HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: syawanar@cc.curtin.edu.au
Subject: Crude vision system
Organization: Curtin University of Technology
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 07:43:07 GMT

In my fourth (and final) year in engineering, I have been asked to do 
the impossible.. 

Supoose A robot was have only four photocells for a vision system..
How would it be possible for it to see effectively? This is how the
cells divide the view..



     +----------+-----------+
     |          |           |
     | Cell 1   |  Cell 2   |
     |          |           |
     +----------+-----------+
     |          |           |
     | Cell 3   |  Cell 4   |
     |          |           |
     +----------+-----------+

The vision cone is 120 degrees from the left edge to the right edge
and 120 degrees from the top edge to the bottom edge. I have found that by 
sweeping through a 120 degree 'fan' in 1 or 2 degree steps (whilst taking 
readings at each step) one can construct a *crude* view of what is ahead.

Any ideas along these lines or anything totally different are most welcome.
 
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|Naveen Yawanarajah \ Internet :    syawanar@cc.curtin.edu.au   |
|                    \ Fidonet :    3:690/613                   |
| The BEAsT           \ POST   :    4 Woonan Pl., KARAWARA 6152 |
|       goes on!!      \       :    PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA... |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+     
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: pdivine@unixg.ubc.ca (Patrick Devine)
Subject: Re: PowerGlove
Keywords: teleoperation, powerglove
Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 21:26:08 GMT

In article <67343@hydra.gatech.EDU> gm26@prism.gatech.EDU (MCMURRAY,GARY V) writes:
>A few months ago there was alot traffic about the use of a powerglove
>for control of robotic devices.  I would like to use one to control

If anyone is interested in using a Powerglove / Sega 3-D Glasses, there is
a project going on over in sci.virtual-world to build an interface with
the RS-232 port.  Drivers have already been written, and the project is
finally winding down to a full product (which is around $90 I beleive) ..
Jim Brain is the person you should be looking for.  I don't have his
internet address off hand though.


-- 
|  The Postman Pat Show                featuring  o industrial strength noise |
|  PO Box 75115                                   o clips from all of your    |
|  White Rock, BC                                   favorite tv shows!        |
|  Canada,  V4A 9M4  (send for catalog)           o Loops! & Loops! & Loops!  |
From: jnv@cl.cam.ac.uk (Neil Viljoen)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: Minboard 68HC11 Info
Date: 27 Aug 92 11:59:54 GMT
Reply-To: jnv@cl.cam.ac.uk
Organization: Cambridge Hardware Verification Group

-----
Does anybody have information as to all the different versions of the
68HC811E2 microcontrollers. I have been quoted a very good price on a
68HC811E2RGD but I do not know what the RGD stands for. Numerous calls
to Motorola have not solved the problem as they have closed their
technical desk in the UK and now refer you to the dealers whom are not
interested if you do not order thousands.

Cheers Neil


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Neil Viljoen			|  Tel: +44-223-334688
Univ. of Cambridge		|  Fax: +44-223-334678
Computer Laboratory		|  
Pembroke Street			|  Email: jnv@cl.cam.ac.uk
Cambridge CB2 3QG		|
England				|
From: koolish@BBN.COM (Richard M. Koolish)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: alternatives to miniboard
Date: 31 Aug 92 14:09:59 GMT
Reply-To: koolish@BBN.COM (Richard M. Koolish)
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
NNTP-Posting-Host: bbn.com


Given that the miniboard doesn't seem to fit everybodys requirements,
maybe it's time to remind folks that there are some alternatives.
I've been using one of the boards from New Micros.  You can get a
cpu board, a cpu + RS-232 board, or a board that has cpu plus external
memory.  All these can be ordered without their Forth chip and you can
substitute an E2 or E9. They are inexpensive too.
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: chrisp@cs.uwa.oz.au (chris pudney)
Subject: Denavit-Hartenberg question
Organization: Dept. Computer Science, University of Western Australia.
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 10:56:09 GMT


G'day,

Consider a mechanism with three orthogonal joint axes coincident at a single
point, that is, a spherical wrist with roll, pitch and yaw motion axes.  How
can this mechanism be represented using D-H parameters.  I can't come up
with a solution.  Can you?  If so would you please let me know it?

Chris.
From: ckt@eng.cam.ac.uk (C.K. Tham)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: Reinforcement Learning for Robot Control
Date: 2 Sep 92 17:14:31 GMT
Distribution: comp.robotics
Organization: Cambridge University Engineering Department, UK


    TECHNICAL REPORT ANNOUNCEMENT

The following technical report is available via anonymous ftp:

REINFORCEMENT LEARNING FOR MULTI-LINKED MANIPULATOR CONTROL
by  Chen K. Tham & Richard W. Prager.
    (Technical Report CUED/F-INFENG/TR104)

Abstract:

We present a trajectory planning and obstacle avoidance method which uses
Reinforcement Learning to learn the appropriate real-valued torques to
apply at each joint of a simulated two-linked manipulator in order to move
the end-effector to a desired destination in the workspace. The inputs to
the controller are the joint positions and velocities which are fed
directly into a Cerebellar Model Arithmetic Computer (CMAC) (Albus,75). In
each state, the expected reward and appropriate torques for each joint are
learnt through self-experimentation using a combination of the Temporal
Difference (TD) technique (Sutton,87) and stochastic hillclimbing
(Williams,88). Actions which cause the manipulator to reach the desired
destination are rewarded whereas actions which lead to collisions with
either joint limits or obstacles are punished by an amount proportional to
the velocity before collision.  After training, the manipulator is able to
move along smooth collision-free paths from different start positions in
the workspace to the destination.

The file is in compressed Postscript format.

Procedure for obtaining the report:

unix> ftp svr-ftp.eng.cam.ac.uk
Name: anonymous
Password: (your e-mail address)
ftp> cd reports 
ftp> binary
ftp> get tham_tr104.ps.Z
ftp> quit
unix> uncompress tham_tr104.ps.Z
unix> lpr tham_tr104.ps    .. etc. .. to print

The authors welcome comments and suggestions from readers.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chen K. THAM,                                 E-mail: ckt@eng.cam.ac.uk
Speech, Vision and Robotics Group,            Tel.  : +44 223 332754
Cambridge University Engineering Department,  Fax   : +44 223 332662
Trumpington Street,
Cambridge CB2 1PZ,
United Kingdom.
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: kilian@cray.com (Alan Kilian)
Subject: 6811s and their EPROM
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 2 Sep 92 10:44:05 CDT


The reason we are using the "8" seried 6811 chips with just EEPROM is
that the 6811 only comes in a plastic case and you can only program
the EPROM parts ONCE. You cannot erase them like you can with EEPROM

                           -Alan

-- 
 -Alan Kilian           kilian@cray.com 612.683.5499 (Work) 612.729.1652 (Home)
  Cray Research, Inc.   655 F Lone Oak Drive, Eagan  MN, 55121 
                        "It's based on actual math". -Dilbert
From: poirot@widget.jsc.nasa.gov (Daniel Poirot)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: Re: Miniboard 2.0 & NMI F68HC11
Keywords: Miniboard FORTH
Date: 26 Aug 1992 19:29:07 GMT
Organization: NASA Johnson Space Center

In article <1992Aug26.140433.18849@news.media.mit.edu> fredm@media.mit.edu (Fred G Martin) writes:
>In article <1992Aug26.031407.15453@panix.com> reynolds@panix.com
>(Brian Reynolds) writes: 
>>Does anyone know if I can drop a New Micros Inc. F68HC11 FN V3.5 FORTH
>>based 68HC11 into the miniboard and expect it to work?  
>
>Yeah, it will work.  The pinouts of the two 6811's are exactly
>compatible (the Forth chip is 52 pins, right?).  The one problem I
>foresee is some weirdness with the serial line (the Mini Board
>hardware echoes every character it receives).
>
>	-Fred


Hi Fred,

I am trying to get a head start on my miniboard project while I wait on
Greg Ratcliff's boards and Dave Dunfield's C compiler to get here.

I have two Motorola M68HC11EVBU boards that have 68HC11E9 chips.  I can
get PCBUG11 to work with them if I disable the onboard BUFFALO ROM and
reset into Bootstrap Mode.  I have been trying to get DL, MON and IC to
work with the EVBU with no success.  I assume that this has to do with
the serial line echo weirdness mentioned above?

Are there configuration mods to your programs to disable the
requirement for echo?  Do I need to re-compile the programs?  Do the E9
parts have the right amount of RAM/EEPROM for this to work at all?

Will the miniboard work with any of the 52 pin FN parts?  I have
several of the 12K MC68HC711E9 chips.  (Assuming I can program them)

Thanks for the work so far.  (Neat schematic!)


-- 
Daniel Poirot           poirot@aio.jsc.nasa.gov
NASA JSC                "The mind is a terrible thing."
ER3                     tel: (713)483-8793
Houston, TX 77058       fax: (713)483-3204
Newsgroups: comp.robotics,sci.electronics
From: kilian@cray.com (Alan Kilian)
Subject: Analog Devices ADXL50 Accelerometer
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 3 Sep 92 13:19:12 CDT

Since we get into accelerometer discussions here I thought I'd post
some information I just received.

This is Revision zero.zero for a product under development so they can
change ANY specification at any time before this product comes to market.

Parts should be available late late late 1992 (That's like second quarter '93)

Analog Devices ADXL50 Monolithic Accelerometer with signal conditioning.

FEATURES:
  - Full-scale measurement range +/-50g
  - Self-test on digital command. (You give it a +5Vdc signal on the test
    pin and it electrostatically deflects the beam element and returns a
    -50g signal if it's working)
  - Single power supply of +5Vdc tp +24 Vdc
  - Output range 0.25 V to 4.75 V
  - Accuracy of span: 8% over -55 degrees C to +125 Degrees C (That's hot)
  - Uncommitted output amplifier for custom scaling and zero-g level adjustment
  - Programmable bandwidth: DC up to 1 kHz
  - Additional filtering: 2-Pole with external passive components
  - High shock survival: >2000 g Unpowered. (Two thousang g!)

APPLICATIONS:
  - Crash detection for airbag deployment and seatbelt retraction
  - Vibration analysis and cancellation
  - Measurement, Characterization and insturmentation. e.g. Crash dummies

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
  The ADXL50 is a monolithic accelerometer which combines a polysilicon
  micromachined sensor with signal conditioning and signal processing
  circuitry. 
  It is capable of measuring both psitive and negative accelerations in 
  the +/- 50g range, offering a bandwidth of DC up to 1 kHz.
  The ADXL50 uses a capacitive measurement scheme. The analog output is
  directly proportional to acceleration, and is fully scaled, refrenced
  and temperture compensated resulting in high accuracy and linearity over 
  the automotive temperature range.
  A digitally commandable self-test mode allows the sensor beam to be
  electrostatically deflected at any time, producing an output voltage
  which corresponds to the -50g output of a healthy sensor beam.

  This comes in either a 10 pin metal can (9.4mm diameter and 4.7mm tall)
  or a 14 pin DIP

  Positive acceleration is defined so that the DIP moves in the plane of
  the package, toward the end of the package with the notch. (1 and 14 pins)
  Positive acceleration is defined so that the cylinder moves in the plane
  of it's pins towards the #10 pin. (I know you don't know where that is but
  it's "sideways")

  For more information contact:

  Analog Devices
  One Technology way
  P.O. Box 9106
  Norwood, MA 02062-9106 USA
  Telephone (617) 329-4700
  Fax (617) 326-8703
  Telex 924491
  Twx (710) 394-6577
  Cable ANALOG NORDWOODMASS


                              -Alan Kilian

-- 
 -Alan Kilian           kilian@cray.com 612.683.5499 (Work) 612.729.1652 (Home)
  Cray Research, Inc.   655 F Lone Oak Drive, Eagan  MN, 55121 
                        "It's based on actual math". -Dilbert
From: Win.Heagy@f2206.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Win Heagy)
Sender: FredGate@ocitor.fidonet
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: Servo Motors
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 21:48:00

Does anyone have any info on interfacing a model aircraft servo motor
to a PC parallel or serial port.  I have not been able to find any
good info on this relating to the PC.  If you know of anything, could
you please let me know.  I don't get to read this group very often,
so if you reply here, could you also please send a copy to
    wsh@raider.raidernet.com

Thanks...Win
=--------------------------------------=  
 
 * Origin: The Interocitor*AI/Robotics*214-258-1832 (1:124/2206)
From: tim@media.mit.edu (Tim Anderson has no real life.)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: Miniboard bidirectional serial line
Summary: signal lines as ac power
Keywords: serial line, stuff
Date: 2 Sep 92 05:34:27 GMT
Expires: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 05:00:00 GMT
Followup-To: blah
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory

from     diode
rs232   0---|<|------|------------0 to top of pulldown resistor 
jack                 |                 (by label RP3b in schematic)
rxd                 ===  capacitor
                     |
                    ----  ground
                     --

This half-wave rectifier supplies the -V to to xmit ckt even when recieving
on rxd, allowing bidirectional serial communication at std RS232 levels.


Who has the right 6811 for the miniboard in stock? what price?
I'd like to join a group purchase, if that transpires.

tim

p.s. this whole data power recycling scheme reminds me of a plan to run
an inverter off some phone lines, and sell the juice back to the power co. :)

-- 

<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>V<>
These views were held by Tim Anderson at the time.
	He probably regrets it already.
Xref: sparky comp.robotics:1674 comp.realtime:1028
From: man@labrea.zko.dec.com (Richard Man)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics,comp.realtime
Subject: Re: Paper on subsumption based multitasking kernel available
Date: 1 Sep 92 16:07:20 GMT
Reply-To: man@labrea.zko.dec.com (Richard Man)
Followup-To: comp.robotics
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation


The postscript file is over 226K bytes large, since compress-uuencode only
saves ~60K, I will just mail out the file in three chunks to avoid the 100K
limit. I have ~70 requests now, so please be patient - I don't want to
overwhelm the gateways with 70 x 220K = 15 MBytes of mail at once ;-) . 
Thank you.

Here is a list of the login names, if you are on the list, you should receive
the file before the weekend. Otherwise, let me know:

shu asp wlim cpg eno terry irie fredm sinha girling sjohn somesh sxs kilian
jcavin stein gjohn mds best joannab Johan.Forsberg ianport firby pdivine
bleck pc disbrow rlw cjh amoreno gkulosa lclawson piotr marks cole zelek
paulh shah push dan kw%spox pdunster beyer taipale cnguyen eletanjm dwp sheridan
wizard phillip rvm20 harald mmo vestli edwardj matthieu jmh smm choi fsset
amund anf courtney rjs jeff.wilkinson peters harjit hesse sundar

(Wow, no name collision :-)!)

--
- Richard F. Man (man@labrea.zko.dec.com)
"Small Rovers, Big Dreams"
Xref: sparky comp.robotics:1703 comp.realtime:1038
From: peters@beltrix.guild.org (Peter Sleggs)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics,comp.realtime
Subject: Re: Miniboard 2.0 - I need to support LOTS of motors..
Date: Wed, 02 Sep 92 12:45:32 EDT
Organization: Bellatrix Systems Corp., Mississauga, ONT Canada

tlhouns@ns.pacbell.com (Lee Hounshell) writes:

>   The robotics application I'm constructing (which will probably be using the
> miniboard) needs to control a lot of motors.  I'll only need one speed, howev
> I'll also need forward/backward control.  I'm thinking of a modification add-
> board that will permit each of the miniboard's 4 motor ports to control 16!!!
> motors (for a total of 64 motors per miniboard). I would appreciate any net
> feedback/comments/suggestions/etc.. that anyone may have.

I been interested in this miniboard - BUT I've never seen a schematic!
I have the capabilities to do schematic capture and baord layout here
and I've designed witht he HC11 before ( actually my first HC11 design
was in 86 )
I have a board I designed for general purpose use with the HC11 in 88
but have not had much of a need to use it for any real project ( HC11's
cost more that Super8's)

Q. Does anyone have a schematic of this board ?
Q. is there interest in variations on this design ?

NOTE: my buisness is consulting designing systems like this but its also
my hobby so the motives are mixed somewhat - I'd love to sell 1000's of
the boards but I also want to play :)

I could possibly do a run of boards in the future if thats what is
needed ( Greg said it would be a one time thing for his run ), and under
similar conditions

I like the idea of a 'standard' controller board for experimenters that
does not cost an arm and a leg.

feedback anyone ?

Regards
Peter

--
Bellatrix Systems Corp. Mississauga, Ontario Canada
peters@beltrix.guild.org or beltrix!peters
From: gm26@prism.gatech.EDU (MCMURRAY,GARY V)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: PowerGlove
Keywords: teleoperation, powerglove
Date: 31 Aug 92 18:13:20 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

A few months ago there was alot traffic about the use of a powerglove
for control of robotic devices.  I would like to use one to control
some robotic fingers that we are developing here at GTRI.  So if anyone
could point in the right direction to purchase one and interface to my
computer I would greatly appreciate it.  I seem to remember an article 
in Byte magazine that was supposed to be pretty good.

Well, thanks for your help!!

Gary McMurray
 
-- 
MCMURRAY,GARY V
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
uucp:	  ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!gm26
Internet: gm26@prism.gatech.edu
Newsgroups: comp.robotics,comp.os.os9,comp.sys.m68k
From: vestli@ifr.ethz.ch (Sjur Jonas Vestli)
Subject: single board computer for robot applications
Followup-To: comp.robotics
Reply-To: vestli@ifr.ethz.ch (Sjur Jonas Vestli)
Organization: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - Inst. of Robotics
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 11:03:45 GMT

 
Dear All!

I am looking for a 680x0 based single board computer that have at least
the following input / output:
  4 Encoder inputs
  4 Analogue outputs
  8 Analogue inputs
  16 Binary inputs
  16 Binary outputs.
It would be nice if it came with a real time OS like os9 (or similar)
and some possibility of IO expansion.

Any pointers to such boards, manufacturers, alternative newsgroups
to ask, relevant magazines, other sources of info., etc. are welcome.

Kind regards

Sjur J. Vestli


Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: pkahn@ADS.COM (Philip Kahn)
Subject: other miniboard alternative
Organization: Advanced Decision Systems
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 22:29:56 GMT

I have been using a new 68HC11 board from Coactive Aesthetics. I chose
it over the NMI products for several reasons:
1) They offer a complete C development environment
2) They include many libraries to do things like networking
   controllers, motor drivers, I/O flow control (e.g., XON/XOFF), etc.
3) It includes a high speed RS-485 multidrop networked
   hardware/software system for simple networked controller systems.
4) It uses the 'F' chip which offers increased port I/O and other
   features, and it has an expansion bus.
5) It is relatively cheap, plug-and-play, and small (3" x 4" which
   includes the MAX232 chip).

I have no connection to this company other than as a very happy
customer. Their phone number is (415) 626-5152 and the company's
network address is coactive@coactive.com (an email address: one sign
they're good! and it has proven invaluable for technical assistance).

phil...

 



Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: pdivine@unixg.ubc.ca (Patrick Devine)
Subject: International Telepresence
Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 05:06:46 GMT

I am looking for a contact person at International Telepresence here in
Vancouver,  British Columbia.  I am interested in the automation industry
and wish to know more about this company.

Any information would be greatful.


-- 
|  The Postman Pat Show                featuring  o industrial strength noise |
|  PO Box 75115                                   o clips from all of your    |
|  White Rock, BC                                   favorite tv shows!        |
|  Canada,  V4A 9M4  (send for catalog)           o Loops! & Loops! & Loops!  |
From: koolish@BBN.COM (Richard M. Koolish)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: address for New Micros
Date: 31 Aug 92 19:08:13 GMT
Reply-To: koolish@BBN.COM (Richard M. Koolish)
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
NNTP-Posting-Host: bbn.com


I've gotten a couple of requests for the address of New Micros.

New Micros, Inc.
1601 Chalk Hill Rd.
Dallas, TX 75212
214-339-2204
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
From: fredm@media.mit.edu (Fred G Martin)
Subject: Re: Miniboard 2.0 & NMI F68HC11
Keywords: Miniboard FORTH
Organization: MIT Media Laboratory
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 14:04:33 GMT

In article <1992Aug26.031407.15453@panix.com> reynolds@panix.com
(Brian Reynolds) writes: 
>Does anyone know if I can drop a New Micros Inc. F68HC11 FN V3.5 FORTH
>based 68HC11 into the miniboard and expect it to work?  The F68HC11
>has 512 bytes EEPROM, 512 bytes RAM and 12KB of ROM (used for
>Max-FORTH).  I have the data sheet and can type in the pin out for the
>chip if that will make any difference.

Yeah, it will work.  The pinouts of the two 6811's are exactly
compatible (the Forth chip is 52 pins, right?).  The one problem I
foresee is some weirdness with the serial line (the Mini Board
hardware echoes every character it receives).  You might have to write
your own terminal program to discard these extra characters, because I
think the Forth chip performs its own software-echo of incoming
characters (to display them on your terminal screen).

	-Fred
Xref: sparky comp.robotics:1712 sci.electronics:15213
From: jdsmith@snll-arpagw.llnl.gov (smith jeff d)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics,sci.electronics
Subject: Graduate schools
Summary: Where?
Keywords: graduate school self-contained
Date: 3 Sep 92 16:42:08 GMT
Organization: Sandia National Labs, Livermore, CA


	Having recently graduated as an EE and finding the real world
not to my liking, I have decided to beat a hasty retreat to graduate
school.  I would like to do research on autonomous mobile robots, but
am having difficulty finding schools where this is being studied.  The
trade journals here at the lab indicate the the MIT Insect Lab along
with Oxford University are two big publishers of autonomous robot
research, but where else is it going on?

	Although this topic hasn't appeared in the few months I have
been reading comp.robotics, I am sure it is frequently discussed, so
(for the sake of net.bandwidth) EMAIL is preferred.  And, as always,
I can summarize to the Net if you want.


				smith.