Inventor James Bruton Builds a Walking Star Wars Droid Prototype Inspired by BD-1

Inventor James Bruton Builds a Walking Star Wars Droid Prototype Inspired by BD-1

James Bruton Walking Star Wars Droid Prototype BD-1
There’s the NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano-powered version, and then inventor James Bruton’s walking Star Wars droid prototype, inspired by BD-1. Recreating Walt Disney Imagineering’s robot just wouldn’t be feasible on a limited budget, so a slightly less complex robot with 3D-printed parts had to be planned out.



In the end, Bruton decided to use four DYNAMIXEL servos in custom housings driven by a DYNAMIXEL interface shield, the latter of which is connected to to a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller. SparkFun’s inertial measurement unit (IMU) breakout board was used for balance, while all of these hardware components are wired to a 3S LiPo battery. A custom algorithm then had to be programmed to precisely measure the angle each leg joint should be at controlled with a standard remote control.

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LEGO Star Wars Luke Skywalker's X-Wing Fighter 75301 Building Toy Set - Princess Leia Minifigure, R2-D2...

LEGO Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing Fighter 75301 Building Toy Set – Princess Leia Minifigure, R2-D2…

  • X-Wing Replica – Features a LEGO brick-built version of Luke Skywalker’s iconic toy X-wing Fighter to recreate the legendary action-packed scenes…
  • Interactive Build – The X-wing features an opening LEGO minifigure cockpit, retractable landing gear, 2 spring loaded shooters, and wings that can be…
  • Iconic Minifigures – Includes Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and General Dodonna LEGO Star Wars minifigures with weapons including Luke’s trademark…

A number or people have sent me various videos of the new Star Wars Droids walking around Disney’s Galaxies Edge theme park. These are smallish bipedal Droid characters which are a bit like BD-1 but kind of bigger and with bigger joints, because they aren’t fiction,” said Bruton.

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Author
Bill Smith

When it comes to cars, video games or geek culture, Bill is an expert of those and more. If not writing, Bill can be found traveling the world.

Inventor James Bruton Builds a Working Mobius Strip Tank with a Twistable Tread System

Inventor James Bruton Builds a Working Mobius Strip Tank with a Twistable Tread System

James Bruton Mobius Strip Tank
Inventor James Bruton built a working Mobius strip tank for his latest project, and for those unfamiliar with the term, it basically refers to a one-sided surface with no boundaries that looks like an infinite loop. In tank form, this meant creating a twistable tread system with each link being able to rotate 18°, and despite how it looks, the system functions like any other.



After some planning, Bruton settled on 3D printing each piece separately, thus if a replacement is needed, it can be easily done without having to reprint the entire thing. Other parts used include an Arduino Mega development board, a pair of 24V gear motors to drive each tread independently, BTS7960 DC motor drivers, and an RC radio receiver.

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DJI Mini 2 SE, Lightweight and Foldable Mini Drone with QHD Video, 10km Video Transmission, 31-min Flight...

DJI Mini 2 SE, Lightweight and Foldable Mini Drone with QHD Video, 10km Video Transmission, 31-min Flight…

  • Lightweight and Portable – The drone is lightweight and compact, weighing less than 249 grams. It’s perfect for taking on hikes, road trips, and other…
  • Beginner-Friendly – With simplified operations, the drone is easy to learn and master quickly, making it ideal for beginners. It has a Return to Home…
  • Extended Flight Time – Enjoy longer flights with DJI Mini 2 SE, which offers a 31-min max flight time. Combo offers two additional Intelligent Flight…


Author
Bill Smith

When it comes to cars, video games or geek culture, Bill is an expert of those and more. If not writing, Bill can be found traveling the world.

Inventor Builds a Kinetic PC Case That Doubles as a Work of Art

Inventor Builds a Kinetic PC Case That Doubles as a Work of Art

Ideal Idea Kinetic PC Case Sculpture
A wooden Xbox may sound weird, but this kinetic PC case by Robert of Ideal Idea Creations actually doubles as a work of art. Countless hours of work went into this creation, as the front panel has motorized mechanical parts on the front that can be swapped out.



To make things easy to swap, Robert had to first modify an existing PC case with laser-cut plywood, while a is used for the mechanisms inside the kinetic front panels. The effects are currently limited since they are controlled by a stepper motor powered by an Arduino Uno board. If a custom script was programmed to run on a PC, the rotation parameters can be adjusted on the fly for even more eye candy. On a related note, did you know that Yaacov Agam from Rishon LeZion, Israel is considered the pioneer of kinetic art?

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CORSAIR 4000D AIRFLOW Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX Case - High-Airflow - Cable Management System -...

CORSAIR 4000D AIRFLOW Tempered Glass Mid-Tower ATX Case – High-Airflow – Cable Management System -…

  • Combining innovative cable management, concentrated airflow, and proven CORSAIR build quality, the 4000D is a fitting choice for an immaculate…
  • The CORSAIR RapidRoute cable management system makes it simple and fast to route your major cables through a single channel, with a roomy 25mm of…
  • Includes two CORSAIR 120mm AirGuide fans, utilizing anti-vortex vanes to concentrate airflow and enhance cooling. Motherboard will fit in our 4000…


Author
Bill Smith

When it comes to cars, video games or geek culture, Bill is an expert of those and more. If not writing, Bill can be found traveling the world.

Inventor Transforms Hot Wheels Toy Into an FPV R/C Car

Inventor Transforms Hot Wheels Toy Into an FPV R/C Car

Max Imagination Hot Wheels Toy Turned FPV RC Car
When is a Hot Wheels toy not just something you race around a track? When Max Imagination turns one into a functional FPV R/C car. This 1:64 scale project is based on Arduino boards, including an ESP32 WiFi microprocessors to run web applications for both car control and the First-Person-View video feed.

It also comes equipped with a small high-speed, brushed DC motor with its own motor driver as well as a micro servo for steering, all with proportional control. A smartphone is used to control the Hot Wheels car, while a second device slots into a VR headset for the first person view.

Hot Wheels RC 1:64 Scale Tesla Cybertruck Rechargeable Radio-Controlled Racing Cars for On- or Off-Track...

Hot Wheels RC 1:64 Scale Tesla Cybertruck Rechargeable Radio-Controlled Racing Cars for On- or Off-Track…

  • The Hot Wheels RC 1:64 mini cars feature the innovative Hot Wheels RC technology combined with the iconic decos and stylings inherent to the Hot…
  • Kids drive the adventure when they control their cars through epics stunts, thrilling challenges, and down the racing road to victory
  • Cars include a turbo boost for kids who dare to unlock additional power in every challenge and have the ability to reach up to 500 scale miles per…

Max Imagination Hot Wheels Toy Turned FPV RC Car

Join us on this thrilling journey as Max shows you how to transform a regular Hot Wheels model car (Porsche 993 GT2) into an adrenaline-pumping Arduino-based 1:64 scale micro FPV RC Drift Car! Entirely based on tiny, Arduino-compatible boards,” said Max.


Author
Bill Smith

When it comes to cars, video games or geek culture, Bill is an expert of those and more. If not writing, Bill can be found traveling the world.

Inventor Colin Furze Builds Oven-Equipped Motorbike That Can Bake a Pizza While Riding

Inventor Colin Furze Builds Oven-Equipped Motorbike That Can Bake a Pizza While Riding

Colin Furze Oven Bike Bake Pizza
Inventor Colin Furze is no stranger to weird contraptions, and his latest creation is most certainly no exception. He came up with an oven-equipped motorbike that can bake a pizza while riding, which required stretching its chassis by 2 meters (6.6 feet).



There are a few drawbacks such as the oven being so heavy it comprises the motorbike’s maneuverability and the lack of a proper prep table, which makes rolling the dough a difficult task. However, the bike is still able to travel at 30 mph while the gas-powered oven is cooking up a fresh pizza.

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Ninja Woodfire Pizza Oven, 8-in-1 outdoor oven, 5 Pizza Settings, Ninja Woodfire Technology, 700°F high...

Ninja Woodfire Pizza Oven, 8-in-1 outdoor oven, 5 Pizza Settings, Ninja Woodfire Technology, 700°F high…

  • 8-IN-1 FUNCTIONALITY: Do more outdoors and turn any space into an outdoor kitchen; Pizza, Max Roast, Specialty Roast, Broil, Bake, Smoker, Dehydrate…
  • ARTISAN PIZZAS: 3-minute no turn, no fuss pizzas. Choose from 5 different settings to satisfy any craving; Neapolitan, Thin Crust, Pan, New York, and…
  • 700°F PREMIUM RESULTS: Brick oven-inspired results without the hassle—charring, caramelization, blistering and crunch for premium textures and…

Colin Furze Oven Bike Bake Pizza

The oven is gas-powered so you have to leave it for 10 minutes to heat up, but once you put the pizza inside it only takes a few minutes to cook. I’ve tried out the delivery service on neighbors and friends and they love it,” said Furze.


Author
Jackson Chung

A technology, gadget and video game enthusiast that loves covering the latest industry news. Favorite trade show? Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Inventor of the Original Hoverboard Unveils SHANE, an Unusual Two-Wheeled Electric Car

Inventor of the Original Hoverboard Unveils SHANE, an Unusual Two-Wheeled Electric Car

Inventist Hoverboard SHANE Two-Wheeled Electric Car
Sure, there’s an F1 wheel hoverboard, but the inventor of the original, Shane Chen, unveils his latest creation: SHANE. This unusual two-wheeled electric car is touted to be practical and efficient for everyday urban as well as highway use.



For maximum stability, SHANE essentially has a shifting center of gravity relative to its wheels to counter the torque generated by driving, thus making the vehicle as safe as its four-wheeled counterparts. Two wheel differential speed control make maneuverability and parking a breeze. Its large wheels minimize rolling resistance while in-wheel regenerative shocks conserve damping energy to recharge the battery. There’s no word yet on if or when we’ll see a functional prototype.

NAVIC T5 Electric Scooter, Up to 19 Miles Range, 19 Mph Folding Commute Electric Scooter for Adults with...

NAVIC T5 Electric Scooter, Up to 19 Miles Range, 19 Mph Folding Commute Electric Scooter for Adults with…

  • 🛴Ideal Riding Speed & Range: Equipped with 350W electric brushless hub motor, T5 electric scooter allows for speed up to 19mph. Max long range up…
  • 🛴Perfect Last Mile Solution: One-step folding design for easy carry and storage. You can carry it with easy or just store it in your car, T5…
  • 🛴Smart App Control: Easily connected with your phone, you can operate many functions via this APP. such as lock/unlcok; set up customized max…

Inventist Hoverboard SHANE Two-Wheeled Electric Car

Two-wheeled have simply not been practical or stable enough for everyday driving, until now. I was excited to create a car concept with two that can go at high speeds and be energy efficient. I truly believe SHANE will make a difference in how we approach mobility and I look forward to collaborating with partners to bring this concept to life, said Shane Chen, Inventist Founder.

[Source]


Author
Bill Smith

When it comes to cars, video games or geek culture, Bill is an expert of those and more. If not writing, Bill can be found traveling the world.