No subject

modular design I don't know if it buys you much
anymore but its a neat concept. 
Processors like the propeller can allow you to run 8
tasks in one chip. It can also control up to 32
servos. (Now-days servo controllers can cost less than
one servo).
The AX-12 servos have lots of logic and self
protection built in and chain together on a 3 wire
power-ground-data network but at $45 each that add$ up
quick for hexapods. But they are likely easier to
drive from one central processor.

Whether you are time-slicing tasks or running on
separate hardware, smoothly accomplishing movement, 
sensing, etc is still going to take lots of software
to get it done.
The cost of a bunch of PIC MCUs and support components
and circuit boards may end up being more than one
hefty enough processor and a servo controller and you
will need a solid inter-ic-communication link before
you get very far with multi-MCUs. Be wary of brownouts
and motor noise.

The software can be modular in design whether its all
running on one processor or split out to many.

So maybe its more about whats neatest to you and what
gets your development going faster, but I would like
to hear other opinions on this.

-Gray


--- Thelostcircuit <thelostcircuit at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello everyone,
> 
>                 I had an idea for a project. A sort
> of divide and conquer 
> method of approaching a task. I want to design a 6
> leg walking robot with 
> the ability to use AI algorithms for object
> avoidance and things like that. 
> However, that is not really, what I wanted to ask an
> opinion on.
> 
>                 The ideat was since PIC chips are
> not that expensive and do 
> not take up that much room. Why not divide the work
> into small tasks. Like 
> one chip controlling each leg. The chip responsible
> for that leg knows how 
> to operate the servos and things that move the leg.
> The chip hooked up to 
> the sensors knows how to read the data and convert
> the data into more 
> meaning full numbers and so on. This would leave
> more cycles for the main 
> processor to to the heavy lifting. In addition, it
> would give you more room 
> for more complex programs and algorithms to be
> performed by the main CPU.
> 
>                 The only downfall I would think
> would the platform would 
> have to be large enough to accommodate the extra
> electronics. It would also 
> use more energy.
> 
>                 Just wanted to pass the idea through
> the group to see what 
> all your thought where.
> 
> Jon
> 
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> 



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