Kinematic simulation of a Binomial Distribution

[BillM]

Art

I've decided to learn more about the Kinematic capabilit ies of the Augie Vector processor . Over the last few days I viewed some of you videos regarding the processor and duplicate d some of your examples.

I always like to stress the limits of programs so I built a simulatio n to demonstra te the binomial distribut ion.  The inspirati on for this model was a box that I had built decades ago when my kids were in 4th or 5th grade. The box contained BB's, a bed of nails, and catch bins that demonstra ted the effect of a sequence of binary events that over time form the bell shaped binomial distribut ion.

The first two attachmen ts are jpg's of the simulatio n near the end of the run.  The attached .vcp file contains the simulatio n and I also encapsula ted the whole mess in a .mech file.  It took eight tries to tweak the model to get a reasonabl e approxima tion to the distribut ion.

The simulatio n starts out with 800 small balls that fall onto a funnel object. The funnel is an attempt to create a single stream of balls to drop into the grid of pins.  I lost count of the number of pins.

I run the simulatio n ~40% rather than 100%. I do see some anomalies at higher speeds where some of the balls drop through the catch bins at the bottom of the model. Perhaps these anomalies are caused by the decimatio n of some of the objecs and the sheer number of collision s the  program has to calculate .

I don't think I'll do much more with this model.  The comb structure of the catch bins should be taller.  The sides of the funnel should be longer since some of the balls spill over the edges.

Is there any way to delete empty layers?  The method I stumbled upon was to create a mech file of the entire project, start a new project and then import the mech file.

I'm still a bit confused over the layers and the relations hip to the simulatio n.  I first built up my simulatio n model by importing DXFs each of which ended up on a different layer.  In order to run the simulatio n I moved all of the chains to the same layer.

If I build any more simulatio n models I'll probably build up the component s of the model and create .mech files from the component s.

Bill

[BMeyers]

B-CNC (before CNC and before gearotic) I made a few - Galton Box/quincunx.  And drew a few but never cut them. 

Didn't consider using Gearotic to create a dynamic model.  THANKS!

[ArtF]

Bill:

   Im impressed that you got to that level. , I also found it funny as its the same test
I once used to test the entropy functions . Ill check on your question, I havent been there in
awhile so Im cant recall how to change levels.
  Ive turned off the -CON switch in general release as I was finished with the vector
processor experimen t and have plans to redo it in a better form at some point. Auggies
drawing capabilit y was too bad for it and was the impetus to start Vexx, which is much
better that drawing and such and is close to ready for such things as vector capabilit y
should I manage to get there.

  Thx for the photos and the descripti on, Ill get back to you with the level changing
capabilit y which as I recall was in a dialog somewhere ..

Thx
Art

[BillM]

BMeyers & Art

I am not a CNC person myself.  My interest in Gearotics and now the Kinematic capabilit ies of the Augie Vector processor is to model/simulate physical systems.

My first attempt used Gearotics to model an 1860's E Howard Tower Clock as documenta tion of the clocks design.  The gear train used actual gear measureme nts in the design of the model.

I liked BMeyer's note about the Galton Box/quincunx that he built.  I was unfamilia r with that particula r box.  My inspirati on for the box I built was a large scale device at a Science Museum that demonstra ted the principle .

Out of curiosity I dug around in our closets and attic and discovere d that I still had the device that I built decades ago. The attached two jpgs show the device in its initial and final states.  The zip file contains an MP4 movie shows the device in action.  I edited the file to show the first few seconds and last few seconds of the device in order to shrink the size of the file.  Note the shape of the final distribut ion compared to the Vector Processor model is quite similar.. .not that I am surprised .

It took a while for me to get used to operating my device. The firse time I released the BB's too quickly and they jammed at the mouth of the funnel.  The Vector Processor model of the device had similar problems (just goes to show that the physics of Art's program really work).  Notice that the balls in the model are spaced into groups to slow down the volume of balls hitting the funnel.

I still have a lot to learn about the Vector Processor and its features.  Art's videos are a great help to get one started using the Vector Processor .  Experimen ting with the processor is the best way to master its complexit y.

I'm not sure of what I'll try to model next...I'll continue to explore.

Bill

[ArtF]

Bill:

   Yes, there is something just very interesti ng about chaotic systems like that one.

  FYI, the reason greater speeds make things break is that Auggie doesnt ray trace a move, it computes
next position based on speed, so if a point goes into an object, that is sensed, but if a point is fast
enough it can go into , then back out of that object on the other side and that will not be seen as a collision .

  Its one of the many limitatio ns in trying to do things fast..

Art

[ArtF]

Hi Bill:

 Just checked and you should be able to move things to layers using the menu item layer. Create a new
layer, copy or move an item to a layer is in that menu. Even if from a saved mech file the item selected
should be able to be assigned to a layer at will.

   If this doesnt seem to be the answer, yell and Ill dig deeper.

Thx
Art

[BMeyers]

BillM:
Thanks for digging around your attic and posting photos of the device you built! Appreciat ed.