I-Swarm robot update

posted Aug 31st 2009 1:21pm by Mike Szczys
filed under: robots hacks

I-Swarm_Micro_Robot_On_Thumb

Back in October we reported on the I-Swarm robotics project. [Travis] sent us some more information. These tiny robots are programmed optically and are able to respond to programming commands via an infrared signal. Locomotion is facilitated with piezoelectric actuators and the power to the units provided through a solar cell. It is not clear that this project is still ongoing as the I-Swarm web page lists a project termination date of 6/31/2008. That being said, the video embedded after the break was posted two days ago showing swarm movement and detailing the programming, testing, and hardware specifics.

[via Hizook]

Comments [8]

tagged: autonomous, i-swarm, piezo, piezoelectric, robots, solar, swarm

Reader Comments

Maybe it’s the terrible compression from youtube, but to me the first video looks like the little robot is being moved around by fishing string…

Posted at 2:12 pm on Aug 31st, 2009 by Nicholas Overstreet

yeah, there is some kind of wire that comes from the robot.

Posted at 2:28 pm on Aug 31st, 2009 by Tomasito

it looks like an antenna to me

Posted at 2:37 pm on Aug 31st, 2009 by RazorConcepts

i think that wire was for power (you see 2 of them) since i dont see any type of solar cell there

Posted at 2:54 pm on Aug 31st, 2009 by SQneo

Look’s a lot like Mark Tilden’s work with BEAM Robotic’s.

Posted at 3:48 pm on Aug 31st, 2009 by NidStyles

The lines in the first video are probably power, maybe a little communication too. It looks like two strands of really thin magnet wire, and they’re slack the whole time.

I like the noise that the piezo actuators make. For a split second I thought the bot in the video was going to play “somewhere in my memory”. It’d be great to see a few dozen of these dancing/playing complex music.

Posted at 7:12 pm on Aug 31st, 2009 by F7

Hmm seizure warning for the programming section i n the second video?

Posted at 8:58 am on Sep 1st, 2009 by Ryan Leach

people need to hire finger models for photos like this.

Posted at 9:03 am on Sep 1st, 2009 by accela

I-Swarm robot update

Recent Posts

Reader Comments

Leave a Reply

Hacks

Resources

RSS newsfeeds

Most commented on (30 days)

Recent comments