Silent Running "Dewey" drone walker robot with electronics
- Thread starter ShadowCory
- Start date
Absolutely! My favorite design, for sure. I also am enamored by these hexapod walking mechanisms. They're basically just two DC motors and some gears but it'll go anywhere and is really cool and simple.
Much Progress! I think I've proven to myself it's going to work, so I moved over to making the legs and frame for the larger version. I moved to steppers instead of dc motors to get more torque and holding power. I have all the components of the system working together and running on battery power! You can see those cables plugged in, but not to each other, just to some battery packs. It's currently fully remote now.I'm updating and cutting out new plywood legs and frame now, while honing in on the right controls for a flip flop gait. The motors now home and then idle waiting for further commands. I also have a pcb board on the way to move all of those components to.
Hope everyone has a happy new year!
View attachment steppers.mp4
Hope everyone has a happy new year!
View attachment steppers.mp4
- Apr 5, 2013
- 14,228
- 10,846
The stepper motors will give you so much more control. This is quite an investment in time and Brain power. Lots to learn here. 
Well, speaking of time and brain power, I always seem to be in short supply of one or the other, lol. After many more mistakes and odd rabbit holes I meandered through, I'm back at it. The N20s are great, but the ones I have just can't crank out enough torque to over come the friction of the janky feet and then support the weight of the batteries and control board. I kinda expected this, and knew that while functioning on the lightweight model, they would not work on the larger unit.
I experimented with TT geared motors. I think with more tinkering, they could work, but since I have the steppers actually working, I redesigned the legs so I could 3d print them, and gain some flexibility for adjusting the length of the legs without messing up the ankles or the hips. I think they should provide much more torque and stable control, so hopefully they'll overcome their own massive weight with some leftover for the weight of the batteries and the foamboard body. You can see the evolution in this pic.
I experimented with TT geared motors. I think with more tinkering, they could work, but since I have the steppers actually working, I redesigned the legs so I could 3d print them, and gain some flexibility for adjusting the length of the legs without messing up the ankles or the hips. I think they should provide much more torque and stable control, so hopefully they'll overcome their own massive weight with some leftover for the weight of the batteries and the foamboard body. You can see the evolution in this pic.
- Apr 5, 2013
- 14,228
- 10,846
I think your answer lies somewhere with Theo Jansen's movement system, modified of course, to give you a smooth walking, and those systems attached to a other lifting systems if you wish to make the units take big tall steps, like up a staircase.. What you are proposing to do has commercial value. You pull this off, there will be people knocking at your door. 