BEAM (robotics)

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BEAM is a collective term for a certain type of robot that primarily uses analog circuits (instead of a microcontroller ) to copy the behavior of a natural organism. The abbreviation BEAM stands for:

B iology, E lectronic, A aesthetically and M echanical,
B -motorized, E volution, A chy and M odularität,
B BIOTECHNOLOGY, E thnologie, A nalogie and M orphologie
B iology, E lectronics, A esthetics and M echanics

In addition to the basic mechanisms, BEAM brought a lot of useful tools for the budding robot engineer: the solar motor circuit , many miniaturized control devices for motors and designs for mechanical sensors. Many techniques have been documented and disseminated by the BEAM community, such as building robots the size of a hand.

Mechanisms and Basics

The underlying mechanism was designed by Mark Tilden invented: electric circuits (or Artificial neural networks ) are as artificial neurons used to simulate biological neurons. A robot , constructed according to the BEAM principle, is able to react to certain external stimuli (stimulus-response principle). The Tilden circuit is often compared to a sliding register, but with various additional features that are useful for the work of the mobile robot. Already Ed Rietmann reported similar simulations in his book "Experiments in Artificial Neural Networks".

In contrast to other types of robots ( e.g. controlled by microcontrollers ), in a BEAM robot simple behaviors are directly connected to the sensor systems, which take place with little external input. This design philosophy is described in Valentino Braitenberg's book: it uses a series of thought experiments with so-called Braitenberg vehicles to research how a robot can develop and trigger complex behavior through simple inhibitory and exciting sensor signals.

Microcontrollers and programming are usually not part of a traditional (i.e. pure) BEAM robot. However, robots have been developed that combine both technologies. These hybrids have, on the one hand, robust control systems and, on the other hand, the mobility of dynamic programming, such as the BEAM robots, which are structured according to the so-called horse-and-rider (the ScoutWalker 3 is such a robot). The robot housing (the horse) is controlled by traditional BEAM technology. The microcontroller with its programming influences the robot housing from the position of the rider and bridges if necessary. The tab component is not necessary for the robot to function, but without it the robot will lose the influence of a cunning brain telling it what to do.

Biology and mechanics

A BEAM robot, through its reaction-based behavior (originally inspired by the work of Rodney Brooks), tries to copy the behavior and characteristics of a natural organism with the ultimate goal of mimicking these wild robots . One of these behaviors is the response of an organism to different light conditions. Many BEAM robots are designed to work in a wide range of light levels. They use solar energy to drive a solar motor with small solar cells .

species

There are different types of BEAM robots, each with a specific goal. The most widespread is the series of the phototropes; they are looking for light sources to supply their solar-powered systems with energy. Further examples are:

  • Audiotropes respond to sound sources.
    • Audiophiles are moving towards sound sources.
    • Audiophobes move away from sound sources.
  • Phototropes (also light seekers) react to light sources
    • Photophiles move towards light sources
    • Photophobes move away from light sources
  • Radiotropes respond to radio frequencies
    • Radiophiles move towards the source
    • Radiophobes move away from the source
  • Thermotropes react to heat sources
    • Thermophiles move towards the source
    • Thermophobes move away from the source

Genera

BEAM robots can be classified according to their mechanisms for movement and positioning (a selection):

  • Sitter: immobile robots for a passive purpose
    • Beacons: transmit a signal (such as a navigation signal) that other BEAM robots can use
    • Pummers: show a light show
    • Ornaments: Sitters, neither beacons nor pummers
  • Squirmers: stationary robots that perform a special action (usually by moving their arms)
    • Magbots: use magnetic fields to move
    • Flagwavers: move a display (or flag) in a specific frequency
    • Heads: follow recognizable phenomena and swivel towards them, e.g. light (popular in the BEAM community. They can be autonomous robots, but are usually integrated into a larger robot)
    • Vibrators: use a small stepper motor to shake themselves
  • Slider: Robots that move by sliding parts of the hull along a boundary while staying in contact with it.
    • Snakes: move in a horizontal wave motion.
    • Earthworms: move in a longitudinal wave motion
  • Crawler: Robots that move on a rail or roll their body over a separate arm. The robot does not drag across the floor.
    • Turbots: roll your entire body using your arms.
    • Inchworms: move parts of their body forward while the rest of the shell remains on the ground.
    • Tracked Robots: use chains like tanks
  • Jumper: Robots that move in a form of jumping
    • Vibrobots: produce an irregular movement along a boundary
    • Springbots: move forward by jumping in one direction
  • Roller: Robots that move in a rolling manner: either the entire shell or parts of it
    • Symets: run with a single motor whose drive shaft touches the ground.
    • Solar scooters: carts powered by solar energy with a single motor driving one or more wheels.
    • Poppers: use two motors with separate power supplies; use different sensors to achieve a goal
    • Miniballs: change their center of gravity so that their spherical body rolls.
  • Walker: Robots that move through legs.
    • Motor drive: uses motors to move the legs (typically a maximum of 3 motors)
    • Muscle cord propulsion: use wires made from a nickel-titanium alloy to propel the legs
  • Swimmers: Robots that move on or along a surface in a liquid (usually water)
    • Boatbots: operate on the surface
    • Subbots: operate below the surface
  • Flying: Robots that fly for long periods of time
    • Helicopter: use a powerful motor to move
    • Planes: use fixed or movable wings to take off
    • Blimps: use a balloon to take off
  • Climber: Robots that move vertically, usually on a rope or wire

Applications and current research

There are currently few commercial applications for autonomous robots, with the exception of the iRobot (an autonomous vacuum cleaner) and a few lawn-mowing robots. An important practical application of BEAM is in the development of moving systems and in hobby and teaching. Mark Tilden successfully uses BEAM for his prototypes (commercial toys) such as the Robosapien ( BIODroid ), BIOBug and RoboRaptor.

Robot engineers are currently struggling with the lack of direct control over the pure BEAM circuitry. It is therefore being worked on whether biomorphic techniques (which copy natural systems) can be used; their performance seems to be significantly better than traditional technology. There are many examples showing that tiny insect brains perform far better than most modern microcomputers .

Another difficulty in applying BEAM technology is the random nature of the neural network: it requires new techniques on the part of the designer to manipulate and change the characteristics of the circuits. A selection of international academics meet annually in Telluride, Colorado to address these issues. Mark Tilden was part of this effort until recently; however, he had to withdraw from it as a result of his commercial commitments to WowWee Toys.

Since the BEAM robots have no long-term memory, they cannot learn from mistakes. The BEAM community is working to compensate for this disadvantage. One of the most advanced in this field is Bruce Robinson's robot (called Hider ). It has an impressive level of storage capacity (for a microprocessor-free design ).

Publications

Patents

  • US patent 613809 - Method of and Apparatus for Controlling Mechanism of Moving Vehicle or Vehicles - Tesla's "telautomaton" patent; First logic gate.
  • US patent 5325031 - Adaptive robotic nervous systems and control circuits therefor - Tilden's patent; A self-stabilizing control circuit utilizing pulse delay circuits for controlling the limbs of a limbed robot, and a robot incorporating such a circuit; artificial "neurons".

Literature and texts

  • Conrad, James M., and Jonathan W. Mills, " Stiquito: advanced experiments with a simple and inexpensive robot ", The future for nitinol-propelled walking robots , Mark W. Tilden. Los Alamitos, Calif., IEEE Computer Society Press, c1998. ISBN 0-8186-7408-3
  • Tilden, Mark W., and Brosl Hasslacher, " Living Machines (PDF; 801 kB) ". Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
  • Still, Susanne, and Mark W. Tilden, " Controller for a four legged walking machine (PDF; 260 kB) ". ETH Zuerich, Institute of Neuroinformatics, and Biophysics Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory.
  • Braitenberg, Valentino, Vehicles: Experiments in Synthetic Psychology , 1984. ISBN 0-262-52112-1
  • Rietman, Ed, " Experiments In Artificial Neural Networks ", 1988. ISBN 0-8306-0237-2
  • Tilden, Mark W., and Brosl Hasslacher, " Robotics and Autonomous Machines : The Biology and Technology of Intelligent Autonomous Agents ", LANL Paper ID: LA-UR-94-2636, Spring 1995.
  • Dewdney, AK " Photovores: Intelligent Robots are Constructed From Castoffs ". Scientific American Sept 1992, v267, n3, p42 (1)
  • Smit, Michael C., and Mark Tilden, " Beam Robotics ". Algorithm, Vol. 2, No. 2, March 1991, pp 15-19.
  • Hrynkiw, David M., and Tilden, Mark W., " Junkbots, Bugbots, and Bots on Wheels ", 2002. ISBN 0-07-222601-3 ( Book support website )

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The BEAM Family Tree ( Memento from July 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Beam Family (English)
  2. ↑ Sitters ( Memento from July 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Sitter (English)
  3. ↑ Squirmers ( Memento from July 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Squirmers (English)
  4. ↑ Sliders ( Memento from July 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Slider (English)
  5. ↑ Crawlers ( Memento from July 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Crawler (English)
  6. ↑ Jumpers ( Memento from July 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Jumper (English)
  7. ↑ Rollers ( Memento from July 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Roller (English)
  8. ↑ Walkers ( Memento from May 24, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Walker (English)
  9. ↑ Swimmers ( Memento of July 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Swimmer (English)
  10. ↑ Fliers ( Memento of March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Flier (English)
  11. ↑ Climbers ( Memento of July 11, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Climber (English)