Showing posts with label pbasic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pbasic. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Master Offloader Machine

Seen at the right with a tower of green boards in the above photo, the latest upgrade add-on to the BSS BASIC Stamp Supercomputer introduces a ten-fold magnitude increase of unprecedented computing power!" Using the Master Offloader Machine, ten additional processor boards grind away with more computing power, extending the functions and speed.
The M.O.M. Master Offloader Machine is seen with ten Basic Stamp Project Boards in a tower format. The machine is battery operated off 9-volts. Communications reports to a serial LCD at the top. MOM led to the invention of the SEED Self Evolving Enumerating Deterministic BASIC Stamp Supercomputer Life Form.
MASTER OFFLOADER MACHINE
The Master Offloader Machine was conceived from the need to offload intensive duties of the Master Computer in the BASIC Stamp Supercomputer (BSS). MOM is the first supercomputing project to show that connecting together multiple BASIC Stamp 1s and Stamp 2 flavors is possible. Contains ten BS1 processors.

The Master Offloader Machine was conceived from the need to offload intensive duties of the Master Computer in the BASIC Stamp Supercomputer (BSS). M.O.M. was the first supercomputing project to show that connecting together multiple BASIC Stamp 1s and Stamp 2 flavors was possible. Contains ten processors.

This new machine, the Master Offloader, is a battery-driven collective added to the Basic Stamp Supercomputer to offload the intensive duties and responsibilities of the Master. It holds the addition of ten layers of smaller microcontroller processors (BS1 Basic Stamp Project Boards) that can potentially access half a hundred flash drives for millions of files under the SSD format. It can also free up the primary workers for more intensive processing. Connection is by wire, although a wireless system is now developed and being tested.

M.O.M. processing can now introduce simultaneous disk reads and writes - new paralleled clustered tasks that single drive driven processors cannot achieve. This opens up the potential for new worlds of applications never seen before, and a magnitude of unprecedented computing power at the hobby level.

A serial LCD green screen mounted at the top monitors serial talk traffic as the BSS and M.O.M. communicate back and forth. M.O.M is the forerunner of the SEED Artificial Intelligence Living Basic Stamp Supercomputer.

MOM Communication
The MOM design is very interesting. Even though the BS1 has a different rate of communication compared to the design of BS2 supercomputers, the ten computers in this cluster are linked and communicating with each other. The primary Master in rack one can use specific PINS to interface to MOM at MOM's rate of communication. This adds another usage pin to the overall design on the Master. This gives complete compatibility between the BS1 and its constituent family.


Comments About the Offloader Machine as Related to the BSS
"I am impressed. Very VERY impressed. Many of us fidget with one or two interfaces rather than try to envision larger integration. The main point is that the Basic Stamp is a powerful building block and in a modular open architecture it can begin to do sophisticated things that one Basic Stamp could never achieve. There will NEVER be an end to the BasicStamps useful life in the digital world." G. Herzog/Loopy Byteloose

"I have been following your work since you first posted and you have inspired me to try several new things on my own projects.· Your a very creative person!!" Just Jeff

"Obviously the most fertile mind in hobby computing today. humanoido has once again demonstrated his DaVinci-esqe capacity to think outside the box."  Ira Chandler/ Splashsplat

Hi Humanoido, Now you're moving into my world :) David Bayliss

I think its a great system Humanodo. A lot of us are learning about Stamp networking from this project... that alone is worth the time and effort (and money!) you've put into it. Ugha 

Humanoido had a great idea, worked on it and showed its practical results. It may not be perfect, as anything done by human beings (or humanoid beings...), but it works and it has given a lot of people new ideas to work on. And he is continually extending and refining his project, always posting pictures and all his software code (very well documented and understandable, BTW), according to the spirit of open source projects. vrossi

Your project is awesome humanoido. The Truth is Out There


Humanoido, Thanks for the large picture with the Master Offloader Machine. The appearance, and particularly the use of specific colors, is awesome. The vertical repetition works very nicely. Keep up the good work. Mike Green

Humanoido, Using your information and descriptions I now have 2 stamps "talking" in my current bot project and you saved me a lot of time and trouble. Thanks for your assistance! Just Jeff


Humanoido: I continue to be wowed by your tireless efforts. It's nothing short of inspiring to see how far you have taken the Stamp multiplexing concept, and I appreciate the passion with which you pursue both your Supercomputer upgrades and Penguin Tech magazine. I hope to someday receive such words of praise from Mike Green as you did above.Erco

Looks like this is the most popular forum thread here! I guess it all depends on the quality of your Prefrontal Cortex? Ezsynn

Humanoido: You're always open & receptive to input from the forum, that's a great quality about you. Erco

I like the idea. SRLM

LINKS
Master Offloader Technique
http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2012/01/master-offloader.html

Master Offloader Machine (MOM)
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=765140

REFERENCES
SEED: Self Evolving Enumerating Deterministic Basic Stamp Supercomputer. A New Evolution in Stamp Supercomputer design
The Stamp SEED Supercomputer is a new concept. This is a ten core, nine month project, with the first AI Stamp software to fit into 256 bytes eeprom - self determinate, evolving, enumerating, dreaming, poetic, noisy, talkative, and downright friendly. It runs on only one program that self evolves differently in each of the ten computers. It's evolutionary - it's revolutionary!

http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2012/07/seed-supercomputer.html
http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2012/07/seed-supercomputer-part-2.html
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=817126


The original Master Offloader Machine was developed for the BASIC Stamp Supercomputer in a hardware array of tandem processors. This technique is now in widespread use inside the Big Brain.

The Big Brain uses the Master Offloader technique (the technique is now upgraded to include hardware, software or both) which was developed for the BASIC Stamp Supercomputer in 2008 and 2009. Many techniques developed for the BSS are in place on the Propeller Big Brain platform. The M.O.M. is seen to the right of the BSS with ten battery operated green processor boards. Click the photo for a larger image.

The machine brain is divided up into brain quadrants. The quad includes a Propellerized Left Brain and a Right Brain. The technique of the Master Offloader is used between the Left Brain and the Right Brain. It's also used in the Quad design of the Brain. Offloading allows the Big Brain to continue functioning if one or more quadrants are busy, idle, sleeping, dreaming, disabled, errored, occupied, in stasis or powered down.

New Word Definitions
Offloading - the technique (using hardware, software or both) of offloading duties to another Brain quadrant, which allows the Big Brain to continue to function when one or more quadrants are busy, idle, sleeping, dreaming, disabled, occupied, in stasis, errored or powered down. 


Original Posting
This new machine, the Master Offloader, is added to the Basic Stamp Supercomputer to offload the intensive duties and responsibilities of the Master. It holds the addition of ten layers of smaller microcontroller processors that can potentially access half a hundred flash drives for millions of files under the SSD format. It can also free up the primary workers for more intensive processing. Connection is by wire, although a wireless system is now developed and being tested. MOM (Master Offloader Machine) processing can now introduce simultaneous disk reads and writes - new paralleled clustered tasks that single drive driven processors cannot achieve. This opens up the potential for new worlds of applications never seen before, and a magnitude of unprecedented computing power at the hobby level.

Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer


The updated and revised schematic shows additions including a peizo speaker and LED on each core. BASIC Stamp One Boards are now used, and for running tests with new parallel projects, TINY BUS is added. This creates a total of six parallel lines for data communications.

MINUSCULE STAMP SUPERCOMPUTER
Demonstration of basic principles to take some characteristics of a supercomputer, in particular the notion of larger multiples of relatively simple processors communicating over a common bus, each doing a portion of a task in parallel

Build a Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer
Pump up the array with your BS1 stamp collection! This is a preview of the new Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer, comprised of only two BS1 boards. It’s main purpose is for testing various software in developing the Stamp SEED Supercomputer, without the need to load ten programs into ten processors. The two core Minuscule needs no tower and the boards can set next to each other on a desk next to the PC. The provided transmitter and receiver software is minuscule and serially enables one core to text communicate with the other at 2400 baud. The application is included with the Stamp SEED Supercomputer because most of the applications, principles and programming are the same. Plus, the Minuscule has no manual, so it gets its own featured space.


Introducing the Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer! It’s a perfect example of multiple BS1 boards connected together for sending and receiving serial signals (text) according to the transmit and receive programs listed below. The 2X boards chosen for this Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer, MSS, include the Carrier Board with a BS1-IC Basic Stamp Module, and the Stamp 1 Project Board Rev. B. Both boards are programmed through the PC’s USB port using Parallax adapters, a BS1 Serial Adapter, and a USBto232 adapter.

The MSS Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer has two BASIC stamp 1 boards networked together, and creates a very small parallel processing machine. The primary purpose is for rapid development of software and hardware testing where only two cores are required. The MSS was a vital tool in developing programs for the SEED BASIC Stamp Supercomputer and it stands on its own as a Stamp super computing machine.

Each board has an output LED for a display and a piezo speaker for sound prompting, signaling and debugging. Wiring is a one line interface and both processors compute in parallel.

New Schematic & Upgrade
Create a BS1 array with multiple cores designed for testing Stamp supercomputer designs. Instead of one data line, six are now possible. The entire port array is now filled and dedicated to processing. This opens up numerous options for testing parallel computing and communications. Programming apps can also be tested and developed in simple forms i.e. with two paralleled twin processors. The Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer is upgraded to a Parallel Computing Machine. This is the first upgrade posted since project thread inception on July-6-2009. Primarily this upgrades satisfies several conditions for testing the UltraSpark 40 Propeller-based Parallel Computing Machine, and series, found in the link. It has paved the way for the development of the Propeller powered Big Brain with over 100,000 processors.
 
Specs for One Stamp
Processor Speed: 4 MHz
Program Execution Speed: ~2,000 instructions/sec.
RAM Size: 16 Bytes (2 I/O, 14 Variable)
EEPROM (Program) Size: 256 Bytes ~80 instructions
Number of I/O Pins: 8
PBASIC Commands = 32

Specs for Two Stamps Minuscule
Processor Speed: 8 MHz
Program Execution Speed: ~4,000 instructions/sec.
RAM Size: 32 Bytes (4 I/O, 28 Variable)
EEPROM (Program) Size: 512 Bytes ~160 instructions
Number of I/O Pins: 16
PBASIC Commands = 32
Communication: Serial
Interface: One Wire


Initially there was no schematic for the MSS because the connections are so simple. Just follow the chart below using two BS1 boards and some wire leads. The only component required is a 1K ohm resistor.

vss - vss vdd - vdd vin - vin pin0 - pin0
vss to 1K R to pin 0 (inverted)


Build the MSS and have lots of fun testing all your new code! Demo code in text is provided below for easy copy.

' {$STAMP BS1}                ' Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer
' {$PBASIC 1.0}               ' Serial Transmitter – Send a Text Character
PAUSE 5000                    ' Load into computer 1
SEROUT 0, ON2400, ("g",10,13) ' Transmit a text character + CR + LF
END                           ' Quit
' {$STAMP BS1}                ' Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer
' {$PBASIC 1.0}               ' Serial Receiver – Receive a Text Character
SYMBOL x = B0                 ' Load into computer 2
SERIN 0,N2400, x              ' Receive one text character
DEBUG #@x                     ' Show text on the debug screen
END                           ' Quit


Here's what Parallax says about the BS1 Engine
www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/BASICStampModules/tabid/134/CategoryID/9/List/0/SortField/0/Level/a/ProductID/3/Default.aspx
It's amazing what you can accomplish with this well-proven microcontroller and its simple PBASIC 1 language. All vital components (processor, clock source, memory, power regulator) are provided on the BS1's tiny PCB; just connect power and go! BASIC Stamp 1 Project Board (#27112) Development / Education Platform for the BASIC Stamp 1 Introduction- When the BASIC Stamp 1 was introduced 10 years ago nobody could foresee the impact this ingenious little controller would have on the electronics world; at both the hobbyist and professional levels. The original BASIC Stamp 1 (BS1) and its big brothers, the BASIC Stamp 2 family, have sold millions of units all over the world, and into every application and industry one can imagine. The BASIC Stamp 1 has been used for years in award-winning Science Fair projects, in industry, in hobbyist and professional robotics, in television and motion picture props and special effects the BS1 has a long and illustrious track record you're in very good company when you choose it. The BS1 Project Board is a low-cost reintroduction of the original BASIC Stamp in a HomeWork Board type platform that has become a standard for students, hobbyists, and even professional engineers. The board includes everything you need to get started with microcontroller applications at minimal expense just add your external circuits, code, and imagination.
 
BASIC Stamp 1 Project Board
www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/BASICStampDevelopmentBoards/tabid/137/CategoryID/12/List/0/SortField/0/Level/a/ProductID/119/Default.aspx 

For students, hobbyists, and professionals who desire the small form and features of the BASIC Stamp® 1 microcontroller, but need a development platform in the mold of the Parallax Board Of Education and HomeWork boards; the BASIC Stamp 1 Project Board is low-cost solution that is sure to fit the bill. The BS1 Project Board consists of a surface-mounted BASIC Stamp 1 on a 3 1/4" x 2 1/2" (8.3 x 6.4 cm) printed circuit board. The board includes a 9V battery clip, a mechanically interlocked 2.1 mm power jack, DB-9 connector for programming, and LM2936 regulator providing 40 mA for your projects.

* Red LED power indicator with On/Off Switch
* Mechanically interlocked power supply, prevent dual connection of wall-pack/9-volt battery
* DB9 connector for BS1-IC programming and serial communication during run-time.
* 0 – P7 I/O pins, Vin, Vdd and Vss connections brought adjacent to prototyping area
* Includes 1 3/8" x 2" (5.1 x 3.5 cm) solderless breadboard
* 220 Ω resisitors on all I/O pins for protection
* Power Requirements: 5.5 to 15 VDC
* Communication: Serial for Programming (default to 2400 baud)
* Dimensions: 4.00 x 3.05 in (102 x 77 mm)
* Operating Temperature: +32 to +185 °F (0 to 70 °C)

BASIC Stamp 1 Project Board Technical Specifications
Microcontroller - Microchip PIC16C56A
Speed - 4 MHz
Program Execution Speed - ~2,000 instructions per second
EEPROM Size - 256 bytes (93LC56)
Program Length - ~80 instructions
Inputs / Outputs - 8
Source / Sink Current per I/O - 20 mA / 25 mA
Source / Sink Current (device) - 40 mA / 50 mA
Power Consumption - 7 mA running (no loads); 5 mA Sleep (Rev B) 1
PC Interface - Serial, 4800 baud (programming and DEBUG)
Editor (Windows only) - STAMPW.EXE (Version 2.1 or higher)
Power Supply - 6 15 volts DC (2.1 mm, center-positive), or 9-volt battery
PCB Size - 31/4" x 21/2" (with 1/8" corner mounting holes)
Project Area - 13/8" x 2" solderless breadboard or through-hole mounting pads 2


1. Rev B boards - the power LED remains illuminated when the BASIC Stamp is in sleep mode
2. Not all pads are available for general-purpose use


Additional Resources
The following materials are available for download from www.parallax.com:


* BASIC Stamp Programming Manual (Downloads Documentation)
* BASIC Stamp 1 Applications Notes (Downloads Documentation)
* Nuts & Volts "Stamp Applications"
* The Elements of PBASIC Style


STAMP AI SOFTWARE
There is a possibility of creating a Minuscule version of Stamp AI. Let me know if you'd like to see artificial intelligence on two Stamp computers.

SPIN OFF PROJECT
A spin-off of this project is a tiny tester for parallel computing machines.

LINKS
Stamp SEED Supercomputer 
Basic Stamp Supercomputer
TriCore Stamp Supercomputer
Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer
Tiny Stamp Supercomputer
Penguin with 12 Brains
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 Skyscraper 
Hobby Space Program 

Note: Some links may need updating using the converter (see link below)
 

Smart BoeBothttp://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=6&m=469004

Multiprop Project List

http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=25&m=472019

Tiny Tester for Developing Parallel Algorithms

http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/124433-Tiny-Tester-for-Developing-Parallel-Algorithms?p=927796#post927796

Link Converter 
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/126151-Forum-URL-Converter?p=943996#post943996 

UltraSpark 40
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=921524