robot robot robot HOP

[gfish]

For the first time in a year and a half, GYRE is fully assembled. And it's looking good. I mean, check out the new thrusters! neuro42 did an amazing job on them. And three permanently mounted onboard computers, one for each camera, each one more powerful than the old laptop we used to have kludged on. The hardware is getting damned nice.

Safety docs due Friday, then plenty of time for working on the code. For once, I think we're doing this right.

Comments

[damiana-swan.livejournal.com]

So! Cool!

I've got a silly non-geek question for you ... are you going to set it up so that the computers are backup for each other in case one fails?

[corivax.livejournal.com]

No. In the short timespans we're running it, that's pretty unlikely. Also, each computer has a dedicated purpose (runs one of the cameras) and needs all its resources for that.

[gfish.livejournal.com]

As the bird indicated, each computer is being used completely. We're right at the space and weight (mass!) limits already. We couldn't add redundant computers even if we needed to.

Basically, the vision code will eat as many cycles as we can throw at it and still be hungry for more. We have three cameras, trying to run as close to 30 frames a second as possible, with a very consiserable amount of processing to be done on each frame. In 2003 we were lucky to get through a complete cycle of all three cameras ever 1.5 seconds. This year, hopefully, that will be closer to 250 milliseconds, which will still be a long way from the target of 33.