Big Brain Robot Inspiration

Big Brain Robot Inspiration
They were just toy robots but they inspired a generation

https://humanoidslabs.blogspot.com/

Retro vintage toy robots are seen at this blogger in all their original glory. See why they inspired generations to go into space science and robotics.

Cosmac Elf Computer - Tales from the Crypt

COSMAC ELF COMPUTER - TALES FROM THE CRYPT
Humanoido discovered an ancient historical dusty crypt with tons of original COSMAC Elf stuff from the 1970s, topped with the original color photo album over 40 years old (when common digital cameras did not exist).

The time capsule was opened on Friday September 4th, 2015, exactly 36 years from January of 1979. 

Remarkably, almost 4 decades later, near a half a century of time has passed, propelling the contents of the lonesome COSMAC ELF computer system and its original photos into a future world. Photos, amazing they survived the time travel experience, show the working COSMAC Elf computer, with power supply, an analog meter monitoring supply voltage, SONY 5-inch diagonal TV, Motherboard and ASCII keyboard for expansion.

Humanoido got his start on the 1802 processor chip, and by home brewing a wire wrapped 1802 computer system on a phenolic electronics board. This system was later expanded with Netronics boards.

This COSMAC Elf may have become the first vehicle computer, being placed in a Dodge pickup truck to keep track of mileage, navigation distances and directions, rates of travel, and displaying graphic trip maps.

The system was also the first to calculate telescope design data from the observatories first Telescope Systems Design Program as written and expanded by Humanoido in Tiny BASIC. This was instrumental in creating 40 and 50-inch telescopes, the largest amateur telescopes in the world at that time. The Elf program has survived the time and evolution of 8 different computing systems and language variances, and is currently in use today for designing CCD telescope systems.

Humanoido used the Elf computer in another science mechanics application to design a mirror grinding machine for astronomical telescope making. The program written calculated the size and rates of belts, pulleys, and motors.

The Elf was also used to compose and reproduce classical music and explore computer programming with the 1802 chip. The chip is often referenced to the 1802 chip series found in the Voyager spacecraft, the longest lasting probe in NASA's space program which has left the outer boundaries of the solar system and is approaching deep space.

This Netronics Cosmac Elf version with the RCA CDP1802MPU primary processor chip is running the famous Star Ship program. The graphics at the top are actual program code. The system has an RF modulator to feed the video to the TV, and since the photos were taken in 1979, this system was fully expanded and can run Tom Pittman's TINY BASIC software in 4K of RAM.

Like the Voyager Spacecraft in Deep Space, this COSMAC Elf computer system is working perfectly.  We can only speculate on the discoveries from new worlds in the next 40 years.

The materials and contents of the Crypt are now donated to the science museum. More information will appear at the COSMAC Elf web pages, links given below.

http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.com/2012/03/propeller-elf-ii.html

http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2013/04/cosmac-propeller-elf-ii-page-2.html

COSMAC Elf Clone Built with PICs

COSMAC ELF CLONE BUILT WITH PICS
Ted Rossin put together a modern day version of a COSMAC ELF retro computer using a PIC processor.

"The PIC is clocked with a 7.16 MHz crystal which is 4x the rate of a standard Elf with Pixie chip.  This gave me 32 PIC instructions per 1802 state cycle to get the job done.  I use the internal PLL to multiply the clock by another 4 as the PIC needs 4 clocks per instruction.  For most 1802 instructions this was cake but some were quite challenging as the PIC has to implement the instruction plus keep TPA and TPB going as well as implement the normal 1802 bus cycles not to mention the need to respond to the mode pins, DMA and interrupts."

http://www.tedrossin.net46.net/Electronics/RCA/RCA.html#ElfClone

Irony of the Retro Propeller

Retro machine becomes more

IRONY OF GOING TEMP RETRO WITH PROPELLER CHIPS
It's very strange - that to become more powerful, at least in ranking and rating, the Propeller powered Big Brain had to initially take a step into yesteryear by going retro!

— When less becomes more! —

Sometimes less is more! Going retro is not a new idea (pun intended), even though the shape of today's modern processors are sometimes molded and formed into nostalgic products and projects stemming from the past. For example, the Propeller Pocket Mini Computer uses one Propeller chip to create a remarkable retro computer. But what about the Big Brain? What could possibly be gained by going retro and stepping into the past?

The idea on June 30th of 2012, was the creation and completion of a retro "Propeller chip only" machine that had supercomputer rating but only from a nostalgic past viewpoint. This was, of course as we all know now, a precursor to the Big Modern Brain, which took some time and growth to place in the actual Top 500 List of supercomputing machines.

One can take the timeline of supercomputers, divided into decades, and rate even the smallest board today in terms of speed. Range includes 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s etc. Be prepared to calculate speed ranging from flops (floating point operations per second), through the gradual progression of faster and faster ratings, kflops, mflops, gflops, and teraflops.

The photo, seen here in a rotated retro effect, shows the "all propeller laden" retro supercomputer machine, laced with PPPBs and giant solderless breadboards. This experimental Big Brain and retro supercomputer was a gem that led to the development of the first supertronic enhancements and continuing experiments with machines inside machines.

Propeller COSMAC ELF II Annexes the Future

Retro MC computer

PROPELLER COSMAC ELF II ANNEXES THE FUTURE
Can retro computers from yesteryear find any place to be of use in the future? What possible tasking can these slow unwittingly singular computers do for future applications? You might be surprised!

BACK TO THE FUTURE: First, they still have their wits, and when annexed to modern technology, can update to modern parallel functioning. They have great function and use, with the strong points built in, such as binary functions, smart input devices, and smart output panels. They can dedicate their task, operate in real time, and continue their life with purpose and usefulness.

— don't walk, side step, or even think about riding side saddle with these old computers or their simulators, because they have the greatest value in the 21st Century —

For a good example application, we took our trusty MC Minimal Computer which was converted both hardware and software into a version of the COSMAC ELF II and we tasked it for use at the Ultra Space Center as a dedicated and real time reporting Numerical Binary Comptometer.

This serves the constant reporting of binary output, which is now a dedicated secondary service provided to the Big Brain Supercomputer Machine Array. In this experiment, the Propeller powered COSMAC ELF II is the output and provides annexing ten two-position switches and one pushbutton, with eight red Binary reporting status LEDs. Running under its own power, the Retro computer version is useful as a dedicated tasker running parallel with other jobs.

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http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2012/03/propeller-elf-ii.html
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http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2013/04/cosmac-propeller-elf-ii-page-2.html

Intergalactic Space Control Panel

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/intergalactic-space-control-panel/

From December 1952, Modern Mechanix

Go retro using wood and old parts with this project - the deluxe electrical toy for junior space travelers.

Try searching with Google on space control panel to see many fascinating varieties of instrumentation control panels for your next futuristic project.

Remember when electronics project DIY cabinets were made of wood?

Of course a much safer and more inexpensive circuit could be made with a 1.5 volt AA battery and LEDs.

For interest, take a look at the pictorial to find a car fender curb feeler. When was the last time you built one of those?! After some head scratching, read the article text for the full explanation...

The article text says, "Note the automobile curb feeler. This is hooked up to a buzzer and looks like a miniature antenna. Touching it of course causes the buzzer to sound—only when its switch is “on.” Such secondary switches are a constant source of delight to a boy and his friends. Sometimes the buzzer will work and sometimes it will not, depending-of course upon the switch position."

Space control panels from Google search

 

RX Propeller Supercomputer

RX PROPELLER SUPERCOMPUTER

Big Propeller Retro Supercomputer

The RX Propeller Super computer is made from all Parallax Propeller chips. It exceeds one-C of chips, including twenty Parallax Propeller Proto Boards and several large chip-filled high density solderless breadboards reconfigurable for various experiments.

The purpose of the RX is experimenting, supercomputer distributed parallel algorithm development, and having fun bringing back nostalgia from yesteryear's super computing machines! Of course, the R in RX stands for Retro.
 

History
It's how you look at it. The left side added to the right side of the Big Brain Machine equals a modern 2011/2012 super computer with TFLOPS processing power, according to the Top 500 list of supercomputers. But what happens when the left side is detached from the right side? What new things can arise from this configuration?

Retro Supercomputing
Now take the left side only into consideration. It accurately represents a Retro Supercomputer with approximately 1990s supercomputing power.

Functions
The left side is also a powerful controller to the outside world with its excess of 3,200 controlling input output ports and it has vital functions for retro and nostalgic supercomputing experimentation. It's ideally suited for development of distributed parallel programming techniques for various supercomputers.

Specifications
The best way to review some of these specs is to consult the specifications page, keeping in mind what applies to only the left brain. This, in a nutshell, includes all functions developed for solderless breadboards and the EXO.

EXO & Breadboards
The EXO is the previously detached Exoskeleton, a kind of obverse tower where the components are on the outside. Seen in the photo, the left brain combines the breadboards and the EXO.

Speed

At 160 MIPS per chip, the first 100 chips push theoretical speed to 16,000 MIPS or 16 Billion Instructions Per Second (or approximated as 16 GIPS). The RS is integer based so you'll need to convert standards when comparing to other machines. GFLOPs speed is as fast as a 1990s supercomputer (see link). 

The Propeller Supercomputing Kit

What would be needed for a kit? Let's say you can get the common lights, resistors, capacitors, breadboards, and Propeller chips. What else is required? The Propeller Supercomputer Kit includes the following to get started. 

Propeller Supercomputer Kit
Schematic Diagrams
Enumerator
Parallel Loader
Operations Algorithm
Applications Outline
Instructional PDF

RX Propeller Supercomputer Milestones

• Enumeration (software based)
• True Parallelism
• Instant Loading
• Thousands of Propeller VIP Processors
• Cloning
• Breaking the 100-chip Propeller barrier
• Stacked High Density Solderless Breadboards
• Exoskeleton Structure Components on Outside
• Evolution Chip Independence (EI, CI, AI)
• Divisional Signalers (DS Mode)
• Simplex N (Neural Config)
• ParP Ops (Parallel-Parallel Mode)
• Cross Platform Hosting
• Multi Program Language Ops

Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLOPS