The project is ongoing. Circuit designs listed here are stable, but software across the board is undergoing a big shift: things are getting better. Currently aiming at March 1 *release* of dataflow-all-the-way-down.
The project is ongoing. Circuit designs listed here are stable, but softwares are changing.
## What it Is
The *Distributed Dataflow Machine Controllers* project (pending a decent name) is a collection of reconfigurable open hardware and software for machine-building, process development, and robotics projects.
The *Distributed Dataflow Machine Controllers* project is a collection of reconfigurable open hardware and software for machine-building, process development, and robotics projects.
It uses a Distributed Dataflow Programming Paradigm: hardware and software objects are all nodes in a graph, executing computing and physical tasks, together!
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(Most of these machines are built with parametric designs for their constituent components, that project is here: [RCT Gantries](https://gitlab.cba.mit.edu/jakeread/rctgantries)).
# The Endpoints

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## Wiring
#### Powering Boards
### Powering Distribution
The network cables don't carry any power, just four pairs of differential signals. So each board needs a power connection as well.
I have a small set of power distribution boards:
[PDBs](https://gitlab.cba.mit.edu/jakeread/pdbs)
I hook these up end-to-end to make blocks of just-the-kind of power splitter, etc, that I want.
The boards should all share a ground, but can run on different voltages of input power. Most will take 24v on two M3 screw-mounts - I use eye terminals soldered to 18ga wire to deliver power.
The router can also accept power from a USB device. If you're powering it over USB, *do not* also power it via 24v.
Last thing, don't power your supply on before you go to screw power connections onto the boards. Wire them up, and then switch on.
#### Network Cables
### Network Cables
At a bare minimum, you're going to be hooking these things up to power, and to each other (network).