back to article Always wanted a robot: why not DIY?

If you have access to a basic 3D printer, around $US800 in spare cash and like fooling around with Arduino, why not make a robot? We're not tilting at windmills here, because designs for the body parts are available thanks to an open source project from French sculptor Gael Langevin. His year-long project, which he calls …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Whoa...OK that is cool.

    I can't lie, this is really fucking cool! I never thought about printing out a robot.

    BTW, how perverse can this become! Programmed to kill, or love you long time.

    1. Martin Budden Silver badge
      Childcatcher

      Re: Whoa...OK that is cool.

      "love you long time"

      You could even print whatever parts you fancy for it. In uncommon combinations, if you so desire.

      1. Arrrggghh-otron

        Re: Whoa...OK that is cool.

        You can even get flexible rubbery printing filament...

  2. Pet Peeve
    Thumb Up

    The hands are really quite nice!

  3. Khaptain Silver badge
    IT Angle

    3D Printers

    This is actually the first project that I have seen that makes me want to have a 3d printer "now".....

    Obviously the Electronics and the "Power Source " are the main setback here but this looks like a lot of fun.

    Robots printing Robots - Scary stuff....

    I hope that all of the electronics have Asimov's 3 laws hard coded into a non replaceable and indespensabel ROM.....

    <<< This is what IT is all about .....

    1. anthromod

      Re: 3D Printers

      There are several other similar projects. Easton Lachappelle and I are developing a robot arm, that can be controlled wirelessly by a glove. There's also another pair creating 3D prosthetics, for those who've lost/not developed fingers. There are a few others, on thingiverse, and elsewhere.

  4. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Nice!

    Maybe I should get some students to build one.

  5. ukgnome
    Terminator

    This is cool - BUT

    The video outtakes show the robot demanding your clothes, boots and shades.

  6. blcollier

    A spare $800?!?!

    Always wanted a robot? Well....

    Get a cheap remote controlled car - you know, one of those £20 jobbies you see in "gadget" shops

    Snip the wires for the steering and drive motors

    Hook those motors up to an h-bridge (or multiple h-bridges)

    Get a cheap ultrasonic sensor (literally a few quid on ebay)

    Hook the whole thing up to a cheap Picaxe microcontroller

    Total cost? Around £60-£70. If your motors are sufficiently low power, you might even be able to skip the h-bridges altogether.

    See <a href="http://blog.makezine.com/2011/09/22/how-to-drifting-robot-car-video/">here</a> for an example (indeed the video that inspired this post).

  7. stoneking
    Terminator

    Materials

    Well, it does look a bit fragile, but I suppose that's expected from a prototype. I wonder what's the best type of material the current generation of 3D printers can print.

    1. Arrrggghh-otron

      Re: Materials

      Titanium.

      1. GumboKing
        Terminator

        Re: Materials

        I believe you meant to say "hyper-alloy combat chassis".

  8. lawndart

    responds

    You said "All is full of love."

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    but...

    can you f*ck it? :)

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like