Beam Robotics and Nervous Networks

(Emerging Trends In Robotics)

Presented By:
K.Naga Sravani U.Nandita
R.V.R&J.C College of Engineering R.V.R&J.C College of Engineering
3/10,Brodipet 405,Hari Towers
Guntur (INDIA) Krishna Nagar,1 Line
st

Phone no:0863-2230122 Guntur(INDIA)

E-Mail:ramu_sitak@yahoo.co.in E-Mail:nanditau@yahoomail.com
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 reader’s feedback. We feel such a feedback is
vital to improving the knowledge of an efficient
engineer, thereby achieving its purpose.
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
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
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 0.1µF and resistance is

between 5 MΩ to 10 KΩ for a propagation delay of 0.25
to 1 sec. Low

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 nervous network. Many more complex nervous networks
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
value of
capacitance
increases
efficiency.
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
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 The limb circuit has four neurons N1-N4 connected in
filter permitting signals of only low frequency i.e. signals series. The input from the central sequencing loop is given
of longer duration to pass through. The PNC can take any to the first neuron. The four-neuron limb can run two
of the three configurations shown in the diagram. It is an motors, one for horizontal movement and the other for
effective circuit for controlling the introduction of pulses vertical movement. The motor is driven by a motor driver
to the central sequencing loop. which is a buffer chip providing amplified output to the
motor. Also the motor driver is a XOR gate and hence
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 four-
legged 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 the next following PDC to start the pulse propagation
and the PNC forms the overall control circuit of the robot, sequence. Once a pulse is propagating around the central
which is given above. sequencing loop, the limb control circuits are initiated
automatically in the manner described above. Through
 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
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
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 IC’s. 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. CONCLUSIONS
• 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.
o 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.