Making a robot can be an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s the perfect combination of creativity, engineering and problem solving. However, if you’re just getting started in robotics, it can also be overwhelming. To make things easier for those who are just starting out, we’ve put together some tips and tricks to help makers bring robots to life! From the basics of assembling your robot to software implementation, these pointers will give you everything you need to get started on your robotic adventure!
I like “dumb bots” (a.k.a. BEAM robots) as much as the next analog electronics fan, but Baca RoboCup is something entirely different. These baca (“foolish” or “stupid”) robots are meant to be as idiotic as possible and must be “useless to society,” in fact, the biggest chucklebot is voted the winner. BTW: It also states […]
This video shows swarm bots attacking pulling a child across the floor. The look on the kids face at 2:37 is classic. All joking aside, this is an amazing demonstration of the advantages of many small robots working together to accomplish a task. The goal of this project is the study of a novel design […]
Spotted on the MAKE Flickr pool, this Arduino-controlled two-servo walker, demo’d at the recent Dorkbot Bristol. Looking at the images close up, you can see this is an insta-bot, made with just the two servos, some coat hanger, and zip ties. Dorkbot Bristol, December 2008 Related: Speaking of servomotors, Solarbotics has just released some sweet-looking […]
This kinetic sculpture by artist Reuben Margolin installed at the Swiss Center for Technorama near Zurich employs 450 suspended aluminum rods on 256 wires with 3,000 pulleys and sliding bars controlling the system. Interesting effect that employs no computers, only mechanical movements to create the result. Watch the video for the full effect. via Cool […]
Photography by Jérôme Demers Ultra-simple bugbot navigates obstacles with feelers and switches. By Jérôme Demers The Beetlebot is a very simple little robot that avoids obstacles on the floor without using any silicon chip — not even an op-amp, and certainly nothing programmable. Two motors propel the bugbot forward, and when one of its feelers […]
Creating a Maker Course In the next month or so I will have a semester change, and with it an opportunity to restructure the sequence of three courses. Robotics, Building and Repairing Computers and Web Design are three classes that I have taught before, and am looking to streamline the content of the courses. The […]
This nifty drum ‘n bass robot is built upon the Picaxe-based “How to Build Your First Robot” project we featured in The Best of Instructables. Lil’ Drum and Bass Bot From the Maker Shed: Best Of Instructables Our Price: $34.99 Sale Price: $29.99 Instructables.com has become one of the most popular magnets for makers and […]
