Making a robot can be an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s the perfect combination of creativity, engineering and problem solving. However, if you’re just getting started in robotics, it can also be overwhelming. To make things easier for those who are just starting out, we’ve put together some tips and tricks to help makers bring robots to life! From the basics of assembling your robot to software implementation, these pointers will give you everything you need to get started on your robotic adventure!
YouTuber 36AM3B has lots of cool deployable-structure models in his channel, including an expanding frame (visible to the rear in this video) made from 5 of these 6-bar linkages. I got interested in Bricard linkages because of this recent model from Thingiverse user raju, which purports also to be a 6-bar Bricard linkage but looks, to me, an awful like what I’ve always called a kaleidocycle or flexahedron.
Another walking robot today! This one walks on 24 pneumatically-powered legs made from oxygen tubing, by Monica Anderson. [via BoingBoing]
I should start considering more fiber enclosures for electronics, look how awesome this soft crawly earth robot is! However, creators Osamu Iwasaki and Hanakomet still call it RobotKnit, despite the fact that it is clearly crochet. After watching the video on repeat for the last fifteen minutes, I think I can forgive them. [via Fashioning […]
Time again for another Android controlled robot demo. This time it’s the venerable PLEN. Watch as the the diminutive 9-inch bot is put through it’s paces as the demonstrator deftly navigates the touchscreen controls.
Although the “look” of this dancing-girl automaton by English toymaker Ron Fuller is not personally to my taste, I could not resist the fact that it is powered by a stream of falling sand, which is a trick I’ve never seen before. Thanks to YouTuber greninmotion for the video. [via The Automata / Automaton Blog]
I should probably just go ahead and apologize to San Francisco animator and artist Sarah Dugan for posting these images of her awesome robot-uprising-themed prints without giving her a chance to restock her Etsy shop with same. Hopefully she’ll be amenable to direct inquiries from interested buyers. Like me. Because I definitely need one of each of these. [via BotJunkie]
My friend Chad Jenkins turned me on to this very nifty and very functional robot arm for the iRobot Create. It’s elegant in its simplicity, and would be a great weekend robotics project.
