PropellerCode.com » Robot

ChemBot: a blob-like, shape-shifting robot that inflates and deflates

Mike — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:03:07 +0000

Here is a robot that is the first of it’s kind, and a little odd too. This is a blob-like robot that inflates and deflates different areas of the outer body in order to roll a certain direction. The robotic shape-shifting principle is similar to the older robotic wheel design, these robots basically are always “tumbling over” rather than rolling. In order to maintain a constant rolling motion, they basically are in a constant state of “falling over” in a controlled direction. However in contrast to the older wheel design, this robot cannot fall on it’s side because it can roll in any axis. Also, this robot is capable of becoming extremely flat in order to fit under or through something. It’s a brilliant design and is capable of many new kinds of applications. At this point most the development is geared toward the military since there is a demand from DARPA for new kinds of spider-like robots. Some of these new robots could get pretty scary!

Links:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/blog/robotics/robotics-software/automaton/irobot-soft-morphing-blob-chembot

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10375216-1.html

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17912_3-9970345-72.html?tag=mncol;txt

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9935339-7.html?tag=mncol;txt

Build Your Own Robot Demonstrations, Coming Soon

Mike — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:11:31 +0000

DIY, do it yourself robot demonstrations are coming soon to PropellerCode.com. We here at PropellerCode.com com are working on designing low-cost robots with the budget in mind. We like the idea of being able to build nice prototype robots out of low-cost materials and random junk laying around. We may possibly even explore the idea of designing robots out of trash. Ideally the only thing you should have to spend money on when building your robot prototype should be some motors and electronics. Come back soon to see check the progress.

Cyborg Insects

Mike — Sat, 31 May 2008 17:37:51 +0000

Uses for tiny flying robot bugs will mostly include reconnaissance missions for military and law enforcement applications. DARPA currently has incentives for creating these little machines for military purposes. The advantage of being so small is that it could enter buildings and houses and fly through the rooms and be equipped with full micro surveillance technology.

Cyborg insects with embedded Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) will run RC remotely controlled reconnaissance missions for the military, if its ‘”Hybrod Insects-MEMS” program succeeds. The HI-MEMS program hatched earlier this year at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency plans to develop cyborg bugs to patrol, gather intelligence, and carry out other significant surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Some individuals are worried that these robot bugs could possibly be used in an invasion of personal privacy and a possible threat to civil rights. If the government starts using these robot bugs to spy on political activists that could lead to problems. However, there is little information about spy technology so we will possibly never know for sure.

So far experts say the technology isn’t quite good enough to produce such devices that actually function at a usable level. Most likely our technology will be there shortly, so we’ll have to just wait and see what comes out of it. Hopefully these little robot insects will by restricted to military reconnaissance, which would be a revolutionary way to perform investigations without risking the lives of our military soldiers. Crawling robots for reconnaissance are getting better, but a flying machine would greatly increase speed and access comparatively.

Links:

Insect Cyborgs to Fly Reconnaissance Missions

Implants Create Insect Cyborgs

Cybugs: Military Mulls Army of Cyborg Insects

DARPA Wants Army of Cyborg Insects

Robots Made From Trash

Mike — Tue, 27 May 2008 23:57:24 +0000

Here is a clip where Paul Merton is in China visiting Mr Woo who designs robots at his home out of junk and rubbish or whatever recycled junk parts he finds laying around. Mr. Woo’s robots are quite inventive, he even designed a 2 legged robot capable of pulling himself around in a rickshaw cart. However, most of Mr. Woo’s robots appear to be innovative, but fairly unconventional. Mr Woo is a rural Chinese farmer who taught himself to build fun kinetic robots. He has no money, no education, and no decent materials to work from but he ends up making pretty sophisticated and quirky-looking robots that can walk, pour tea, and best of all, pull a rickshaw. They are even quite hilarious, he gets great kudos for imagination. >D His wife hates it, but isn’t that always the case with every inventor?

Robo-One Competition in Japan

Mike — Tue, 27 May 2008 06:53:58 +0000

The Robo-One competition is a competition between biped humanoid robots. The competition typically consists of various battles between the robots that test the capabilities of each.

ROBO-ONE 14 is scheduled for October 11th – 12th, 2008.

Here are a few pics Of past Robo-One competitions:

Robo-One Official Website (translated to english from japanese by google)

Military Transport Robot: BigDog

Mike — Sat, 24 May 2008 17:52:44 +0000

BigDog is one of the next generation military assist machines in development right now. Big Dog is a research and development project by Boston Dynamics. The Big Dog project is funded by DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency. Boston Dynamics claims Big Dog is the most advanced quadruped robot on earth. BigDog runs at 4 mph, climbs slopes up to 35 degrees, walks across rubble and carries a 340 lb load. BigDog can even walk over terrain such as ice and snow to reach its destination. It also has amazing balancing skills, in the video you can watch someone kick Big Dog from the side and it knows how to recover itself without falling over. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule, measuring 1 meter long, 0.7 meters tall and 75 kg weight. This is an amazing robot, when the final production model makes it to the troops it will be a huge help in areas where it is unsafe for people to travel. From the U-Tube description

“BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics family of robots. It is a quadruped robot that walks, runs, and climbs on rough terrain and carries heavy loads. BigDog is powered by a gasoline engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system. BigDog’s legs are articulated like an animal’s, and have compliant elements that absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule, measuring 1 meter long, 0.7 meters tall and 75 kg weight.”

Robot Monty Throws and Catches a Ball

Mike — Thu, 22 May 2008 12:26:43 +0000

Go Monty! You can do it!
This robot named Monty is a dynamically balancing robot designed and built by Trevor Blackwell of Anybots Inc. This robot has been trained to throw and catch a ball. It appears to drop the ball often, but the robot Monty does catch the ball when Trevor Blackwell throws it. I think this robot is cool because it not only balances on 2 wheels, it also is able to catch a ball with it’s mechanical robot hand and throw it back without falling over.

New 3D Solidworks Models of Hardware and Electrical Components

Mike — Thu, 22 May 2008 02:41:30 +0000

PropellerCode.com is proud to announce the new addition of free 3D Solidworks Models of various hardware and Electrical Components.

We feel it is important that you design your robots with the best tools avaliable! That is why we here are PropellerCode.com are now releasing these 3D Solidworks models to you free of charge! How could you ask for more!?!

On the main 3D Solidworks models page you will find Solidworks models in native Solidworks 2008 format. The files are all in .sldprt format for your ease of use!

Music Video: The Robots

Mike — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:16:14 +0000

Kraftwerk -The Robots(Lost in Space Version)

Lost in Space has got to be one the most classic robot shows ever made. Here is an Old-School video that I believe was done quite well. The Song is called The Robots by Kraftwerk.

Funny Human Robot Fight

Mike — Mon, 19 May 2008 18:45:30 +0000

Here is some good humor to give you a morning laugh, a brutal robot fight. This isn’t just any old fight between two people, it’s an epic battle between 2 robots to show who will be victorious. But there can be only one robot champion, and in order to win you must play by the rules of the robots… or not…

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