Last year, we ran a project series and contest to design and build CoasterBots, simple autonomous, programmable robots built from dead CD media (aka “coasters”). It was a roaring success. We had a lot of participants and some truly inspired project entries. Jameco Electronics, the sponsor of the campaign, also put together an awesome parts bundle with us.
Does robot month have you itching to start building? Maker Bundle #1 from the Maker Shed will have you bot building in no time! This bundle includes the electronic parts to build four robots; Mousy the Junkbot, Trimet, Solarroller, and Beetlebot.
Remember Keepon, the simple, yet super-engaging little yellow dancing bot? His designers, the folks at BeatBots, have created his cousin Spazzi, the solenoid-powered dancebot, and Spazzi is one of the stars of our newest issue of MAKE, Volume 27, the Robots issue.
Old technology can be simply amazing. Centuries before Arduinos, servos, and electric motors, Japanese artisans came up with the mechanisms for the Karakuri Somersault Doll. The technology for this doll was reconstructed from original figurines by the kit builders at Gakken, so you can recreate one yourself! The kit includes everything you need to build the doll including the screwdriver.
In the last couple of years quadrotors have become a leading platform for aerial robotics. Precision control, maneuverability, and the ability to pack on a payload make quadrotors the choice when designing an aerial robot.
Gareth’s 2010 post about Petaluma, CA, propmaker Shawn Thorsson’s insane HALO costumes was one of our ten most-trafficked posts of the year, so when Shawn sends in a link, we sit up and take notice. This time it’s a ray gun propcasting project featuring one of the pistols from Mass Effect 2. Among other clever tricks, Shawn shows you how to recycle old, cured molds to use as filler when making new ones, thereby saving on expensive silicone.
Make reader Anders Haglund sent word of Edward Ford’s Project ShapeOko, which strives to build a complete and open DIY desktop CNC machine (including electronics) for around $300.
