3D-printed tripedal robot walks on three legs
Locomotion presents a complex challenge, whether it’s the natural movement of humans on two legs or the mechanical navigation of a robot on three. Enter the Hacker Twins, Mark and Jeff, who have engineered a fascinating 3D-printed tripedal robot, marking their latest foray into this domain. Unlike its predecessor, this iteration boasts a larger scale and operates using three legs, each controlled by separate servos.
Despite the potential for various control boards, the Hacker Twins opted for an Arduino Nano, offering a compact form factor and sufficient GPIO pins to manage the nine servos responsible for the robot’s movement. With a servo at each joint of every leg, totaling nine, the hardware is neatly arranged on a custom 3D-printed frame meticulously designed by the duo.
Commanded wirelessly from a nearby computer running Ubuntu, the robot receives instructions via Bluetooth to execute its movements. Although currently powered by an Arduino Nano, the Hacker Twins have ambitious plans to upgrade to an Orange Pi Zero, eyeing its compatibility with ROS2 Humble—a suite of open-source tools ideal for crafting custom robots. To witness the tripedal robot in action, check out the Hacker Twins’ captivating video on YouTube, showcasing their innovative creation in motion.