The Acme 18-Servo Hexapodal Cat-Frightener
Phoenix is the winner of the Trossen Robotics TRC Project Contest…
…and deservedly so.
She’s a little small to really conquer the indoor environment, but the design is very scalable; I think a double-size Phoenix made with super-torque standard-sized servos or the big quarter-scale ones could scuttle up ordinary stairs quite easily.
(One could, in fact, be climbing your stairs right now. What was that noise?)
More at the forum thread.
(Via.)
[UPDATE: It’s now available as a kit!]
Having lived in Sydney all my life, I really had to struggle with the urge to find something solid to belt that thing with - it looks way too much like a Funnel Web Spider, even with only six legs.
It does however look fantastic 'playing' with that box, an RC version would be fun for scaring the bejezzus out of people!
Comment by corinoco — March 12, 2008 @ 9:49 am
That was the single creepiest thing I've seen made by the hands of man...
Comment by unfunk — March 12, 2008 @ 9:01 pm
Well it certainly told that box who's boss.
Comment by jdanforth — March 12, 2008 @ 10:21 pm
It's the first robot I can easily say actually looks alive. *shudders*
Comment by Changes — March 13, 2008 @ 1:18 am
That is awesome. When I first saw it, I thought, "robotic tarantula" -- except, of course, only six legs. It moves extremely well; very impressive.
Comment by Steven Den Beste — March 14, 2008 @ 3:29 am
Phoenix, a robotic spider
Phoenix is sort of a robotic spider, except for the minor detail of only having six legs. It's self-contained, and remotely controlled using Bluetooth. The movements are calculated using an Excel spreadsheet, and it moves beautifully. (via)
Trackback by Zygos Community Links — March 14, 2008 @ 4:46 pm
Do they have any plans on selling the thing, or is it one of those research projects that nobody ever hears from again after their fifteen minutes of fame?
Comment by Changes — March 14, 2008 @ 5:46 pm
I don't think anybody's said anything about selling Phoenixes. It'd be easy enough to break the hardware down into a kit of parts, though; Phoenix is essentially just another robot-made-out-of-servos, and several of those are on the market (I think they're all bipeds, and very expensive) today.
Control systems are the complex part, of course. There's nothing about the Phoenix structure that is inherently especially elegant; it's the PC that makes her dance.
(Phoenix also has no sensory capability, so she's just a wireless puppet at present.)
Comment by Daniel Rutter — March 14, 2008 @ 6:00 pm
Looks like it will be available at some point, check out http://www.lynxmotion.net/viewtopic.php?t=2884
Comment by Michael Kirby — March 15, 2008 @ 6:10 am
I await my Mortein branded shotgun.
Comment by chiefnewo — March 15, 2008 @ 7:00 am
Yeah, I've looked in on that Lynxmotion thread, and at around $200usd for the bits & pieces, it looks pretty cheap.. but I have zero skills with which to put the thing together, or equipment with which to control it :(
Comment by unfunk — March 15, 2008 @ 11:31 pm
Oh, great. How long before it starts sporting a hypodermic filled with acid, and Gene Simmons takes over?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_%281984_film%29
Futhermore, even though I'm sure it would draw 33% more electricity, they need to go ahead and just add two more legs, as more than a fourth of the posts so far (and I'm sure just as many elsewhere) involve comments like "...spider, except with only 6 legs..."
Comment by zurkog — March 18, 2008 @ 12:17 pm
It is a lot bigger machine, but I think you'll find this of interest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1czBcnX1Ww
Boston Dynamics' BigDog. “The Most Advanced Quadruped Robot on Earth”
Comment by KD — March 19, 2008 @ 2:47 pm
Why do I find the Big Dog creepier than the Phoenix?
Comment by RichVR — March 21, 2008 @ 9:58 pm
I saw the Big Dog on BoingBoing. As someone else pointed out, the normal gait doesn't look particularly life-like, but when it's being pushed around or tripping on ice there is a strange sensation that they've just dug up two pairs of cadaver legs and run petrol through the veins...
Comment by kamikrae-z — March 22, 2008 @ 6:42 pm
Where oh where has Dan gone? I hope those firepower buggers haven't come round and broken your legs or something.
Comment by JG — March 27, 2008 @ 7:49 pm
Speaking of the Big Dog, Here's the ghetto version.
Comment by stewpot2 — March 27, 2008 @ 9:30 pm
I guess it was creeping up his stairs.
Comment by RichVR — March 28, 2008 @ 1:11 pm
It is a little disconcerting. Where's Dan?
Comment by phrantic — March 28, 2008 @ 3:22 pm
We miss you, Dan. I'm getting drunk in your honor right now.
Comment by RichVR — March 29, 2008 @ 3:32 pm
I'll drink to that, RichVR! I'll get myself another G & T. It's theraputic! It prevents malaria!
Comment by phrantic — March 29, 2008 @ 8:55 pm
The Official March 30th "Where Is Dan?" Post.
Comment by RichVR — March 31, 2008 @ 11:19 am
Dan! Dan? DAAAANNNNNN!?!? Hmm... nobody's home. How odd. Well, I hope you're just on vacation and all is well in your world Mr. Rutter.
Comment by Stark — April 1, 2008 @ 2:50 am