A Hexapod Robot Made From Scrap

radial-robot

Many if not most good hacks come from scrap or unused parts, but this hexapod robot takes it to a new level. [Helmut] wrote in to tell us about his ‘bot built from discarded electronics. As with most of the little walkers that we’ve featured here, this robot features some basic obstacle avoidance with a sensor array on the head unit.

The way the head controls this robot is really the interesting thing about this setup.Rather than send a signal to tell servo motors to walk in a certain gait, the head physically tilts in the direction that it should go. Although it’s somewhat hard to tell, it appears that a driving motor in the head assembly pushes a sort of camshaft down into the body. This is then mechanically coupled to the legs causing it to walk in the correct direction.

Be sure to check out the videos after the break, featuring narration by a computer in English, or by a human in German if you happen to sprechen sie Deutsch.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNZohu0-QhY?rel=0&w=470&h=315%5D

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yOy7mXl3r8?rel=0&w=470&h=315%5D

11 thoughts on “A Hexapod Robot Made From Scrap

    1. This is not a real copy of Jamie’s or Hex Bug’s it’s a mix from both.
      If you take a look at the HD version you can see the little differences.
      The development of the linkage has been made a long time ago in England by an unknown developer for a spring-powered toy.
      The main reason to build this robot is to show other people an easy and cheap way to build a robot platform.
      People in India and Africa have not the money for high tech servos and electronics.
      They have tons of E-Waste from the rich countries in front of their door.
      Let them build robots in making a business and sell it to the rich people in America or Europe.
      Or as a platform for a school project

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