Arduino-controlled two-motor walker

Arduino Robotics
Arduino-controlled two-motor walker
servoWalker121508_1.jpg
servoWalker121508_2.jpg

Spotted on the MAKE Flickr pool, this Arduino-controlled two-servo walker, demo’d at the recent Dorkbot Bristol. Looking at the images close up, you can see this is an insta-bot, made with just the two servos, some coat hanger, and zip ties.

Dorkbot Bristol, December 2008

Related:

picoServo121508.jpg

Speaking of servomotors, Solarbotics has just released some sweet-looking tiny (22.8×9.5×19.8 mm, 0.90×0.37×0.78 in) “pico servos.” Only $16 each.

The GWS PICO+ servo (GWSPIC+F/BB/F) has a ball-bearing supported output shaft, and a Futaba connector (great for connecting to microcontrollers!). It comes complete in a blister pack containing all mounting hardware and servo output arm options.

2 thoughts on “Arduino-controlled two-motor walker

  1. Richard Sewell says:

    That thing is maybe smaller than it looks.

    The wire is 1.2mm steel MIG wire, and the servos are these tiny (and cheap) things:
    http://www.servoshop.co.uk/index.php?pid=STECENERG&area=Servo

    Zip ties were not enough to hold the horizontal axis together, so I resorted to glue-gunning the arm of one servo onto the side of another.

    But, it did walk, and it could even (just about) go round corners, or at least big curves. I wasn’t sure it would even do that with only two servos. Maybe I’ll try three next time.

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Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

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