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From: ssridhar@pase60.Convergent.Com (Srinivasan Sridhar)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: Re: IBM 7565 alternative controller ?
Message-ID: <5497@risky.Convergent.COM>
Date: 11 Jun 91 20:23:04 GMT
References: <1991Jun10.170410.6368@eng.ufl.edu>
Sender: root@risky.Convergent.COM
Reply-To: ssridhar@pase60.UUCP (Srinivasan Sridhar)
Organization: Unisys Network Computing Group (CT), San Jose, CA
Lines: 41

In article <1991Jun10.170410.6368@eng.ufl.edu> stef@joker.mil.ufl.edu writes:
>In our lab we have an IBM 7565 hydraulic-actuated gantry robot.
>This robot is controlled by a wardrobe-sized computer called "Series/1"
>based upon a 20-years-technology which has at least these
>undesirable features:
>
>- low performance
>- somewhat unreliable electronics
>- no support for interconnection and networking.
>
>Does anyone know of a controller for the 7565 running on a different
>platform either supporting the same language (AML) or a  different one ?

The  IBM 7535 does run using a PC as the "software controller".  But it too,
does have it's own hardware controller that interfaces with the IBM PC.

If it is just the user interface of AML, I should think that you could 
hook up a PC to the Series 1 and avoid the full/line editor of the Series 
1.  I think that while the compile time is rather heavy on the Series 1, 
the software interfaces of AML are rather good (not that you are
complaining, I'm just expressing my satisfaction).  We did several mods 
on the '65 when we had it at Kansas State.  Also, since the machine pair 
(or triple ?) was gifted by IBM's research labs in Austin, we had a fair 
amount of hardware hooked up already.  In fact had more features than we 
could ever use.

Back to your question-  I would try one of Amdhal's machines (if they make 
compatiable Series 1's, that is).  My guess would be that AML (the '65
version is totally different than the PC version) for the Series 1 was made
for the '65 only.  It depends on many of the hardware features as well as
the O/S features of the Series 1.  IBM at Boca Raton or Austin might give
you a different picture of this.

Good Luck, we would be interested in how you did.

--Sridhar

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Srinivasan Sridhar 				ssridhar@convergent.com
UNIX Systems Group, UNISYS NCG, San Jose, CA    (408) 435-7660
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