Beam Robotics and Nervous Networks (Emerging Trends In Robotics)

ABSTRACT
The field of ROBOTICS has been a fascination since the advent of computational technologies. To induce life into the robos, complex and powerful electronic components are required. Hence advance knowledge and great funds are required to build even small robots. These create hurdles to the beginners in this field. These hurdles can be overcome by adopting a new philosophy called BEAM ROBOTICS formulated by Mark. W. Tilden. Here minimal electronics are used and using solar power, miniature creatures are created first from which new prototypes can be evolved. Unlike conventional robos, which use costly microprocessor controlled architecture, these have interconnection of elementary circuits called NERVOUS NETWORKS. Here a reconfigurable central network oscillator is utilized for autonomous and independent operation of components. Further it favors development of legged robos. The nervous technology provides (1) pulse delay circuits (neurons), interconnected in closed loops, which generate square waves and (2) pulse neutralization circuits. The central sequencing network and limb circuits control the direction of the motor thereby the motion of their legs. The advantage is that the use of microprocessors and costly components is eliminated and the processes are localized and self-sustaining. Thus beginners and students can implement the innovative ideas without having high knowledge, skill and fund. We are very happy to place this paper before the academic fraternity. Now it will be our pleasure to receive the readers feedback. We feel such a feedback is vital to improving the knowledge of an efficient engineer, thereby achieving its purpose.

there are many stumbling blocks.A deep knowledge of the subject,great deal of research and financial support are required as the complex circuits and microprocessors cost a fortune.Mark W.Tilden formulated a new philosophy that enables even children to enter this fascinating arena.BEAM Robotics is a brainchild of this man. It is a new field in robotics. It uses minimalist electronics to create elegant mechanical creatures. BEAM devices come in infinite shapes and sizes.The brains used to control BEAM "life forms" are nervous networks which are very simple containing no microprocessors. By wiring in basic sensors to influence the nervous network, we can control how the robot behaves These sensors include light detectors, touch feelers, heat sensors and just about anything you can think of. The nervous network is an interconnection of basic elemental circuits called the pulse delay circuits,acting like a neuron,generating a square wave and hence functioning as an oscillator.The most significant characteristic of nervous network is the absence of microprocessors and other complicated circuitry to enable locomotion.The nervous network in robotic limb control is simple and autonomous, and any incorporated complex circuitry in the robot can be fully dedicated to the actual purpose of the robot rather than its locomotion.

2. PROBLEMS IN CONVENTIONAL ROBOTS

Robots are particularly useful in applications which pose a hazard to living beings, for example in security functions, dealing with toxic materials, working in hazardous environments, and so on.To date the most successful designs have involved wheeled devices. However, wheeled devices have very limited utility in many environments for example in rough or soft terrain. Moreover, any wheeled device is restricted to largely horizontal travel, since traction relies entirely on the force of gravity. On the other hand, legged devices are capable of traveling on virtually any type of terrain. and if properly equipped are able to climb vertically. Autonomous legged creatures,to move and react effectively within their environment,they require precise synchronizing control circuitry and the ability to adapt to new conditions as they arise. Until now, all attempts to create such a device have involved elaborate arrangements of feedback systems utilizing complex sensor inputs and extensive control and sequencing circuitry hard-wired to one or more central processors. Such a robot is extremely complex and expensive to build, even to accomplish very simple tasks. Moreover, due to the complexity of such a device and its heavy reliance on a central processing system power requirements are enormous, and a relatively minor problem, such as injury to a limb, is likely to

1. INTRODUCTION
Today the field of ROBTICS is a fascination for the men of science .The final zeal of any robo scientist is to create robos those have ability to think and act accordingly by themselves.To achieve this,use mechanical components that are stimulated by powerful electronic circuits and computer chips that store the programs and control anything are required.For beginners to enter this arena

resistor and the capacitor induce a time delay between the input and the output, and the delay is determined by the time constant RC. Hence the delay can be controlled by varying the value of the resistance and the capacitance. Preferred value of capacitance is 0.1F and resistance is between 5 M to 10 K for a propagation delay of 0.25 to 1 sec. Low value of capacitance increases efficiency.

cause total system failure. Such walking devices are accordingly impractical for other than experimental or educational uses. 3. SOLUTION The nervous technology overcomes the given problems and other disadvantages by providing a completely different control system approach. Rather than utilizing a central processor to process sensor information and responsively drive all mechanical processes, the device of the robot utilizes a reconfigurable central network oscillator to sequence the processes of the devices limbs, each of which is it autonomous. Once activated, each limb sequentially executes its processes independent of the central sequencer. The nervous technology further provides a pulse delay circuit, with a delay of variable duration, which connected to a second pulse delay circuit acts as an artificial "neuron". The central and limb-actuating processes are achieved by a number of such "neurons" connected in series. The delay duration is determined merely by an analog bias input to one or more "neurons", which may be controlled remotely or in response to local sensor stimulation. The nervous network is made of basic elemental circuit called the pulse delay circuit (neuron). The neuron diagram is given below. It is made of simple electronic components like the resistor, capacitor and inverter. The capacitor forms a "differentiating element" in a circuit and responds to changes in input voltage. The inverter gives an output, which is the exact opposite of the input. So if a high input is given a low output is obtained and vice-versa. The

Similarly if many neurons are connected in series with one another, the output of the last neuron connected to the input of the first, it forms a closed loop oscillator in which the alternate neurons have similar states. The output of the circuit goes high and low repeatedly. This is one type of a nervous network. Many more complex nervous networks exist. The Pulse Delay Circuit (PDC) is shown. Certain additions to the basic neuron have been made. The resistors R1 may be referenced to ground, as shown in the figure in which case the PDC's will respond only to positive logic data and will be triggered by the leading edge of a pulse at the input of the inverter. Alternatively, resistor R1 may be referenced to the source voltage, in which case the PDC's will respond only to negative logic data and will be triggered by the trailing edge of a pulse at the input of the inverter. Below the inverter is the output waveform of the nervous neuron. It is a square wave. This wave essentially takes on a life of its own, and is often called a PROCESS. Depending on the network's initialization circuitry, we can have one or more active processes running around in it. The native state for a "raw" Nervous Net at power up is saturation -- here, there are half as many active processes as there are Nervous (alternate Nervous are active at any given time).

Another elemental component of the nervous network is the pulse neutralization circuit. The diagram of the Pulse Neutralization Circuit (PNC) is shown. It is different from the pulse delay circuit in that the position of the resistor and the capacitor has been interchanged. This is actually a neural neuron and it is

The central sequencing loop has four neurons forming a closed loop. The signal input is given to the first neuron C1. The biasing resistor is connected to the second neuron C2. Between the third neuron C3 and the fourth neuron C4 is connected the pulse neutralization circuit. As mentioned earlier the signal goes high and low at the output of every neuron. This signal output can be given as the input to every limb control circuit connected between the neurons. The limb control circuit is given below. here that the nervous network incorporates features from the neural network. The circuit is a modified low pass filter permitting signals of only low frequency i.e. signals of longer duration to pass through. The PNC can take any of the three configurations shown in the diagram. It is an effective circuit for controlling the introduction of pulses The limb circuit has four neurons N1-N4 connected in series. The input from the central sequencing loop is given to the first neuron. The four-neuron limb can run two motors, one for horizontal movement and the other for vertical movement. The motor is driven by a motor driver which is a buffer chip providing amplified output to the motor. Also the motor driver is a XOR gate and hence

to the central sequencing loop. These are the two principal circuits used in a legged robot built on nervous technology. Explained below is the implementation of the nervous technology in a fourlegged robot. The robot has two main nervous networks the first one being a central sequencing loop and the second a limb control circuit. The diagram of the central sequencing loop is shown below. activates the motor only if the inputs at the two terminals of the driver are opposite. Which input is high determines the direction of rotation. The motor is connected as shown. Consider a signal from the central sequencing loop. When it reaches the output of neuron N1 after a time delay, the junction J1 is high and junction J3 is low. Hence the driver turns the motor 1 in the forward direction. When the signal reaches the output of neuron N2 after a time delay, the junction J2 is high and junction J4 is low. Hence the driver turns the motor 2 in the forward direction. When the signal reaches the output of neuron N3 after a time delay, the junction J3 is high and junction J1 is low. Hence the driver turns the motor 1 in the reverse direction. When the signal reaches the output of neuron N4 after a time delay, the junction J4 is high and junction J2 is low. Hence the driver turns the motor 2 in the reverse direction. By this sequence of turns the motors would have moved the limb back, lifted it, moved the limb forward and then dropped it. This is basically how the limb moves. If every limb makes this pattern with a time delay the robot basically walks or even runs if the time delay is less. The above two circuits are built into the robot whose basic top view is given below.

The central sequencing loop along with the limb circuit and the PNC forms the overall control circuit of the robot, which is given above. The central sequencing loop has the four neurons C1-C4. Between every two neurons of the central sequencing loop is the limb circuit with four neurons and motors with their drivers. The PNC is connected to the central loop. A sensor-stimulated pulse of any duration less than the time constant of the PNC will have no effect, while a sustained stimulation will introduce a single pulse to the loop. If the sensor is stimulated for a sufficiently long time the PNC will activate and neutralize all pulses in the central sequencing loop. This is a simple remote control activator circuit

the next following PDC to start the pulse propagation sequence. Once a pulse is propagating around the central sequencing loop, the limb control circuits are initiated automatically in the manner described above. Through remote or local control, source applied to any inverter input will start the device, and source applied to any inverter output will stop it. It is easy to realize that for every limb just 2 neurons are needed and hence many limbs can be added easily using the 74xx240 or the 72xx14 inverter ICs. No additional complex circuitry is required for further legs. The motor driver can be a 74xx245 octal buffer chip. Also the need for external feedback is eliminated, though the PNC can be incorporated into the limb to provide feedback in complex terrain handling. Internal feedback exists between the motors depending on the load. This is also called impex feedback. This is the incorporation of nervous networks into robotics.

4. RESULTS
operating by infrared emitter. It will be apparent that other kinds of remote or local sensors can be employed in a similar fashion. It is preferable to have the source potential applied to the input of an inverter in the central sequencing loop while powering up, for some short period of time. Thus, upon power up the device executes one full cycle of its processes, essentially "settling in" to a ready mode, before all pulses are neutralized. A pulse may then be injected into the central sequencing loop through a sensor-controlled PNC or directly from the source potential, at the input of any PDC in the loop, initiating all processes. By biasing the PDC's in the central sequencing loop to fire at predetermined intervals, movement of each limb is initiated at the appropriate time. The speed of the firing sequence down the chain of each limb control circuit is similarly determined. However, except for the timing of the initiating pulse at the input of the proximal PDC, each limb control circuit operates completely independently of the central loop. In the central sequencing loop, these pulses can be neutralized to stop all motion by applying the source potential directly to the output of any inverter in the loop; this prevents the capacitor from discharging and effectively breaks the firing chain to the next PDC. A single pulse can be generated by applying the source potential directly to the input of any inverter in the loop; this drains the next following capacitor, which, upon charging when the source connection is removed, will fire The application of nervous networks in robotics to nullify complex circuitry in the control of the locomotion of the robot has been achieved. A judicious distribution of the various types of PNC's throughout the central sequencing circuit and the limb control circuits will integrate the various limb processes for smoother performance, and will facilitate the use and effects of many different types of sensors to render the device fully autonomous. It will be apparent that a walking device embodying the nervous network will have applications in many industries. o Such a walking device could patrol secured premises with a video camera transmitting signals to a remote recorder; could carry out cleaning and maintenance functions in inaccessible areas such as pipes, or in hazardous areas such as nuclear reactors. Equipped with a brush it could perform simple household chores such as dusting and cleaning floors.Because of its versatility and low cost the potential applications are unlimited.

The number of combinations and permutations of the circuits described here in are believed to be infinite,but the principles involved will remain the same.

5. THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS TECHNOLOGY

o The pulse delay circuit is very inexpensive and all components are presently available "off the shelf". Power requirements are very small. The control circuits simplify mechanical process controls to mere pulse trains, requiring no microprocessor, so that if a microprocessor is utilized it can be virtually entirely dedicated to task planning and information retrieval. The process controllers are self-stabilizing, and since each limb is essentially autonomous it is unnecessary to hardwire all actuators and sensors to the central torso; moreover, if a limb is damaged or malfunctions it can be removed from the sequence automatically, without affecting the central sequencing processes or the operation of any other limb. Books:

7. REFERENCES:

Robotics & Automation - Mark. W. Tilden. Pulse Digital Circuits and Switching Waveforms Millman and Taub. Linear Integrated Circuits Ramakant A. Gayakwad IEEE Magazines.

Resources: www.solarbotics.com www.beam-online.com www.beam-india.solarbotics.net

6. Future of Beam Robotics(Conclusion)

The future of BEAM is brighter as a clear sky sun. From a state of hobby it will emerge as a branch of study. New walking mechanisms touch and vision systems, and encrusted robots with photodiode scales are some recent innovations. Eventually, the B.E.A.M. robot cists hope to see all sorts of tiny robotic creatures lurking in the shadows of our lives, performing menial and repetitive tasks with hive-like efficiency. Swarms of B.E.A.M. bots could cut, vacuum your home and workplace (picture a colony of dung beetles wrangling dust bunnies), scrub out toxic chemical tanks, hunt down insect pests, re-seed the rain forest, and terrify the cats, dogs, and kids in your neighborhood. The possibilities are endless.