I don't get many opportunities to share the projects (many projects) that I have going on, but here's a little clip of a past one. This is a mobility chassis concept for a 30lb fighting robot I was building for Robot Battles in Atlanta. Unfortunately, I needed some further refinement so I had to pump the brakes on it. Hopefully I'll be able to return to this design and get it to function the way I intended. Let me know what you think. :)

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Unitree Robotics Go2 - New Design!

Spinning Lidar?

Well I just came across Unitree Robotics' latest robot dog.   They've tweaked the design by adding what looks to be a spinning Lidar sensor to the front.  This offering also seems to have greater mobility and position control.  I haven't delved into all the specifics yet so I'll have to take some time to learn more about it, but for now, let's enjoy the video!  lol.

Let me know what you think about the updated design and how it might influence all the other robot dog manufactures..

Advancements in Quadruped Motion - DeepRobotics

Lite3 from DeepRobotics

  Let me just say this, I'm not so fond of the "face" on this new robot dog/quadruped.  It looks a bit too cartoonish for my taste as a mechanical designer, but I'm head over heels at this robot's ability to leap forward.  That looks to be a very useful maneuver as these types of robots become more common place and have to navigate in the real world.  It's crazy to see just how far quadruped robots have come since Sony released the first Aibo.   Check out the video from DeepRobotics and let me know what you think in the comments below.  Is it too cartoonish?  Does it remind you of a bot from Megaman?

"I Ain't New to Dis!"

 Yes, I said it, ebonics and all.  I am not new to building robots and making stuff.  I've been pursuing engineering/mechanical/industrial design since elementary school.  Ever since I was introduced to giant fighting robots and the likes from all the 70's/80's Japanimations/cartoons that proliferated kids programming on television.  I could not get enough of it and I determined within myself to figure out a way to build what I saw on the screen.  Now here I am in 2023 watching all of the amazing robots that have been designed by so many smart people and institutions, and I'm like God, what have I produced?  Why am I not, at the least, involved in some innovative robot project?  Why don't I ever see faces that look like mine on the teams that build such projects?  Why don't I have any friends that build bots?  

I see all the young people with access to this new influx of technology, 3d printers, laser cutters, cnc machines (3 to 5 axis) and so on.  I came up before this era, where I had to hone my model making skills, sketching, and soldering.  Now it's time to add the old to the new and get back into robot making.  

Just to give a little taste of my previous projects.  I'd like to introduce you to my Squatter Buster. 

This little unit was the property of the Cobb County police dept.  It originally came to me as a Traxxas E-Maxx and a old paintball gun.  My task was to get it all assembled together with a camera/transmitter and make it into a radio controlled less lethal deterrent.   Using an analog camera and video transmitter along with a JR airplane radio, the Badger was born.  Here's a run down of its features:

>Servo controlled Pan/Tilt

>Full auto fire (switch activated)

>Retained stock speed... (too fast to drive indoors lol)

This would be my first foray into this type of platform, but it wouldn't be my last.  Here's a sample of it in action evicting a squatter (me) in an   empty house.  Enjoy!  Be sure to add your email to the blog so you won't miss all the robot/mechanical goodness that is coming.