Multi-limbed robots such as hexapods can be very complex and expensive. This is a relatively cheap and simple 8-legged robot made with chopsticks, Polymorph and an Arduino-compatible controller. Most of the servos cost under $8 if you shop around. I have seen the 12Kg/cm servos for as little as $13 at HobbyKing.
The construction is pretty easy but takes time as you often have to hold parts in position and wait for the Polymorph to cool. Patience is definitely a virtue. Cold weather will speed things up.
This project will show you how to make an 8-legged spider robot. As you need 3 servos for each leg the servos are the most expensive component. You can make fewer legs for a quadruped or hexapod if you wish to save money.
I used two pan/tilt kits fitted with IR compound eyes for close-range object tracking. These are relatively cheap and give your robot the ability to play with people which adds a lot to its personality. See the videos below.
I’m very up to the challenge of making this, but (from a person with very limited experience), the parts list seem so unspecific. It takes me a bit to find each, and often from different stores online – and some bits, e.g. the 5kg/cm servo I just can’t seem to find.
While I suppose you probably don’t feel you want to point people to specific brands and shops, why not specify the actual makers of the parts, so it all would be a bit easier to find for me and others?
Otherwise, great job – I love that robot!
Are the eight 12kg/cm servos for the hip joints, and the sixteen 5kg/cm servos for “thigh” and knee joints?
I am building a Hex-A-Pod with three servo’s per leg, this electronics and control look perfect to borg in! I am printing it all on the parts on my 3D printer. Is this OddBot covered anywhere else?
OddBot is a long time member of http://letsmakerobots.com. You will find lots of great stuff from him and many others at the LMR website.
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