/FONT#1=BDR30/FONT#2=SIGN57/FONT#3=NGR25/FONT#4=NGR20
␈↓↓␈↓α␈↓β␈↓∧␈↓α␈↓ ¬7VICARM␈↓ ↓H
␈↓β␈↓ ¬=154 EAST DANA STREET␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ¬)MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA. 94041␈↓ ↓H
␈↓∧␈↓ 
+   Telephone:␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ 
+415-965-0557␈↓ ↓H
␈↓↓␈↓ ¬]December 22, 1975␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
Mr. Russell Noftsker␈↓ ↓H
Pertron Controls Corp.␈↓ ↓H
15904 Strathern St. Suite 5␈↓ ↓H
Van Nuys, CA 91406␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
Dear Russ:␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α This␈α
letter␈α
is␈α
sent␈α
in␈αresponse␈αto␈αyour␈αletter␈αof␈αDecember␈α1.␈αI'd␈αlike␈αto␈αstart␈αwith␈αa␈αstatus␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hreport␈αon␈αthe␈αelectronics␈αyou␈αdesigned␈αand␈αbuilt␈αfor␈αVicarm.␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α As␈α
of␈α
today,␈α
we␈α
have␈α
not␈α
yet␈α
shipped␈α
the␈α
manipulator␈αsystem.␈αThis␈αis␈αprimarily␈αbecause␈αwe␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hhave␈α⊃not␈α⊃yet␈α⊃succeeded␈α⊃in␈α⊂making␈α⊂your␈α⊂electronics␈α⊂operate␈α⊂properly.␈α⊂You␈α⊂should␈α⊂know␈α⊂that␈α⊂as␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hdelivered␈α∂to␈α∂us␈α∂your␈α∂electronics␈α∞was␈α∞not␈α∞operational.␈α∞Modifications␈α∞have␈α∞been␈α∞required␈α∞to␈α∞every␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hcard␈α∂delivered␈α∂or␈α∞designed.␈α∞This␈α∞includes␈α∞the␈α∞servo␈α∞cards,␈α∞the␈α∞driver␈α∞cards,␈α∞the␈α∞brake␈α∞cards,␈α∞and␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hthe␈α
manual␈α
control␈α
card.␈αAs␈αof␈αthis␈αmoment␈αwe␈αare␈αstill␈αworking␈αon␈αamplifier␈αstability␈αproblems.␈αA␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hsuitable␈α
solution␈α
to␈αthis␈αmay␈αeven␈αrequire␈αa␈αnew␈αdriver␈αcard␈αfor␈αthe␈αcurrent␈αsystem,␈αand␈αcertainly␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Ha␈α∪new␈α∪one␈α∪for␈α∪future␈α∪systems.␈α∩We␈α∩have␈α∩yet␈α∩to␈α∩even␈α∩attempt␈α∩to␈α∩adjust␈α∩the␈α∩servos␈α∩to␈α∩meet␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hresponse␈αand␈αovershoot␈αrequirements.␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α In␈α
December␈α
of␈α
1974,␈α
I␈αapproached␈αyou␈αabout␈αthe␈αpossibilities␈αof␈αyour␈αassisting␈αme␈αwith␈αthe␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hdesign␈α∂of␈α∂a␈α∂servo␈α∂system␈α∂for␈α∂the␈α∂model␈α∂Stanford␈α∂arm.␈α∂At␈α∂that␈α∂time,␈α∂I␈α∂already␈α∂had␈α∞a␈α∞quote␈α∞from␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓HDave␈α∞Bailey␈α∞on␈α∞position␈α∞servo␈α∞and␈α
driver␈α
cards␈α
to␈α
supplement␈α
the␈α
control␈α
and␈α
logic␈α
cards␈α
already␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hdeveloped␈αby␈αhim.␈αI␈αhad␈αeven␈αbegun␈αconstruction␈αof␈αthe␈αchassis␈αand␈αpower␈αsupplies.␈αYou␈αstated␈αthat␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hyou␈αcould␈αtake␈αover␈αthe␈αtask␈αof␈αmaking␈αthis␈αsystem␈αwork,␈αand␈αcould␈αaccomplish␈αthe␈αjob␈αin␈αa␈αmatter␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hof␈αweeks␈α(I␈αremember␈αyour␈αestimates␈αas␈αmentioning␈αFebruary␈αor␈αMarch.␈αNot␈αonly␈αthat,␈αyou␈αassured␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hme␈α⊃that␈α⊃the␈α⊃costs␈α⊃would␈α⊃be␈α⊃comparable␈α⊃with␈α⊃the␈α⊃prices␈α⊃Dave␈α⊂Bailey␈α⊂was␈α⊂quoting.␈α⊂In␈α⊂fact,␈α⊂you␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hagreed␈α∞that␈α∞it␈α∞would␈α∞be␈α∞a␈α∞good␈α∞idea␈α∞to␈α∞use␈α∞Dave␈α∞Bailey's␈α∞digital␈α∞control␈α∞and␈α∞analog␈α
cards.␈α
I␈α
even␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hpurchased␈αthese␈αfor␈αuse.␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α Since␈α⊂that␈α⊂time,␈α⊂only␈α⊂two␈α⊂systems␈α⊂have␈α⊂been␈α⊂built.␈α⊂Neither␈α⊂one␈α⊂came␈α⊂anywhere␈α∂close␈α∂to␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hbeing␈αa␈αreally␈αdeliverable␈αunit␈αas␈αcompleted␈αby␈αyou.␈αThe␈αN.B.S.␈αunit␈αshould␈αnever␈αhave␈αbeen␈αshipped,␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hand␈α⊂I␈α⊂have␈α⊂had␈α⊂to␈α⊂promise␈α⊂them␈α⊂another␈α⊂unit.␈α∂They␈α∂even␈α∂claim␈α∂to␈α∂be␈α∂afraid␈α∂to␈α∂use␈α∂the␈α∂system,␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hbecause␈α∂of␈α∂the␈α∂many␈α∂small␈α∂operating␈α∞problems.␈α∞Likewise,␈α∞with␈α∞the␈α∞G.M.␈α∞arm␈α∞system.␈α∞We␈α∞believed␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hyou␈α
when␈α
you␈α
assured␈α
us␈α
that␈α
your␈α
designs␈α
were␈α
debugged,␈α
thoroughly␈αtested␈αand␈αcould␈αbe␈αrelied␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hupon␈α∞to␈α∞work␈α∞with␈α∞a␈α∞minimum␈α∞of␈α∞debugging.␈α∞We␈α∞even␈α∞made␈α
up␈α
P.C.␈α
cards␈α
to␈α
your␈α
drawings.␈α
Well,␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hthe␈α⊂sad␈α⊂fact␈α⊂is␈α⊂that␈α⊂we␈α⊂are␈α⊂presently␈α∂making␈α∂over␈α∂the␈α∂brake␈α∂and␈α∂manual␈α∂control␈α∂cards,␈α∂and␈α∂are␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hseriously␈α
thinking␈α
of␈α
redesigning␈α
the␈α
driver␈α
card.␈α
All␈αthis␈αwill␈αhave␈αto␈αbe␈αdone␈αbefore␈αshipment␈αof␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hthe␈αG.M.␈αorder.␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α Vicarm␈α∞invested␈α∞a␈α∞lot␈α∞of␈α∞time,␈α∞money,␈α∞effort␈α∞and␈α∞prestige␈α∞in␈α
this␈α
effort␈α
to␈α
develop␈α
an␈α
arm␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hdriver␈α
unit.␈α
We␈α
realize␈α
that␈α
you␈α
too␈α
put␈α
in␈α
a␈α
large␈α
effort.␈α
But␈α
we␈α
also␈α
realize␈α
that␈αa␈αgood␈αpart␈αof␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hthis␈α⊃effort␈α⊃was␈α⊃related␈α⊃to␈α⊃duplication␈α⊃of␈α⊃already␈α⊃developed␈α⊃areas,␈α⊃such␈α⊃as␈α⊃the␈α⊃brake␈α⊃logic␈α⊃and␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hswitching␈α
logic.␈α
In␈α
addition,␈α
you␈α
spent␈α
much␈α
time␈α
repetitively␈α
debugging␈α
and␈αfixing␈αp.c.␈αcards␈αwhich␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hshould␈αhave␈αbeen␈αdebugged␈αin␈αbreadboard␈αstage.␈αIn␈αspite␈αof␈αthe␈αfact␈αthat␈αVicarm␈αprovided␈αyou␈αwith␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Ha␈α∞power␈α∞supply␈α∞and␈α∞sample␈α∞motor,␈α∞you␈α∞never␈α∞did␈α
show␈α
us␈α
a␈α
complete␈α
breadboard␈α
of␈α
anything.␈α
We␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Htrusted␈α∂your␈α∂statements␈α∂that␈α∂everything␈α∂was␈α∞going␈α∞to␈α∞work␈α∞in␈α∞short␈α∞order,␈α∞and␈α∞in␈α∞fact,␈α∞assisted␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hyou␈αby␈αfabricating␈αsome␈αboards␈αourselves␈αto␈αspeed␈αthings␈αup.␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α You␈α∂have␈α∂sent␈α∂us␈α∂a␈α∂bill.␈α∂This␈α∂December␈α∂1␈α∂bill␈α∂is␈α∂the␈α∂first␈α∂formal␈α∂bill␈α∞you␈α∞have␈α∞sent␈α∞since␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hagreeing␈α
to␈α
help␈α
us␈α
make␈α
this␈α
system.␈α
On␈α
numerous␈α
occaisions␈α
prior␈α
to␈α
now,␈α
I␈α
asked␈α
you␈α
to␈α
price␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hthings␈α∞out.␈α∞During␈α∞this␈α∞past␈α∞year,␈α∞besides␈α
some␈α
individual␈α
components␈α
bills,␈α
you␈α
gave␈α
me␈α
only␈α
one␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hprice.␈α∞That␈α∞price␈α∞was␈α∞$200␈α∞per␈α∞joint␈α∞for␈α∞delivery␈α∞of␈α∞the␈α∞complete␈α∞servo␈α∞for␈α∞an␈α∞arm.␈α
I␈α
questioned␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hyou␈α
on␈α
what␈α
this␈αincluded␈αand␈αI␈αunderstood␈αit␈αto␈αmean␈αthat␈αyou␈αwould␈αdeliver␈αa␈αcompletely␈αtested␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hservo␈αcard,␈αa␈αcompletely␈αtested␈αdriver␈αcard,␈αand␈αa␈αcompletely␈αtested␈αpower␈αtransistor␈αassembly,␈αall␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hmounted␈α
on␈α
a␈α
heatsink␈αwith␈αthe␈αbackplane␈αwired.␈αCounting␈αseven␈α(7)␈αjoints␈αper␈αarm,␈αthat␈αwould␈αbe␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H$1,400␈α∃per␈α∃arm␈α∃for␈α∃those␈α∃units.␈α∃Well,␈α∃I␈α∃thought␈α∃your␈α∃price␈α∃reasonable...␈α∃in␈α∃fact␈α∃maybe␈α∃too␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hreasonable.␈α∂And␈α∂by␈α∂your␈α∂bill,␈α∞it␈α∞seems␈α∞that␈α∞you␈α∞now␈α∞have␈α∞second␈α∞afterthoughts,␈α∞as␈α∞your␈α∞price␈α∞is␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hroughly␈α
three␈α
times␈α
what␈α
I␈α
thought␈α
you␈α
had␈α
in␈α
mind.␈α
Not␈αonly␈αthat,␈αyou␈αare␈αquoting␈αroughly␈αthree␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Htimes␈αthat␈αprice␈αfor␈αfuture␈αsystems,␈α(or␈αelse␈αthe␈αprice␈αof␈αthe␈αpower␈αsupply,␈αcabinet␈αand␈αbrake␈αlogic␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓His␈αastronomical).␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α Well,␈α∞I␈α∞have␈α∞discussed␈α∞your␈α∞bill␈α∞and␈α∞services␈α∞with␈α∞Brian,␈α∞and␈α∞others,␈α∞and␈α
Vicarm␈α
feels␈α
that␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hyour␈α∂bill␈α∂is␈α∂out␈α∂of␈α∂line,␈α∂considering␈α∂the␈α∂state␈α∂of␈α∂the␈α∞delivered␈α∞work,␈α∞and␈α∞the␈α∞effort␈α∞required␈α∞on␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓HVicarm's␈α⊂part␈α⊂to␈α⊂secure␈α⊂what␈α⊂was␈α⊂eventually␈α⊂delivered,␈α⊂and␈α⊂the␈α⊂effort␈α⊂required␈α∂to␈α∂actually␈α∂sell␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hyour␈α
work.␈α
Thus,␈α
Vicarm␈α
is␈α
prepared␈α
to␈α
pay␈α
you␈α
what␈α
we␈α
feel␈α
is␈α
a␈α
fair␈α
sum␈α
for␈α
the␈α
net␈α
result␈α
of␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hyour␈α⊂effort.␈α⊂Vicarm␈α⊂will␈α⊂pay␈α⊂you␈α⊂$4,500␈α⊂for␈α⊂all␈α⊂you␈α⊂have␈α⊂done␈α⊂to␈α⊂date,␈α⊂providing␈α⊂you␈α⊂agree␈α∂to␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hreturn␈αthe␈αpower␈αsupply,␈αmotors,␈αand␈αall␈αother␈αitems␈αloaned␈αto␈αyou␈αfrom␈αVicarm,␈αand␈αalso␈αdeliver␈α5␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hcopies␈αof␈αthe␈αServo␈αCard␈αand␈αDriver␈αCard␈αschematics␈αto␈αus.␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓HUpon␈α⊂reciept␈α⊂of␈α⊂a␈α⊂letter␈α∂from␈α∂you␈α∂agreeing␈α∂to␈α∂this␈α∂sum␈α∂as␈α∂payment␈α∂in␈α∂full␈α∂for␈α∂all␈α∂expenses␈α∂and␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hservices␈α⊂rendered␈α∂to␈α∂date,␈α∂Vicarm␈α∂will␈α∂immediately␈α∂mail␈α∂you␈α∂a␈α∂check␈α∂for␈α∂$3,000␈α∂($4,500␈α∂-␈α∂$1,500␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Halready␈αpaid).␈αWe␈αlook␈αforward␈αto␈αhearing␈αfrom␈αyou␈αshortly.␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ εW
␈↓ εW
Yours sincerely,␈↓ εW
␈↓ εW
␈↓ εW
␈↓ εW
Victor Scheinman␈↓ εW
    President␈↓ εW
␈↓ εW
␈↓ ↓H
VDS:pdp10␈↓ ↓H