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.

[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.

Forget Standing Desks, This Motorized Walking Desk Lets You Get Some Exercise in While Working

Forget Standing Desks, This Motorized Walking Desk Lets You Get Some Exercise in While Working

Walking Desk Joel Creates
Corsair’s Platform 6 is a high-tech standing desk missing one feature, the ability to easily move around. Inventor Joel Hartlaub of JoelCreates decided to change that by equipping one with motors from hoverboards and pneumatic tires to handle the rugged terrain, along with thumbstick control.



Lithium-polymer batteries are used to power the motors and computer, while solar panels ensure that everything stays charged during optimal weather conditions outside. Walking outside with a full desktop computer setup can be strange to say the least, as you’ll also need a mobile hotspot for internet connectivity. For those without the technical means to accomplish this mod, there’s always the option of using a typical standing desk and getting a small walking pad / treadmill that can go under it.

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FLEXISPOT Electric Standing Desk Height Adjustable Desk 48 x 24 Inches Sit Stand Desk Home Office Desk...

FLEXISPOT Electric Standing Desk Height Adjustable Desk 48 x 24 Inches Sit Stand Desk Home Office Desk…

  • COZY & ERGONOMIC WORKSPACE: Enjoy a spacious 48″ x 24″ eco-friendly desktop that provides ample space for 2 monitors and a laptop, allowing you to…
  • ELECTRIC HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT: Effortlessly adjust the desk height with the motor lift mechanism, offering smooth transitions from 28.6″ to 46.3″…
  • DURABLE CONSTRUCTION: The combination of an industrial-grade steel frame and a sturdy desktop ensures a weight capacity of up to 132 lbs, providing…

[H/t: Hackaday]

SR-02 Quadruped Walking Robot Looks Like a Giant Rhinoceros That You Can Actually Ride

SR-02 Quadruped Walking Robot Looks Like a Giant Rhinoceros That You Can Actually Ride

SR-02 Quadruped Walking Robot Rhinoceros
Sansei Technologies’ SR-02 quadruped walking robot looks like a giant rhinoceros that you can actually ride. The company states that it’s an upgraded version of the world’s first quadruped walking robot ride capable of transporting multiple passengers.



It measures 3.6m (11.8ft) in length, 2.0m (6.6ft) in width and 2.1m (6.9ft) in height, and can walk on four legs while carrying a maximum of 4 passengers. Sansei Technologies specializes in amusement rides, so it’s safe to assume that SR-02 will eventually make its way to at least one theme park. Unfortunately, there’s no word yet on if they plan to offer this robot for private sales.

For control software, Asratec’s robot control system ‘V-Sido’ is continuously employed to enable free operation by rider or operator with special controller,” said the company.

[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.