Funny how robots are born isnt it?-I came across this really cool solar
powered robot kit at my local Dick Smith store. It has a crankshaft driven
set of legs and when it walks, its body rocks back and forth.

So now at the workbench with a lot Razorbacks drives, chains etc lyin around
the Idea of building a big one came to mind-simple first walker, already figured out, just scale it up( make a fun bot to drive and demo).

One change ive made is to split its body in two, this may allow the
big version to turn on the spot-Im just using what ever materials take
my fancy-it wil be an interesting mix!

I think it will be around 70cm square, I have 2 of the Jaycar 12v 50kg gearmotors to run it. So far ive built its 2 part body from 3x1 and
clearcoated them. Ill get some pics up soon of this 8 legged oddysee!

Just thught i should say that Im not building this for combat in any of our
events-Its a fun experimental robot. Im aware of some issues about
walkers at this point in time, no doubt well discuss them when
we all feel the times right.(if i ever build a big walker, it would be for ultibots)

if i can get it walking, im thinking of some simple circuitry to make
it autonomous-maybe even solar powered?!-Jas

sounds cool
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as a shadow is seen and not heard i am here
-Waddy the phoenix

autonomous yes, solar powered mmmmm perhaps if spurts of movement are ok?
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Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets

Solar power! (shakes head) When will people learn?

Hey with those jaycar gearmotors sucking up the volts, solar power was just more of a passing thought as an experiment . If I get this contraption
walking, maybe steam power might be a fun option-Off hand, i cant think of
the fellows name, but hes in Japan and makes these amazing steampunk
rc vehicles and walkers(ill find the link for that)-Im styling mine
Wild Wild West/mechanology-but gotta get it walkin first.(apparently,there
has been a full size, petrol powered man carrying version of this very same toy-Has anyone seen that?-Ill get a pic of the toy up close)

Ive done some more on it this weekend, pics might be up today or tommorow.

Theres another guy in Europe who makes these giant walking machines out
of wood and canvass that are wind powered(ive got the link for that somewhere,
ill see if I can find it.
-Jas

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1D2yl6B3Kyg
That's the car Jason!
And your walker thus far...



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YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH

Thanks for posting those for me Mate!-The Spider Car is Uber cool!-
Same system of cranks and levers, but in a different arrangement-thats
looking tasty for mk2 (probably all metal)!

So these two pics show the wooden boxes that make up the "thorax".
Theyre joined by two hubs I cut down from pneumatic wheel centres.
(in the interests of fun, and labour cost, I made them from wood-only
six parts each-as opposed to 16 or so metal bits to cut weld etc)

It has 8 12mm flange bearings, a pair in each corner, to take the outboard
crankshafts(those are the 12mm axles and some parts ive cut for the
cranks) 6mm pvc (Grey) gives a liitle space between the body and the
first crank arm-the sprocket will be slid up against the outer wall and
tightened up, locking each crank in position.

Im now in the process of scaling up the legs aand there linkages. Itll have
a cover over the top of each box(maybe clear) and the linkage mounts go
above. I may put the battery packs in those inner recesses, or sling
them flat under each half-Jas.

thats really really cool the car could use some rubber treads on the feet lol it would instantly give it better traction and therefore acceleration
_________________
as a shadow is seen and not heard i am here
-Waddy the phoenix

Yeah I reckon rubber pads would help no end, they may work against it
though when it tries to turn around as the feet scrape sideways part of
the time-ill be testing different feet with mine-Jas

I think a padded seat would help a whole bunch lol. It looked like a pretty rough ride ;->.

Air muscles might be a way of doing the "real" spider version. Steam powered air muscles would be "interesting" hydraulic might be easier in terms of not melting your rubber. Difficulty with all these is valving, not that the valving is hard but just really expensive.

NASA made some kind of 6 legged walking bot type thing at one stage, they sent it into a volcano and it seemed to work, pretty slow though. (it was about 3 meters across). Some kind of stereo camera setup and a lightweight IMU should be able to get you the ability to individually place legs for "real walking action". Not trivial, still it would look cool.

If you want an interesting means of locomotion, the cockroach does pretty well with a limited brain, basically they sort of flail their legs around in a general "move forward" type rhythm when crossing rough terrain quickly.
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Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets

Yup, it does look like a bit of a rough ride-The NASA robot was DANTE
I think-It seemed to do the job.

The fellows site in Japan is -crabfu.com-(cool steam robots).

Now the old roach can move like blue blazes, that leg movement does
indeed look look like uncontrolled flailing-A bot later on that can move that fast would be fun on small scale!

After looking some more at the spider cars legs, I am at a point where
I could move the legs on my bot the same way, with whats looks like 1 maybe 2 more links-Jas

http://www.strandbeest.com/animaris%20rhinoceros%20transport_en.html
The site of the Dutch artist Theo Jansen who amongst other things made a 4,5 meter tall wind driven walking monster.

Thanks for that link That was the fellow I was thinking of,very
similar leg mechs again-there seems to be many variations of that ol
leg mech.

Ive been scrutinising the spider car and ahve deciced to work my bots legs the same way-they have some interesting features-Ill touch on those later.
Ill just need to mount a 3rd axle each side-Wood was a good choice after all-much easier!-Ive wellded some of the cranks up-ill pop some more pics
after ive made a little more progress!-jas

So ive had a little time to rig a prototype leg mech onto the body. I
used the tried and tested sfx method of mech design-popsticks and pins!

Ive got the mech working, and after making sure it wasnt colliding with
itself or the body, I made up a lower link pair in thin box section-the
out "leg" proper will be 3x1, just joined by 70mm hinges at this stage.

When ive got that leg finished, Ill get some pics up to see, then
Ill guess its time start time to start thinking in EIGHTS!-jas