who can make the best brain.
11-19-2010, 10:06 AM INTERFACE The next idea in the massive brain is the interface. This is open source and allows the connection of hybrid processors. Hybrid processors establish compatibility from module to module. So a big brain can be filled with interconnected hybrid processors. An example of this is currently designed and in the building process.
11-19-2010, 10:15 AM BRAIN STEM ALMOST COMPLETE The big brain should also have a compatible Brain Stem. The Brain Stem should route specific information via the nerve center to the mobility center. A working Brain Stem Module BSM is in the works and almost completed. It include a quasi-duplex interface including half and full depending on location and direction. All information to and from the robot will pass through the BSM. The project is going very well.
Interactive Atlas of the Brain Stem - Swenson
11-19-2010, 10:06 AM INTERFACE The next idea in the massive brain is the interface. This is open source and allows the connection of hybrid processors. Hybrid processors establish compatibility from module to module. So a big brain can be filled with interconnected hybrid processors. An example of this is currently designed and in the building process.
11-19-2010, 10:15 AM BRAIN STEM ALMOST COMPLETE The big brain should also have a compatible Brain Stem. The Brain Stem should route specific information via the nerve center to the mobility center. A working Brain Stem Module BSM is in the works and almost completed. It include a quasi-duplex interface including half and full depending on location and direction. All information to and from the robot will pass through the BSM. The project is going very well.
Interactive Atlas of the Brain Stem - Swenson
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~rswenson/A...tem/index.html
11-20-2010, 10:18 PM HYBRID BRAIN PROCESSOR The first Hybrid Brain Processor is now working. I'm taking some photos of it and tomorrow will work more on the hybrid software. Currently it uses two languages. This HBP is essentially the first successful prototype brain stem.
12-21-2010, 08:52 AM BRAIN STEM See the 12-21-2010 entry here to the Robotic Brain Stem that was recently completed and upgraded. The Brain Stem handles the nerve sending ability for robotic motor and various motion control functions. It uses a protected interface that communicates between the 5-volt level of the BASIC Stamp and the 3.3-volt level of the Propeller chip. A serial software interface joins processors and enables inter-board communications. This is the next step in filling the big brain.
12-21-2010, 09:04 AM BRAIN BASE Adding the Brain Base to the Big Brain. Another step has recently unfolded in the quest to build and fill the Big Brain. Now completed is the first hardware Brain Base. This part of the brain has two Propeller boards interfaced in common.
11-20-2010, 10:18 PM HYBRID BRAIN PROCESSOR The first Hybrid Brain Processor is now working. I'm taking some photos of it and tomorrow will work more on the hybrid software. Currently it uses two languages. This HBP is essentially the first successful prototype brain stem.
12-21-2010, 08:52 AM BRAIN STEM See the 12-21-2010 entry here to the Robotic Brain Stem that was recently completed and upgraded. The Brain Stem handles the nerve sending ability for robotic motor and various motion control functions. It uses a protected interface that communicates between the 5-volt level of the BASIC Stamp and the 3.3-volt level of the Propeller chip. A serial software interface joins processors and enables inter-board communications. This is the next step in filling the big brain.