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 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

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 Upgraded

11-20-2010, 10:50 PM  Photo: the Lab's first development image of a multi processor robotic brain stem made from Parallax components (the prototype is seen resting on the green cutting board). This is a hybrid brain stem processor programmed in two languages. The module is currently a hand held unit. When connected to the Giant Brain, it will pass motion mobility commands to the robot and ensure compatibility with additional components.

The Hybrid Brain Processor HBP runs on batteries or AC power supply. It has hybridic phase from half duplex to full duplex. The first model communicates high speed serial. Work is continuing on this project. The Lab's first Robotic Brain Stem is created from Parallax processors and designed to communicate motion mobility commands to a Giant Brain. The HBP Hybrid Brain Processor is programmed in two languages.

Hybrid Brain Processor

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.

Brain Stem Under Construction

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

Interface

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.

Second Brain

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.

Multi Brain Concept

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.

Smaller Brain

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.

Algorithm Machine

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.

Work Begins

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.

Information Transfer

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.