[phrontist]

I can't imagine anyone needs an external processor to accomplish their autonomus tasks, but I could be wrong. I'm using three quaderature encoders, two potentiometers and the CMU cam, the data from which is used for some fairly complex navigation absractions and multiple feedback systems, and I haven't felt the limitations of the processor yet. What could you possibly be doing that requires a coprocessor? Calculating trajectories through some sort of crazy iterative method? I suppose that would justify it, but you are probably better off just linearizing a lot of empirical data to get a robot range to turret tilt (or shooter speed) function.

In the end you have to control everything through the main processor anyway, so it's not like you can run control loops faster...