Re: Open source robot controllers

On 24 Sep 2001, Dominic Létourneau wrote:

[...]
> > I'm looking for such a builder interface: draw a schematic, and you
> > get a program. But I want to have something better than Simulink, in
> > the sense that the user can only draw what is physically meaningful.
> > That is, the `ports' between parts should be compatible, and an
> > `effort' port should be accompanied by a `flow' port. I guess this is
> > within the design scope of Overflow?
>
> I think it is feasible with Overflow. Right now (however) we do not
> check for compatible inputs / outputs. We already have a description of
> what nodes are, input types and output types, parameters,  built into
> the system. We could easily add port compatibility verifications.

Do you have any particular implementation technique in mind already?

> I also think that those verifications should be accomplished
> at "build" time and not "run-time"

Indeed! It's supporting the users in building their models.

[...]
> I do agree that it should be as easy as lego Mindstorms to program!

Mmmm, I'm quite sceptical about that :-) I don't believe that
inherently complex systems can be made ``userfriendly''! You always
have to understand what you're doing, and no GUI can help you with
that. The good GUIs _can_ help you with turning your understanding
into a working model quickly and robustly :-)

Herman