Season 2 : Ep. 4 | 11:26
This episode is the fourth in a series of episodes on creating a dog robot. This episode looks at a primitive pressure sensor design that I printed on my 3d printer. Is it enough to help DogBot feel its environment?
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
tv: DogBot Electronics
Season 2 : Ep. 3 | 13:02
This episode is the third in a series of episodes on creating a dog robot. This episode explores the boardruino, an arduino clone, and the ability to control servos with only a few lines of code.
This episode is the third in a series of episodes on creating a dog robot. This episode explores the boardruino, an arduino clone, and the ability to control servos with only a few lines of code.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
tv: DogBot Math
Season 2 : Ep. 2 | 9:56
This episode is the second in a series of episodes on creating a dog robot. It shows how to use MathCast and OpenSCad to calculate the equations necessary to make the robot move realistically.
This episode is the second in a series of episodes on creating a dog robot. It shows how to use MathCast and OpenSCad to calculate the equations necessary to make the robot move realistically.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
tv: CAD a DogBot
Season 2 : Ep. 1 | 9:39
This episode is the first in a series of episodes on creating a dog robot. It shows how to use OpenSCad to design the skeleton of the robot.
This episode is the first in a series of episodes on creating a dog robot. It shows how to use OpenSCad to design the skeleton of the robot.
Friday, January 21, 2011
AllSeeing: back to the beginning...
In 2008 I found the RepRap project by searching for prototyping services. I was attempting to build a custom webcam mount just for the fun of it. Since then I have been deep into the RepRap movement and have started to make occasional videos about my research. Over my Christmas vacation I decided to take a step back and apply all that I have learned and all the tools that I have acquired and start designing and building a camcorder mount. Here is a shaky video of where I'm at right now with the mount. I had to film my camcorder, so I had to use my phone to take the video. :)
It still needs a lot of work but I hope you will agree it has already come a long way. So that's the first set of information that I wanted to share in this blog post. Stay with me while I switch gears. I found the following video last night. I smiled to see how much progress has been made by start-up companies in the area of robotics.
Now let's put these two things together. I'm just an average tech geek who built a 3d printer and likes to play with robotics. There are tons of people like me. The moment the people like me make the realization that [building printers] and [using those printers to build robots that pick up your dishes and put them in the sink] share comparable complexity is the moment the robot will become just another tool in the tech geeks tool box.
"Whacha doin' this weekend?"
"Oh, I'm just designing an upgrade for my drink bot. It dropped a glass last week and I have a feeling I need to increase the range of motion of its thumb."
On a final note, Forrest over at Technocratic Anarchist was working on a robotic hand last year. Cool.
It still needs a lot of work but I hope you will agree it has already come a long way. So that's the first set of information that I wanted to share in this blog post. Stay with me while I switch gears. I found the following video last night. I smiled to see how much progress has been made by start-up companies in the area of robotics.
Now let's put these two things together. I'm just an average tech geek who built a 3d printer and likes to play with robotics. There are tons of people like me. The moment the people like me make the realization that [building printers] and [using those printers to build robots that pick up your dishes and put them in the sink] share comparable complexity is the moment the robot will become just another tool in the tech geeks tool box.
"Whacha doin' this weekend?"
"Oh, I'm just designing an upgrade for my drink bot. It dropped a glass last week and I have a feeling I need to increase the range of motion of its thumb."
On a final note, Forrest over at Technocratic Anarchist was working on a robotic hand last year. Cool.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
RepRap: Droid Mount
My wife and I upgraded to Droid X phones this year. As soon as we got them we realized they outperformed our old Garman GPS and have been using the phones for GPS ever since. My wife quickly identified the need for a droid mount to hold the phone while driving. A few weeks ago I designed and printed the following mount.
It worked decent for a week and then warped! I'm using PLA plastic and its full blown winter right now. My wife had the heat on and the part that holds the phone warped. You can see the warp below. I redesigned using the strength of triangles and increasing the depth of the part.
While redesigning I had an idea. Though the three degrees of freedom design worked fairly well, I wanted a bit more freedom. I made a bundle of 25 strands of floral wire and wrapped it with electrical tape. I then incorporated it in the design. The wire serves a dual purpose. It allows virtually any position to be obtained and it absorbs pot hole shock.
Here it is installed! I'm happy!
If you have a Droid X and would like to make this mount, here it is on Thingiverse. I included the OpenSCad source file. If you want a mount, but have a different type of phone, it shouldn't be too hard to create a derivative of my design for your phone specs.
It worked decent for a week and then warped! I'm using PLA plastic and its full blown winter right now. My wife had the heat on and the part that holds the phone warped. You can see the warp below. I redesigned using the strength of triangles and increasing the depth of the part.
While redesigning I had an idea. Though the three degrees of freedom design worked fairly well, I wanted a bit more freedom. I made a bundle of 25 strands of floral wire and wrapped it with electrical tape. I then incorporated it in the design. The wire serves a dual purpose. It allows virtually any position to be obtained and it absorbs pot hole shock.
Here it is installed! I'm happy!
If you have a Droid X and would like to make this mount, here it is on Thingiverse. I included the OpenSCad source file. If you want a mount, but have a different type of phone, it shouldn't be too hard to create a derivative of my design for your phone specs.
RepRap: Production Mode: Bed #6 and #7
Bed #7 is the last bed and completes the set. In the next few weeks I will post these sets on Thingiverse and add links to these entries.
I intentionally left out the tooth pulleys from the large batches because I've found that they come out cleaner if printed separately. Bed #6 is just for printing the large z tooth pulleys, and bed #7 is for printing the smaller tooth pulleys that go on the motor shafts. You only need three small pulleys for a Mendel set, but I've found that printing six at a time increases quality by letting them cool between layers. I took some pictures of the pulleys with some extra belt, showing that they are functional. These pulleys are the toughest parts of the print to get right. It's a good idea to have some extra belt lying around to prove they are functional pulleys.
I intentionally left out the tooth pulleys from the large batches because I've found that they come out cleaner if printed separately. Bed #6 is just for printing the large z tooth pulleys, and bed #7 is for printing the smaller tooth pulleys that go on the motor shafts. You only need three small pulleys for a Mendel set, but I've found that printing six at a time increases quality by letting them cool between layers. I took some pictures of the pulleys with some extra belt, showing that they are functional. These pulleys are the toughest parts of the print to get right. It's a good idea to have some extra belt lying around to prove they are functional pulleys.
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