Make: Online: Robotics Archives

Archive: Robotics

July 3, 2009

Contests on Let's Make Robots

Let's Make Robots is a popular site for robot hobbyists. They've been running two build contests on the site which are now in their finals. Rik, a community member writes:

The LMR Dagu Mr. Basic Challenge invited makers to create any robot from a basic four wheel platform (provided by community sponsor Dagu Electronics). Entries vary from spectacular light shows (using Nixie tubes) to fire fighter to mouse droid (as seen on Star Wars). Three money prizes are at stake. All community members are invited to judge the entries.

The Oddbot LMR Video Challenge is sponsoring creative videos of home made robots. The criteria for "robot" are stretched far enough as to give any one a shot at the lavish prizes. The resulting videos are very funny and creative. The prizes consist of robots and components that Oddbot built and collected over the years. He must now part with them as he moves from Australia to China to become a pro.

I love the sense of humor, and fun, expressed in a lot of the entry bot designs and videos.

Let's Make Robots

July 2, 2009

According to a piece on BotJunkie (translating a piece on Japan's Robot Watch), a small army of vacuum tube robots from the 50s and 60s, built by Aizawa Zirou, have been unearthed in a warehouse, many of them apparently brand new. I love the Google translation:

"Were sleeping in a warehouse until it's released by the packaging. We look at the state and restore the dynamics at the time."

Got it.

Awesome Retro Robots Revealed In Japan

July 1, 2009

New in the Maker Shed: ArduPilot

The ArduPilot from the Maker Shed is a full-featured autopilot based on the Arduino open-source hardware platform. It uses infrared (thermopile) sensors for stabilization and GPS for navigation. Requires a GPS module and an infrared XY sensor (not included). The autopilot handles both stabilization and navigation, eliminating the need for a separate stabilization system. It also supports a "fly-by-wire" mode that can stabilize an aircraft when flying manually under RC control, making it easier and safer to fly. The hardware and software are all open source. The board comes with all the surface-mount parts already soldered, but requires the user to solder on connectors. Firmware is already loaded, but the autopilot software must be downloaded and loaded onto the board by the user.

More about the ArduPilot

June 30, 2009

Transforming robot

Kevmag 2000 posted this YouTube vid of his transforming robot, apparently built for a robotics class. Pretty cool. I couldn't find out much else about it.

Kevmag 2000-Transforming Robot [Submitted by Chris Brent. Thanks, Chris!]

June 26, 2009

Old school ceramics, new school robot art

I love this ceramic art, a mash-up of classic blue and white Chinese pottery and modern-day Japanese manga robotics, by Canadian artist Brendan Tang. Brendan tells MAKE: "All works are composted utilizing traditional ceramic processes, from the throwing of the vessels to the hand painting of the forms."

Brendan L.S. Tang

June 25, 2009

G4 Cube with LEGOmotion

I though this was especially cool until I discovered that there's no G4 left in the G4 Cube -- the LEGO mechanics, sensors, and control take up the entire inside space. Still cool, tho. Maybe a single-board computer could squeeze in there?

Transforming LEGO Apple Power Mac G4 Cube [via Hacked Gadgets]

June 24, 2009

Rodney Brooks at Maker Faire

Rodney Brooks, of MIT's AI Lab and iRobot, is one of my all-time heroes. His work has had a huge impact on how I look at technology in general, robotics in specific, approaches to problem-solving, and more. So I was bummed that I missed his talk (and meeting him) at Maker Faire. Thanks to FORA.tv, I didn't miss it, nor did you. His 33-minute talk is a fascinating look at the coming "age wave," the need for robots to help/subsidize an aging population, the role of makers in industrial and technological innovation, discovering where the exponentials are in technology and manufacturing and exploiting them, and much more. Good stuff.

Rodney Brooks: Remaking Manufacturing With Robotics

Vibrobots at Honey Creek School

The 4th and 5th grade students at Honey Creek Community School in Washtenaw County, Michigan made vibrobots as part of their Design & Technology curriculum. The looks of pride on these kids' faces are amazing. Vibrobots are a great project for kids this age (kids of any age, really) 'cause they're easy enough for anyone to build, but just mechanically and electrically involved enough to give you that joy-of-making sense of accomplishment.

4/5 tech: Vibrobots!

More:
Vibrobots piece in the MAKE digital edition
Vibrobots in MAKE, Volume 10

June 22, 2009

Another Jansen walker (this one solar powered)

Theo Jansen's idea for the Strandbeest was that they would be "autonomous," driven by the wind. Here's a solar-powered version.

Walking robot / plant thing

More:

June 21, 2009

Manga-bot makes coffee (sorta)

Francesco Fondi, of GAMERSWEB, sent us this video of Hina, a manga custom version of the Kondo KHR-2HV robot. It's a scaled-down version of KHR-2HV, using 20 digital servos (KRS-788HV) plus one GWS-PICO-STD, all controlled by a small board located in the head. While it "makes coffee" only through the miracle of video editing, the dexterity and range of motion and the feeling of it being alive is pretty impressive. And I love watching a robot working an old hand-grinder.

Hina

June 20, 2009

Stepper motor idea sources

Photo from Society of Robots

Dale Herzog and I were talking the other night about the treasure trove of techno goodies that can be found in the average dumpscore printer. He sent along a few resources including this one about using steppers and the Basic Stamp:

If you are staring at a pile of stepper motors in a surplus shop, or have pulled one out of used equipment, here's how you can determine what you have.
First, check for the number of wires coming out. If 5 or 6 or 8, that's good because you have a unipolar stepper. If 4, that's bad because you have a bipolar stepper and should put it back. If 2, you have a regular DC motor. Confirm you have a stepper motor by turning the shaft. You should feel the little detents indicating each step.

Next, read the label on the side. If you are lucky, it will have the voltage and step size printed, or will be in a bin with the voltage marked. Look for 12V steppers. If you have a 5V stepper, and it is large, the currents will probably be too large for easy control. Small 5V steppers are OK. If you have no way of telling the voltage, it is probably best to look for another stepper.

What are you doing with steppers? How are you controlling them?

June 19, 2009

The utimate rubber-band firing wooden robot

Here is another great find from our friend Dug North. This time, it's a rubber band firing robot. I really like the idea of a wooden robot, especially one that fires rubber bands. Did I mention this is a ride-on robot?

More about the The utimate rubber-band firing wooden robot

In the Maker Shed:

More on our Designing Automata Kit

June 18, 2009

Articulated arm prototype

Matt Mets just started a residency at the Pittsburgh Children's Museum, working on educational installations. In his first day in the shop, he built this articulated arm prototype. If you know of other systems that use this concept, post in the comments below, he's looking for leads.

June 17, 2009

Three wheeled light seeking robot

I really like the wheels on this robot, it looks like a good solutions for omni directional movement. The maker said it cost about $10 and took about 20 hours to build. Unfortunately there aren't any schematics posted yet. Check out the link for more information.

This is not a very intelligent, or special robot - it took me long enough, but it was really just for my education etc. This is about 10cm high, it is a clear ball with three servo motors, driven by three 74AC740 ICs. The ICs measure the amount of light coming through an array of sensors on the top, and rotate the balls in a direction and speed proportionally to that. The result is that the ball "drifts" towards the brightest object, or follows a spotlight directed down at it.

More about this Three wheeled light seeking robot

In the Maker Shed:

SBMSY-2 copy.jpg
Mousebot Kit

June 15, 2009

How-To: Arduino mothbot

This light-seeking Arduino mothbot builds on the SERB code, and the Instructable is very thorough. Beginning Arduino bot builders, rejoice and build!

More:

June 12, 2009

Record-vying transatlantic robot submarine at sea

The Scarlet Knight, named for sponsoring Rutgers University's mascot, is a cruise-missile-shaped autonomous ROV that was launched off the New Jersey coastline on April 27. If all goes according to plan, the Rutgers team will recover it off the westernmost coast of Spain right around Christmas day. That happy event would mark the first successful underwater crossing of the Atlantic by an unmanned vehicle. At the mission website, you can track the robot's position using Google Earth, monitor her battery status, and follow the team's navigation blog.

June 10, 2009

3D-printer robot caterpillar parts

Obijuan used his MakerBot to create parts for a robotic catipillar, with "pitch-pitch" movement. His design can be found on Thingiverse!

REPY-1 Modules - Robotic Catipillars Action! [via MakerBot Blog]

Cardboard Walker Bot

This low-cost walking robot is made from a cardboard box and scavenged electronics. A custom-made development board based on an ATmega88 controls the robots movements. The entire project cost about $18 to build. Check out the link for more information and another video.

The Servos I got from a past project, all LEDs from various things I took apart (VCRs, Computers, Remotes, etc.) Piezospeaker from a toy train that was broken, both IR emitters were 47Hz from remotes I believe if my memory serves me well. I whipped out my spectrum analyzer, and I think it was 47Hz, so then I bought two receivers within that range and whipped up a circuit.

More about the Cardboard Walker Bot

Pololu 3pi Robot

June 8, 2009

Jetta Company aquires IP for Pleo

Robert Oschler of RobotsRule writes:

Jetta Company Limited, the company that manufactured the Pleo baby robot dinosaur for Ugobe, has bought the intellectual property rights and other assets at the Ugobe bankruptcy sale that occurred on May 21. Steve Ohler, the United States liaison for the company, confirmed the news saying that the company is firmly committed to re-launching Pleo and continuing the line including producing accessories such as the vital battery and charger components. Jetta is the original manufacturer and therefore the best possible company to have acquired Ugobe's intellectual property and re-launch Pleo. Steve remarked that all the equipment needed to produce Pleos and accessories were all still intact and ready to go. Jetta is an established company with a 32 year history in manufacturing based in China and Hong Kong, and as part of their illustrious manufacturing history they have produced parts for members of iRobot's consumer robot line.

His post with the original press release from Jetta Company Limited.

June 5, 2009