A-pod

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jyBiECoS3Q]

We know it was just two days ago that we were ranting about the hexapods known as Phoenix, and their creator [Zenta]. In the comments on that post, [Bluehash] pointed us to [Zenta’s] latest creation. This is A-pod. The sheer articulation and believable motion here made this robot worthy of a post all it’s own.  A-pod has a 2 dof “tail” and a 3 dof head with a total of 25 servos to drive it. The addition of the head adds so much character, add some face tracking and it would really blow us away. Well, after it fetched us a beer. He notes that he’s still working on the leg mechanicals, so it doesn’t do much walking yet.

39 thoughts on “A-pod

  1. Now to move on to the next step and create a dragon skin and plate suit for this thing and set it loose on an unsuspecting public. Even better, give it camera eyes and a walkie-talkie audio system and send it out to talk to people. This could give an exterminator nightmares.

  2. The walking left something to be desired, but i have no doubt that the creator will smooth things out, since the rest of this creature’s movements are so ridiculously fluid and lifelike.

    amazing.

  3. This just blew my mind- it’s like seeing something a few steps ahead in the future, that reality hasn’t caught up to yet. Except it’s real.

    I’m in my mid-twenties. I can’t imagine what I’ll be seeing when I’m an old man. My mind staggers.

  4. I for one welcome our new insect overlords. I’d like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves.

    Seriously, I want one.

  5. I see serious room for improvement.

    1: the dual linear functionality can be made far more fluid, with the application of a nano-concave, region specific command string. (RSCS)

    2: Running at 45,000 “GNips” per nano second, this will provide a Processor boost, resulting in an increase of information flow on the order of 93 648.0475 (Pi to the tenth)

    With the new Vortex 34Xi(G) processors coming out next month from Ipsilon Industries, I suggest a re-design, including context-limited command, Multiple reverse Parallel Interfaces, and a completely re-worked control surface.

    Using these new technogies might help when the device goes “boom!” “wank!” “glack glack!”
    Scrutch!!!” “ker wham!, ker wham! and then just zorks out totally. you know how badly zorking can affect a projects chances of success.

    Good day sirs.

    Little Biff

  6. “Any idea if jumping would be possible in the near future? Having that thing jump 10ft vertical would be cause for immediate purchase.”

    ditto for the ability to crush the can (empty or full).

  7. Hmm… the problem is that hexapods have such a short range of motion on their legs that they need to accelerate and decelerate them at a very high rate to get any kind of velocity; making the platform either incredibly slow or incredibly inefficient or both.

    I wonder how ants do it.

  8. This has to be one of the most impressive things i have ever seen. The movements absolutely fantastic and so realistic.

    Now make one that is 4 meters long, please, pretty please. :D

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