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Simple walking bot

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 11:00pm CST

Matt Mets made this simple servo-controlled walking bot which uses a Barebones Arduino to walk, one leg at a time. Source code included. - Link.
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Vibrobot from a speaker and pull-cord toy

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 9:00pm CST

Randy made his own version of the Bristlebot, but with a speaker and pull cord. Excellent, and with renewable propulsion! I like the little resistor antlers/feelers - Link.

Related:

HOW TO - Make a Bristlebot a tiny directional vibrobot made from a toothbrush! - Link.

Bristlebot racing snail - Link.

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Readybot will clean your kitchen

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 6:00pm CST

Dishwashers are so last week. I want a Readybot! Not only will this robot clean the dishes, it will tidy up the whole kitchen and you don't even have to give it an allowance. Hopefully this will become a reality soon, because I need one...NOW! - Link
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Claytronics nanoscale robot designs

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 5:00pm CST
You may know of Claytronics (aka programmable matter) - the use of reconfigurable nanoscale robots to form shapeshifting objects.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have proposed several basic robotic designs as possible foundations for claytronics, including:
- Planar catoms test the concept of motion without moving parts and the design of force effectors that create cooperative motion within ensembles of modular robots.
- Electrostatic latches model a new system of binding and releasing the connection between modular robots, a connection that creates motion and transfers power and data while employing a small factor of a powerful force.
- Stochastic Catoms integrate random motion with global objectives communicated in simple computer language to form predetermined patterns, using a natural force to actuate a simple device, one that cooperates with other small helium catoms to fulfill a set of unique instructions.
- Giant Helium Catoms provide a larger-than-life, lighter-than-air platform to explore the relation of forces when electrostatics has a greater effect than gravity on a robotic device, an effect simulated with a modular robot designed for self-construction of macro-scale structures.
- Cubes employ electrostatic latches to demonstrate the functionality of a device that could be used in a system of lattice-style self-assembly at both the macro and nano-scale.
Interesting to see these different approaches at such an early stage of the technology. Now to wait 20 or so years and see which design comes out on top.

Videos and detailed info @ Carnegie Mellon - Link

Shape-shifting robot forms from magnetic swarm @ New Scientist - Link

Related:
Claytronics - Link
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Robotic dream playback

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 4:00pm CST

"Sleep Waking" by Fernando Orellana and Brendan Burns presents a new way to look back on one's dreams. EEG, EKG, REM, and various other physical data is logged during the subject's sleep and then later used as the script to direct robotic action -
The eye position data we simply apply to the position the robot's heads is looking. So if my eye was looking left, the robot looks left.
The use of the EEG data is a bit more complex. Running it through a machine learning algorithm, we identified several patterns from a sample of the data set (both REM and non-REM events). We then associated preprogrammed robot behaviors to these patterns. Using the patterns like filters, we process the entire data set, letting the robot act out each behavior as each pattern surfaces in the signal. Periods of high activity (REM) where associated with dynamic behaviors (flying, scared, etc.) and low activity with more subtle ones (gesturing, looking around, etc.). The "behaviors" the robot demonstrates are some of the actions I might do (along with everyone else) in a dream.
What? No electric sheep? - Link
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Ladybug maintenance bot

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 3:00pm CST

She may look like one, but don't call her a "bug" - The "Lady Bird" autonomous robot was introduced to Western Japan's highway rest stops in November of 2007 to maintain restroom cleanliness as well as friendliness -
In addition to cleaning, Lady Bird can engage in simple conversation with restroom users, thanks to microphones in its "antennae," speech recognition capabilities and a voice synthesizer. The robot has access to the latest information about traffic conditions on nearby roads, which it can relay to anyone comfortable enough to ask.
I believe I might feel less than "comfortable" if I met Lady Bird during a late night, highway bathroom break. - Link

Related:

Jumbo cleaning robots - Link
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Rules for Roboticists

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 1:00pm CST

In honor of Robot Day here on MAKE, I've posted my "Rules for Roboticists," from my 2004 book Absolute Beginner's Guide to Building Robots. It's a playful list of operating principles, rules of thumb, and words o' wisdom about bot building. The piece is accompanied by robot scientist "trading cards," illustrated by Mark Frauenfelder, for the book.

11. A roboticist should know when to come back later (A.K.A. "The Kenny Rogers Rule")
When you're building anything, especially something as complicated as a robot, the build can sometimes get ugly. If you try to force your way through, you can often dig yourself into an even deeper hole. So here's what you do: "Put the soldering iron down. Step away from the steaming robot entrails!" You'll be amazed at what an hour away, vegging in front of the TV, rolling around on the floor with the cat, or sleeping on your problem will do. It almost never fails. Here's a corollary: The extent to which you don't want to drop what you're doing and take a break ("I know I can fix this, damn it!"), is inversely proportional to the extent to which you need a break. Why is it the Kenny Rogers Rule? Cause "you got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, and know when to walk away..."

Rules for Roboticists - Link
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Cute bot alert!

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 12:00pm CST

From the MAKE Flickr pool

. . . not autonomous, not motor driven, not even powered - just plain cute.

Farnea's Audrey robots #1, - Link & #2 - Link

Related:

Homemade robot costume - Link
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LEGO unicycle robot keeps its balance

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 10:00am CST

This Lego Unicycle Robot balances on one wheel and uses RCX Lego Mindstorms bricks with 4 sensors and three tires to maintain its balance. It stays upright by directly powering the wheel. Really nice video above of the whole thing in action.

Yet Another LegWay - [via]
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Send SMS to control Robosapiens

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 9:43am CST

This project by Tim Redfern allows onlookers to send SMS messages to Robosapien robots who respond with some impressive dance moves. The system uses a custom built, downloadable Xtra for (Macromedia/Adobe) Director called "UIRT XTRA" that is free from the site below. Check out the video.

Dancing Robosapiens - Link, UIRT Xtra Download
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Heathkit HERO

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 7:00am CST

Back in the 1982, Heathkit released the HERO 1 educational robot. HERO 1 had a Motorola 6808 CPU and 4k of RAM on board. He came equipped with motion, light, sound and sonar ranging sensors. You could even add an optional arm attachment and max out his capabilities.
Taking a cue from the success of the HERO 1, Heathkit's consumer division released a simplified version, the HERO Jr - with half the ram of it's predecessor and a lower pricepoint. Later still, the expandable, speech capable HERO 2000 was released to the educational market. By far the most advanced iteration, the 2000 would be the last training robot released by the company. That is until now - Heathkit is planning to release a reincarnation of HERO, the HE-RObot:

Popular Science explains -
Built on a Mini-ITX mobo with Intel Core Duo microprocessor and using Windows XP for its operating system (unlike the model 914 PC-BOT which can be outfitted with Ubuntu), HE-RObot is being built and priced towards the educational market. A market that sorely needs a sophisticated robot platform. The hobbyist DIY market, on the other hand, could suffer from sticker shock. The HE-RObot's 914 PC-BOT counterpart is priced from $5,000 - $8,000 which could make the HE-RObot a tough sell to even the most rabid roboticist.
Personally, I prefer the boxy look of the old model anyway. (Instead of this boxy looking new version) - [via] Link

Detailed HERO History on Robotgallery.com - Link

Check out Donnie V. Savage's site for a bunch of relevant build info - Link

Related:

Heathkit schematic diagram archive - Link
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DIY K-9

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 6:00am CST

Here's an excellent recreation of the K-9 (Mk II, I believe) from the BBC's classic Doctor Who series. The maker did a very thorough job on the panelling and used an RC tank for locomotion - unfortunately no design measurements are supplied in the build documentation. - Link

Of course that's not the only K-9 in service, here's one built around a Linux PC to promote a school's robotics class -

The first robot to roam the halls of GHCA is K9, a robot dog based on the British sci-fi show, Doctor Who. I created K9 myself as a way to jump-start our Robotics program. K9's main purpose is to "ooh and ahh" students, hopefully encouraging an interest in the field of robotics. I used common angle iron and 1/4 nuts and bolts to assemble K9's "skeleton", much like an Erector Set from years gone by. In fact, K9's head was built using an Erector Set from 1971! Sheet metal provides the finished look for our class mascot.
Now where's that Gentoo-based Sarah Jane? - Link
Related:

HOW TO - make a Dalek - Link
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How to build your first PICAXE robot

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 5:00am CST

This is a nice tutorial on building your first PICAXE robot. These aren't as easy to build as a BEAMbot, but they can do a whole lot more. The site contains links to suppliers and lots of photos of the build process. - Link
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Stair climbing robot

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 4:00am CST

This robot is small, purpose-built, and can easily climb stairs. The website has a lot of photos and is a great source of technical information for stair climbing robots. If you are thinking of building something similar, this is a must-read.

StairBOT is a small robot for indoor environments. On even floor it drives like many other small robots with a differential-drive. In addition it can change its length with linear guides mechanism with a spindle-drive. By this mechanism it can - together with its omniwheels (with brakes) and a support - reliably climb up and down regular sized stairs. It was one of the objectives for the design to use as few actuators and sensors as possible.

The StairBot - Link
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Robot ant with mandibles

Posted: February 28th, 2008, 3:00am CST

Ants are cool, but robots ants with mandibles are really cool. The site has several videos of the robot in action that you might want to check out. You are going to need a really big magnifying glass to burn this one!

The Biologically-Inspired Legged Locomotion Ant (BILL-Ant) is an 18-DOF hexapod with six passive DOF feet for force sensing, a 3-DOF neck and actuated mandibles with force sensing pincer plates (28-DOF total). The robot uses force sensors in the feet and pincers to actively comply with its environment and respond to external perturbations.

Robotic ant - Link
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