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
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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
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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. 
- Apr 5, 2013
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Put those legs upside down, use parallelograms (4 each side, 2 on each side doing the same thing, you can space them for balance) for the very large feet that will prevent it from tipping, Consider adding a Gyroscope, with all the coding you are doing, it wouldn't be very hard. You are near, about 180 degrees out, but closer than anyone I've ever even heard of trying this, and I have not heard of anyone trying this!
Thanks guys! I got the control board pcb and hooked it up. I went a head and made an offset wheel instead of the linkages. Also, I used some slightly larger stepper motors which, even though not that much bigger, proved to be much more powerful. So now, I'll try to put the linkage based foot back on. Right now it just homes, takes three steps, and repeats. I have the remote control setup, but I just have it running this loop to get the mechanics working.
View attachment deweyRoundfeet.mp4
View attachment deweyRoundfeet.mp4
Is there a picture or diagram of what you are describing? I can't quite see what you are proposing.Put those legs upside down, use parallelograms (4 each side, 2 on each side doing the same thing, you can space them for balance) for the very large feet that will prevent it from tipping, Consider adding a Gyroscope, with all the coding you are doing, it wouldn't be very hard. You are near, about 180 degrees out, but closer than anyone I've ever even heard of trying this, and I have not heard of anyone trying this!
- Apr 5, 2013
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I would run parallelograms, or legs, as wide as possible so establish a wide base for the feet. I would run the walking apparatus up high, so that the parallelogram walkers could be mounted to a secondary movement, such as a Theo Jansen's, or type reciprocating movement,. It just seems that you are attempting to make a stick walking figure that will require many bends, even if those bends are mounted on other bars, or flats that move off of the same system. Below is a pic I found, not my design, but along the lines I was thinking. The original ones hand amputees in them, you will never be able to recreate that kind of movement reasonably priced. I have seen people pull off some fantastic stuff though.
Oh, I really like this design. I must admit though, I am shooting for a look more than realistic biped walking. I was majorly inspired by RobotHut's designs from thingiverse and youtube. He made a "peg walker" version that looked really cool. Thanks for the pic though, that is a very cool design. Kinda ED209-ish!I would run parallelograms, or legs, as wide as possible so establish a wide base for the feet. I would run the walking apparatus up high, so that the parallelogram walkers could be mounted to a secondary movement, such as a Theo Jansen's, or type reciprocating movement,. It just seems that you are attempting to make a stick walking figure that will require many bends, even if those bends are mounted on other bars, or flats that move off of the same system. Below is a pic I found, not my design, but along the lines I was thinking. The original ones hand amputees in them, you will never be able to recreate that kind of movement reasonably priced. I have seen people pull off some fantastic stuff though.
View attachment 230290
Here is my controller scheme, and a shot with him in costume.
- Apr 5, 2013
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You would get a longer gait with a version of Theo Jansen's,design. Imagine doubling each mechanism on each side! IMHO