MAKE | Maker Workshop – Miniature Robots on Make: television

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By Make: television
Posted 2009/02/20 @ 9:58 am
Category General

John Park builds some lively and inexpensive miniature robots. Starting with a simple vibrabot made from a scrub brush, John assembles a solar junkbot and a slightly more complex beetlebot, which has paper clip ‘feelers’ attached to switches that allow it to respond to its environment. All it takes are a few common electronic components and some everyday objects and you can make an entertaining robot all your own.

Check out the PDF for details on how to build your own bots.

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8 Responses to Maker Workshop – Miniature Robots on Make: television

dennisj on February 21st, 2009 at 11:36 am said:

I’ve been looking everywhere for perforated metal like that. I need it more as a design/cosmetic element. I haven’t really had success finding something with a fine mesh. This is exactly what I’m looking for:

http://i10.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/d3/7c/d180_1_sbl.JPG

Anyone have an idea where I can find this kind of material?

Thanks,

Dennis

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crystal stone on February 21st, 2009 at 2:29 pm said:

good job guys, i loved the video, informative!

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Jose.Torres on February 21st, 2009 at 6:43 pm said:

I am a long time roboticist and I am very pleased by the way this episode was presented. Two thumbs up!

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John Park on February 21st, 2009 at 9:23 pm said:

Dennis, I had some left over from an audio installation, but check smallparts.com
Crystal and Jose, thanks so much, I’m glad you liked the episode!

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Garrett on February 22nd, 2009 at 12:05 am said:

No mention of Evil Mad Scientist Labs when discussing the bristlebot? Was there a mention in the credits on the version of this segment that was broadcast on TV? Not trying to stir up anything here, but it seems like a pretty big oversight considering the events leading up to this weekend.

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Phillip Torrone on February 22nd, 2009 at 6:16 am said:

@Garrett – EMSL is on our advisory board, they’re in the pages of MAKE and on our site – you’ll see them at maker faire in may too, we are always working with them. you can even buy their kits from MAKE.

we did not make a tv show called “bristlebots” or a book/toy and later claim we invented the bots or the term. showing examples of little bots on a tv segment is a lot different than what scholastic and klutz attempted to do. which by the way is resolved now, they are giving EMSL credit.

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Garrett on February 22nd, 2009 at 9:20 am said:

That’s cool…is there someplace on your site I can see the list of people on your advisory board?

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Phillip Torrone on February 22nd, 2009 at 9:25 am said:

@Garrett – it’s on the 8th page or so of every volume of MAKE (print) – and in our digital edition…

http://www.make-digital.com/make/vol16/?pg=10&pm=2&u1=friend

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