Troubleshooting Phase

12-31-2010, 07:36 PM Code 5-88 Troubleshooting Phase

This will be a checklist for troubleshooting the three boards.

Class I - LED is Dead

( ) Check the pin socket

( ) Check solder joint on back side

Class II - LED is Shorted On but Still Blinks with Code

( ) Check for short on front side printed circuit board ( ) Board number

( ) Check for short on back side trace ( ) Board number

( ) Check for short on front side printed circuit board ( ) Board number

( ) Check for short on back side trace ( ) Board number

Testing Phase

12-31-2010, 07:30 PM CODE 5-87 TESTING PHASE
Completed the testing phase of all boards. Have 17 boards that work perfect. One board has an LED that won't light and two boards have the LED lit all the time but the code still blinks it brighter and dimmer. The next work phase is to troubleshoot three boards.

Decoupling Capacitor

12-31-2010, 07:29 PM Code 5-86 DECOUPLING CAPACITOR
The board assembly was completed a short time ago by installing all of the decoupling capacitors. These are 10nF inserted into pin sockets across from pin 24 socket at Vss and Vdd.

Test Software Brain Blob Test

12-31-2010, 01:52 PM Code 5-85 Test Software - Brain Blob Test
The code pasted below can be used to test the LED data light mod. This code may appear elsewhere as BRAIN BLOB TEST.zip.

{{

The Brain Blob by Humanoido
brainblobtest.spin
LED Mod Test on the Brain Blob Project
Blinks LED on pin 24 using the Parallax Propeller Proto Board
(Use pin 23 for demo board testing of this software)
Friday December 31, 2010

}}

CON
  _clkmode      = xtal1 + pll16x ' 80MHz clock
  _xinfreq      = 5_000_000      ' 5MHz crystal
 LED            = 24             ' LED mod is on pin 24 Proto Board
' LED = 23                       ' pin 23 demo board
 delay          = 40_000_000     ' Approx 1 second on and off

PUB Main
  dira[LED] := 1          ' Set LED pin as output
'  dira[22]  := 1         ' correct ghost led on demo board
'  outa[22] := 0          ' correct ghost led on demo board
  outa[LED] := 1          ' Initialize pin on
  repeat                  ' Loop below
    blink                 ' Do Private Method to blink LED
  
PRI Blink                 ' Private Method to blink LED
  !outa[LED]              ' Toggle state LED
  waitCnt(delay+cnt)      ' Delay

Brain Blob Mods Complete

12-31-2010, 01:43 PM Code 5-84 BRAIN BLOB MODS COMPLETE

These boards have their mods completed. Work now enters the testing phase to test each of the mods on twenty boards. This equals 40 tests and any troubleshooting that may be required.

Brain Blob Dangerous Growth

12-31-2010, 01:35 PM Code 5-83  PM Brain Blob (Dangerous Growth Spurt?)
Checkout these latest pics of the Brain Blob
I knew it would happen. As the New Year's Holiday began, and with steady work on the project, I noticed something different about the Brain Blob. Once again, it had grown larger, now consuming the greatest portion of the Parallax laboratory project table. I was surprised, as you can see in the photo, the larger span of this entity seems out of control as the boards are coming together and multiplying in some odd linear X and blobular Y directional way.


The latest Brain Blob growth is shocking. When will it stop? The Blob on the radio program - WLS Chicago, continued to grow until it consumed the Earth and everyone on it.


Stay tuned to this channel thread and see what happens with the Brain Blob. No responsibility is claimed for this project and we disavow any knowledge of its existence at this time.

Project After LED Mods

12-31-2010, 07:10 AM CODE 5-82 PROJECT AFTER LED MODS

I'm lining up the next project that will follow the LED modification installs. The decoupling capacitor will be installed into all boards and then tested. The question is, what is the best code to test the propeller functionality with and without a decoupling capacitor??? My guess is the acid test is hooking up a scope to see the signal conformity. Since I travel, a large scope is not possible. It looks like the small Prop Scope could fill this requirement. Anyone have experience with this and recommendations?

Data Light & Testing

12-31-2010, 07:02 AM Code 5-81 Data Light & Testing
Over the holiday the data light will be installed in as many boards as possible. Later, testing will be a separate project.

Is there any simple way to determine the wire gauge that fits into this tiny hole by the power slide switch (near the LED) in the Parallax Propeller Proto Board? (see photo in previous posts, with the yellow insulated wire)

Power Regulator Modification

12-31-2010, 04:45 AM Code 4-80 Power Regulator Modification
This modification to the LM1086 CS-3.3 is now completed on all 20 Parallax Propeller Proto Boards.
 

The mod involves desoldering the voltage regulator's middle leg to disable all circuits behind the device.

Power is fed to all boards from an external power source. This reduces power consumption by disabling the power LED and two regulators.

This disables the power LED, however, the small modification described in the previous posts enables it to be recycled and function as a data light.

LED Test Software

12-31-2010, 04:34 AM Code 4-79 LED TEST SOFTWARE
Here's some code used to test the LED modification on the Parallax Propeller Proto Board. The modification is described in several posts. It also runs on the Parallax Demo Board by changing the pin from 24 to 23. This is the reason for the LED ghost correction.

{{

The Brain Blob
LED Mod Test on the Brain Blob Project
Blinks LED on pin 24 using the Parallax Propeller Proto Board
Use pin 23 for demo board
by Humanoido
Friday December 31, 2010

}}

CON
  _clkmode      = xtal1 + pll16x ' 80MHz clock
  _xinfreq      = 5_000_000      ' 5MHz crystal
 LED            = 24             ' LED mod is on pin 24 Proto Board, pin 23 demo board
 delay          = 40_000_000     ' Approx 1 second on and off

PUB Main
  dira[LED] := 1          ' Set LED pin as output
  dira[22]  := 1          ' correct ghost led on demo board
  outa[22] := 0           ' correct ghost led
  outa[LED] := 1          ' Initialize pin on
  repeat                  ' Loop below
    blink                 ' Do Private Method to blink LED
  
PRI Blink                 ' Private Method to blink LED
  !outa[LED]              ' Toggle state LED
  waitCnt(delay+cnt)      ' Delay

More about the LED Mod

12-31-2010, 04:17 AM Code 4-78 More about the LED Mod

Work begin on the LED mod. The photos show a yellow wire lead to pin 24 for tests. This re-enables use of the Parallax Propeller Proto Board's power LED and re-purposes it as a data light.
 

Power is fed to the VSS and Vdd junctions from the pin connector

The procedure requires scratching off the board resin before soldering from the back side. Wire wrap was not necessary.

Hardware Development

12-29-2010, 06:35 PM Code 4-70 Hardware Development
Hand sketched a circuit to lock in a method for a hybrid design today. This can one wire single duplex communicate at high speed or accomplish two wire full duplex at high speed. There's communication in a single cog with programming space left over for both methods and it can hardware adjust for speed as well. I look forward to trying out the designs and testing and reporting back here.

Software Overview

12-29-2010, 06:31 PM Code 4-69 Software Overview
It's talking (the brain) but now another co-software is being developed to up the complexity so the brain can load its own software (self loading) and do self modifying programming. Self loading makes it easier to stick code into 20 or more boards and self modifying program is good for recycling code space as RAM is somewhat of a premium at this point. It's a balancing act with the Propeller cogs. More on this after testing.

Brain Blob Preliminary Specs

12-27-2010, 02:40 PM Code 3-55 Brain Blob Preliminary Specs

Preliminary Specs
21 boards
1 Basic Stamp 2 Module
20 Propeller Chips
20 Parallax Proto Boards
21 EEPROMs
...20x64K+1x2K=130,000 KBYTES
... approx 127MB
1 Board of Education
161 Cores with 80MHz Clock
160 cores at 20 MIPS = 3,200 MIPS
Expands to 1000x
320 Counters
US Serial Communication
Breadboards
External Power Source
1-Data Light per Board
Hybrid 1-Wire Half Duplex and
2-Wire Interface Full Duplex
BUS Design

Brain Blobatory Breadboard Retrofit

12-27-2010, 02:03 PM Code 3-50 BRAIN BLOBATORY BREADBOARD RETROFIT

Parallax Propeller Proto Boards are fitted with tiny solderless breadboards. This enables wiring and rewiring, testing and various evolutionary changes in the circuit design, inclusive of necessary brain rewiring as brain evolution takes place.

Attach breadboards (available from Parallax) by peeling back the paper covering the sticky tape surface. To keep Proto Boards reusable without breadboards, afix some rolled tape instead as it's easily removed.

Design: every Proto Board will have one small solderless breadboard for testing, wiring and rewiring. Breadboards are best for designs that undergo an evolutionary process throughout their life span.

Brain Span Construction

12-27-2010, 01:25 PM Code 3-49 BRAIN SPAN CONSTRUCTION

The Brain Span includes the first three PPPB boards located above the Brain Base which is located above the Brain Stem. The top most board of the Brain Span is board number seven. The Brain Span brings the Brain Blob up to a total of seven boards with 49 computing cores. 

Seen here, the Brain Span with three PPPBs is under construction. Note the added tiny solderless breadboards for board to board wiring.

Jumper Leads

Jumper Leads for Brain building

12-27-2010, 12:56 PM Code 3-48 Jumper Leads
Make a set of jumper leads for testing and constructing various Big Brain boards. These jumper leads were created for injecting power to the PPPB boards for testing and programming. A piece of threaded black heat shrink tubing can be positioned when setting the leads. Red and black leads came from a package of alligator cables with assorted colors. Cut off the clips on the opposite and and tin the wires so the cable becomes solderless breadboard plug in compatible.

Brain Definitions as Applied to the Brain Blob

12-27-2010, 12:50 PM  Brain Definitions as Applied to the Brain Blob
The list of Brain components, sections, corners and
crevices will be categorized, labeled, named &
renamed as this project develops.
Brain Guts - the interior of the brain, operating components, internals, specific wiring, modules, parts, sections, even code can be included

Brain Stem - the section of brain, lowermost nerve center, interfaces motor functions. The Brain Stem includes one Parallax Propeller Proto Board and one BASIC Stamp Board of Education

Brain Base - the bottom part of the brain that connect to the Brain Stem. Includes two Parallax Propeller Proto Boards

Brain Span - the next three Parallax Propeller Proto Boards located above the Brain Base

Brain Guts Data Light

12-27-2010, 12:28 PM  BRAIN GUTS DATA LIGHT
How to Convert the Power LED into a Data LED
(using the Parallax Propeller Proto Board) 

The objective here is to gain a brain data light by rewiring the power light from the disabled power circuit. Unfortunately, it initially did not appear simple as this is a surface mount component along with its supporting resistor and soldering directly to the component ends would prove futile. In fact, even seeing the item or how it was wired looked impossible until a microscope was used. The microscope revealed a whole new world!

Brain Guts data light on the PPPB

Traces appeared from the LED leading to a resistor. The LED took shape. Remarkably the resistor had a tiny number imprinted on it - a remarkable feat. The span of the microscope image revealed a way to connect wires. As seen in the image, while Vss can be picked off the array of multiple holes, the resistor leads to a tiny hole near the power switch by the number two. Simply scrape off the board coating at this point and solder a wirewrap wire, as a standard Parallax jumper connector breadboard wire is too thick for use. Solder this thin wire to a connection point, then adjoin a full size jumper wire and lead it to the solderless breadboard which in turn connects to the appropriate Propeller chip pin.

A microscope image shows the LED & resistor combination on a Propeller Proto Board. Note holes near number 2 and Vss. Route 2 to the appropriate Propeller pin to gain a Data LED converted from the original power LED circuit. Pick off Vss and the circuit is complete. Recycling the power LED and resistor pair enables display of various brain computational data and activity using the board's existing components.

Soldering Brain Pins

12-25-2010, 10:51 AM  Soldering Brain Pins
 

PPPB with socket array added

More Assembly Details: Today was the day for putting hot melted solder on pin sockets. For starters, the brain boards each have one pin socket array, dual socket rows, for a total of 20 wire receptacles. Now completed are 25 arrays and 250 solder joints. The socket array has pin estate for clock propagation, parallel loading, serial Rx and Tx, and 8-bit parallel. 


Brain Pin In Connector Array
Vdd
Vss
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

Proto Board Brain Surgery Technique

12-25-2010, 08:42 AM  PROTO BOARD BRAIN SURGERY TECHNIQUE TO REDUCE POWER CONSUMPTION

Propeller Proto Board

mod to enable a low

power mode

You can easily modify your Parallax Propeller Proto Board to reduce its power draw for longer lasting robotics performance using batteries. The goal is to reduce the power of twenty boards so they can run portable, a single board or series of boards set on your robot platform or a Parallax Boe-Bot for example.
 

The technique works just as well with one board. In the Brain Blob, there are over 20 boards. To eliminate the use of a tether, Parallax Proto Boards will be modified for power consumption reduction, bringing it to within battery operation range.

The goal is to power the Parallax Proto Board with slightly less power by NOT including the 5-volt and 3.3-volt regulators. An external power supply with 3.3 volts would be used. The objective, feed in the 3.3 volts without it feeding back into the on-board regulators, connect 3.3 volts and ground on the board.

To minimize power on the Parallax Proto Board, I have disabled all the circuitry from the 3.3 volt regulator (inclusive) going backwards to the switch and input. This disables the power LED and the draw from both regulators. Power is fed in externally with a regulated lab bench supply. FYI, don't try to remove either of the power regulators from the Proto Board. They appear to be epoxied on. Trying to remove one could break the board. For power feed in, I soldered a standard connector to the boards and added decoupling capacitors. I have it working fine with power reduction.

Parallax Propeller Proto Board PPPB

An update here: With cog 0 running, the board current reduction technique worked as it draws only 4ma. This is what I wanted to achieve. Any guesses as to the current drawn with all eight cogs running? I should add that all these tests are with the 80MHz clock. Clock reduction can reduce power consumption as reported down to around 2mA.

Summary: Just lift up the middle leg of the LM1086CS-3.3 which is pin number 2 as Vout. No need to solder on anything. There's no short circuit possible because the 3.3-volt circuit is now isolated. Plus, the leg can push back down for re-soldering in the future to return the Propeller Proto Board to its original pristine condition. (It won't break off) To see how this works, take a look at the schematic under Regulators.


Test Conclusions: Here are some test conclusions about modifying the Parallax Propeller Proto Board for less current draw. The unmodified board draws 10ma. This includes the powering up of two voltage regulators and one power LED. The modified board draws 4ma. It disables the the power circuit from the 3.3-volt regulator back to the barrel jack power input. The reference is one active cog with a 5MHz crystal. The modification saves 6mA for each board. For 100 boards, unmodified use 1 amp. Modified use 400 milliamps. The savings is .6 amp. The test does not separate out the LED from the regulators as the majority of the current is likely across the LED. This was not a necessary part of the test because a power indicator light would not be used. For 20 modified boards, the power draw is 80mA total. Unmodified is 200mA. Proto Board current draw is critical for battery operated robots and devices.

Note: With the BASIC Stamp SEED Supercomputer, a common source of power was applied to operate at reduced voltage down around a volt. 

Brain Blob Software (Blobber Code)

12-24-2010, 06:00 PM  BRAIN BLOB SOFTWARE (BLOBBER CODE)
I didn't say much about the software but now is a good time. Tomorrow is Christmas day and I plan to have a nice holiday break and napkin out some new code for the Brain Blob. This Blobbing software has a purpose, which currently is to keep the cogs as open as possible. I don't want any stuff taking up cogs that would reduce the number of processors. The cogs will be kept clean and open primarily for the Blobbing code.


Master/Slave Concept
The Master is the exception in cog usage. It's loaded. This approach takes one master and fills it with TV, I/O, mouse, keyboard, Blobber, and addtl. code. The slaves are kept open for the highest processor density.


Serial Communications
is custom with code smaller than Simple Serial (no relation there). No name on this yet, just calling it Blobber software. The push is for the size. Only a few lines of code keep it ultra simple which opens up all the cogs for programming.


Operating System
Will we see an operating system for the Blob? Yes. The system is already developed and will be installed once the maximum hardware density is completed. It will have some very nice surprises.


Languages
Mainly there's two languages used so far, SPIN and PBASIC. PBASIC is embedded in the Brain Stem for motor mobility functions and compatibility while SPIN is for higher level thinking. The BB is open to PASM for enhancements.


Self Learning Algorithm
I would like to begin development of a not too complex self learning code, but isn't this what we all want and are waiting for?

The Next Brain Blob Addition

12-24-2010, 05:44 PM  THE NEXT BRAIN BLOB ADDITION
Update: I have now modified six more Propeller Proto Boards to add 48 more cores to the Brain Blob. I only need to add the interfacing and the solderless breadboards. This will bring up the 33 cores to 81 cores/computers. Not too shabby for some robotical brain computing. Modifications include the power circuits to reduce power loads and soldering in the pin sockets. It's a lot of soldering work and so I've apportioned it across several days. I now wonder if the power LED can be rewired into a port LED but that's another issue.

12-27-2010, 11:54 AM  I think the big push after the Brain Blob hardware is completed and operational, is software that has a degree of self reasoning power. It doesn't need to be an Einstein but some intelligence greater than a bug would be appreciated. Memory needs to be added, as so far the sum total is reference eeprom at 20 x 32KRAM. Propeller can access PC and the PC has TeraBytes of operating storage. Another new option is to use a server to provide wireless data storage. Web access can provide a knowledge base to work with. 

A Working Robot Brain Blob!

12-24-2010, 04:46 PM  A WORKING ROBOT BRAIN BLOB!
Watch the Brain Guts Grow from a Blob into Something Bigger and Bigger! (probably a bigger blob...)

The growing guts of the Brain Blob now have 5 boards connected. Stay tuned as this project continues to grow with added boards/ processors.


The connection of the Brain Stem to the two-boards Brain Base along with the interfacing of one additional Brain Board brings the number of processor boards to five and the number of Brain Cores to 33. This is now a working 33-core brain. The photo shows the first connection made with all boards to achieve the first working brain in this special configuration. The special configuration is a blob.

Brain Base

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.

Brain Stem Defined

12-21-2010, 08:52 AM  BRAIN STEM DEFINED 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 interboard communications. This is the next step in filling the big brain.

Brain Stem Completed

12-21-2010, 08:52 AM  BRAIN STEM The Robotic Brain Stem is 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