Making a robot can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Itโs the perfect combination of creativity, engineering and problem solving. However, if youโre just getting started in robotics, it can also be overwhelming. To make things easier for those who are just starting out, weโve 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!
My living room looks like Darwinโs laboratory. A three-legged creature writhes on the floor. My daughter pulls off a leg and connects it to its face. My son teaches it to walk. Itโs really moving now! This is how you play and learn with Topobo. Topobo is part construction toy, part kinetic memory robot. By […]
Ready for a challenge? Try one of the robotic arms from Lynxmotion. I got their AL5B arm kit, which sports a 5oz lift capacity, five joints, and a reach of 7ยฝ inches. I assembled it in one evening, and Iโve been having a blast with it ever since. All arms in the product line are […]
Around my house Iโve renamed my MadeUSA โBig Bruiserโ for the black and blue marks it leaves on my ankles when it runs into me during programming tests. Chalk it up to an occupational hazard. And besides, I got these bruises while having fun. This bot, which is strong enough to cart around a full-grown […]
Who would have thought a company that makes pencils and pens could come up with such a cool robotics kit for all ages! Inside the box are five windup mechanisms, plus various arts and crafts goodies to make a veritable army of whirring and walking mechanical denizens. You get some pre-cut stiff paper to construct […]
Mr. General is aย solderless breadboard on wheels โ one of my favorite ways to play with robotics. Mr. General puts it all on a sturdy frame, throws in a nifty servo-operated object detector, and even 140 colored wires. You supply the microcontroller; I recommend a small all-in-one board, like the BASIC Stamp, Boarduino, or Arduino […]
Hereโs an easy-to-build robot base that combines a custom Arduino development board with inexpensive motors and tank-style tracks. It even comes with its own lithium polymer power pack and self-charging circuit, so you donโt need to add batteries. To construct the DFRobotShop Rover you have to first assemble the twin motor gearbox and rubber treads […]
Eight mini servo motors and an assortment of acrylic pieces combine to create the QuadBot, a low-cost, four-legged robotic pet you can assemble in under an hour. The kit doesnโt come with brains or batteries; add those yourself. Each leg uses two servos, making this a 2DOF (two degrees of freedom) walkerbot. Exercising a bit […]
