Microship Status 08/05/93

Hey...

Good telcon today with Rich Lehrbaum of Ampro Computers re the PC/104 standard, which emerged from their "Mini-Module" series of embedded PCs (3.6 by 3.8 inch form factor, single +5 supply). Since I used these on BEHEMOTH, over 30 manufacturers have produced compatible products, leading to what Rick calls "object-oriented hardware design." Off-the-shelf boards exist for data acquisition and control, Sharp color LCD interface, speech I/O, communications, and all the other goodies, and my thinking is that this should be the core of the Microship Control System. It is highly likely that Ampro will continue sponsorship -- he was very pleased to hear about my involvement with the ECE department here at UCSD and likes the thought of contributing to engineering education. A care package of info is coming.

Assuming that a PC/104 ROM-based DOS machine is the MCS hub, we now need to select an ultra-low power platform for the autonomous distributed controllers for power management, security, and so on (and decide how much functionality should be distributed and how much handled by the host -- a decision driven by such diverse factors as cabling, power budget, project team cooperation, software upgrades, and reliability). A strong candidate for the little guys is the Neuron chip from Echelon, and other possibilities include DS5000's networked Faddis-style and FORTH 68HC11s on a current loop.
Quickies...

Subscribed to Multihulls Magazine. Requested literature on the Neuron Chips. Began quest for info on commercially available symmetrical trimaran amas that may serve as my main hull.

Good chat with TJ today about the solar-array cooling problem. First issue: is it a problem? If so, other issues arise... is it worth it to try active cooling, like embedding an array of tubes in the layup, bonded to copper sheet underlying the modules, then flowing water through it? If we do that, is the energy cost and weight enough to offset the efficiency increase, and if not, is the improvement in human comfort adequate payoff? Are there long-term reliability issues associated with thermal-cycling an uncooled layup? A project here for someone....

You know, when this is all done, we're going to have one MONSTER project-presentation party. Imagine the number of participants and the range of interconnected projects, papers, and demos! We should do that on campus, then rumble down to Mission Bay for the launch party and media sendoff. But I'm getting a little ahead of myself. Time to go cut up some cardboard for a cockpit mockup <sigh>.

Well, I didn't get quite that far, but TJ scored some fine cardboard and we made a run to Seaweed Canyon to pick up lumber and other raw materials. I moved the Linear Recumbent over to the lab, and we stared at it a while in various stages of disassembly. This could work, but ONLY if it's a V-hull or something larger than a stock double kayak (CG is too high for kayak, among other issues). After I get a support frame made, the real scope of the problem will emerge when I start shaping the human operating envelope.
The Technomadic Flotilla concept is slowly developing, with 11 people now on the mailing list and two others considering it. I think the default watercraft should be a stock kayak containing a pedal drive, small outriggers, simple commercial kayak sail, and the network node described in Nomadness Notes #23. I'm hoping this group will take on a life of its own and develop in parallel with the Microship...

All for tonight... cheers! Steve