cost

After a costly but extremely gratifying trip to Active Tech Electronics today, I now have a very respectable stockpile of commonly-needed electronic components and small hardware. I also picked up a new multimeter and some hex-head screws earlier in the week, and have a few more bits-and-pieces due to arrive with the next shipments.

Purchases so far (still waiting for the last two to arrive):

• RobotShop.ca: servos, wires/connectors, voltage regulators


• Canadian Tire: multimeter


• Valley Tool and Fasteners: screws, washers, nuts, metric hex key multitool


• Active Tech Electronics: big stockpile of electronic components, LEDs, connectors, screws


• Spark Fun Electronics: miniature wireless camera, miscellaneous electronic components and connectors, LEDs


• HVW Technologies: microcontroller, programming cable, infrared distance sensor, more miscellaneous electronic components and connectors, more LEDs

Total cost: $You don't want to know$

the torso bracket

You would not believe how much of a pain a few millimeters of aluminum can be to work with.

It's a pretty straightforward design; mathematically perfect and precisely constructed. Still, reality has a way of laughing in the face of mathematical perfection -- nothing ever lines up the way it should.

Nonetheless, it serves its intended purpose quite effectively: holding the shoulder and neck servos in a rigid and (somewhat) precise frame. Big thanks to my cousin (below, with the drill) for lending his expertise (and pretty much doing all the work!).

Voila! There's the torso, mostly assembled (but not trimmed). Now I'm getting anxious for the electronics I ordered to arrive, since I have no means of actually running the servos until then. Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise: if the next shipment doesn't arrive for a week or two, I might get some real work done.

first shipment

The first shipment of parts has arrived (from RobotShop.ca)! Shown here along with printouts of my most recent design.

I'm expecting two additional shipments from other stores, but they may take some time since not all the parts are in stock.

design phases

The robot design is ongoing, but here's a look at the progress:

My first attempt at a 3D layout.

An update, with arbitrary colours selected for visibility, rather than asthetics.

Now we're getting somewhere! Was still thinking of a two-camera design at this stage, which I've since written off as being impractical.

Recent changes. I removed much of the clutter (including circuitry and some framing), since they're still subject to change.

Here the shoulder joints have been simplified to remove the need for miter gears. Also, the arms, waist joint and potential battery layout have finally been added.

Lastly, here's a quick silhouette mockup of what he might look like on the outside.

introduction

Here lay the chronicles of my robot project.
Enjoy.