3D PRINT AND BUILD YOUR OWN ROBOT
posted 19 November 2015 at 13:06:17
Disney Research and Carnegie Mellon University have jointly
developed a system that could let you 3D print your very own scuttling
robot!
The new design
tool allows budding roboticists to choose the size, shape and number of
legs for their robot using interactive editing tools, which the developers say
are 'intuitive".
"Progress in rapid manufacturing technology is making it
easier and easier to build customised robots, but designing a functioning robot
remains a difficult challenge that requires an experienced engineer," said
Markus Gross, vice president at Disney Research. "Our new design system
can bridge this gap and should be of great interest to technology enthusiasts
and the maker community at large."
The software allows users to edit the structure of the robot,
as well as being able to view the way any design changes they make, such as to
footfall and gait, might affect the way the robot behaves. This is intended to
make sure that the modified robot will be able to move without, say, keeling
over, so that less experienced users don't end up with something that lies on
its side all day.
The tool uses a dynamics model to generate these stable
walking motions. And, compared to traditional methods of generating motion, the
developers claim the process takes only a few seconds.
"The fact is that it is both expensive and time-consuming
to build a prototype – which underscores the importance of a design system such
as ours, which produces a final design without the need for building multiple
physical iterations," says Disney research scientist, Bernhard
Thomaszewski. "Our ambition is to make the design of compelling
robotic creatures as accessible and intuitive as possible."
You can find out more about the robot's design and watch it in action here:
Image: © Disney Research/CMU