Amazing ant-inspired robot

Hot Topics:

By Gareth Branwyn
Posted 2009/04/07 @ 11:56 am
Category Robotics

Man, check this beast out, from a builder in Norway. Looks like it might be built around the Lynxmotion Hexapod Phoenix.

A-Pod is an ant inspired hexapod robot with a 2 DOF abdomen (tail), a 3 DOF head with large mandibles. 6 legs with 3 DOF each. Total 25 servos. This video demonstrates body movement and mandible control. I still have to do some mechanical improvements to the legs (therefore little walking). The robot are remotely controlled with a custom 2,4 GHz RC transmitter.

A-Pod part 1 [Via Serge Wroclawski on the HacDC elist]

In the Maker Shed

Cube 3D Printer

Telegraph Decoder Kit by Spikenzie Labs

Brooklyn Aerodrome Flying Wing Kit

MAKE Rovera 4WD Arduino Robot Kit

8 Responses to Amazing ant-inspired robot

joe mckay on April 7th, 2009 at 2:26 pm said:

The robot is nice and all, but WHAT is with that horrible music?

Reply ↓
selfSilent on April 7th, 2009 at 3:08 pm said:

That is amazing, very graceful with a great smooth range of movement.

Reply ↓
Anonymous on April 7th, 2009 at 4:13 pm said:

“Looks like it might be built around the Lynxmotion Hexapod Phoenix.”

Actually, this A-Pod is built by Zenta whose earlier hexapod inspired the Lynxmotion Phoenix. IIRC, Zenta worked with Lynxmotion to create the Phoenix kit based on his designs. I’m not involved in this in any way, I’m just a fan of Zenta’s work and I’d like to see him get the props he deserves.

Reply ↓
Aleksander on April 7th, 2009 at 4:17 pm said:

But I would like to point out that the guy who built this is the same guy that made the phoenix (KÃ¥re Halvorsen/Zenta) and it was so popular on the forums that Lynxmotion decided to make a kit out of it..

Reply ↓
Kent KB on April 7th, 2009 at 4:22 pm said:

With my love of robots and ants this is a Dream!
Good One.

Reply ↓
Gareth Branwyn on April 7th, 2009 at 4:22 pm said:

Thanks for that background info, folks. I don’t know if this is a projected kit, but how cool if it is. That’d definitely go on MY Christmas list!

Reply ↓
Brandon on April 7th, 2009 at 7:58 pm said:

So, it has some very fluid motion when holding the head still, but when it walks it is very rigid. Why not implement the same fluid motion for something useful like walking or better yet, running.

And, it can pick up a battery, but can it replace it’s own battery. So it’s cool, but I got bored about a quarter of the way through the video.

I wonder how strong are those pinchers! How about breaking the glass cup after it pours the water out.

Reply ↓
Brandon on April 7th, 2009 at 8:48 pm said:

Epic! do want

Reply ↓