Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!well!nagle
From: nagle@well.sf.ca.us (John Nagle)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Discover and Rodney Brooks
Message-ID: <23647@well.sf.ca.us>
Date: 17 Mar 91 05:06:23 GMT
References: <13MAR91.12593277@secs.ucsc.edu> <5511@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU> <93183@lll-winken.LLNL.GOV>
Lines: 23


     The great strength of Rod Brooks' group is that they are quite good
at building machines, or what the Japanese call "mechatronics".  The
first legged machine was built by Brooks and one grad student in six
weeks.  That's quite an achievement.  The integration between the
electronics and the mechanics in that lab is quite good.  There
are many little details handled well there.  Using the M68HC11 SPI
lines as a token ring and bringing out the error signal from R/C
servos comes to mind.

     Working small seems to be a win.  Mobile robotics in the '80s
suffered badly from domination by the Army Tank Command's influence
via the Strategic Computing Initiative (or "Star Wars for the ground").
The field moved to big vehicles, including one group with a Bradley
Fighting Vehicle.  Several groups had truck-sized  machines, and one group
(at OSU) built a multiton four-legged walker.  Work on this heavy metal
diverted effort from the artificial intelligence end of the problem,
as well as making testing an outdoor job.

     Superior engineering skills and good engineering judgement
account for much of the success of Brooks' efforts.

					John Nagle