Spool Bot

cults3d

Spool Bot is a mobile robot capable of navigating intricate indoor environments with ease. Constructed from repurposed materials, it features empty 3D printer filament spools, caster wheels sourced from an old office chair, and custom parts fabricated on a 3D printer. The robot's surroundings are sensed by a depth camera, while its movement is achieved through two standard servos. An Arduino microcontroller and laptop serve as the brain, with power supplied solely by the laptop, eliminating the need for external batteries. One of my initial robots was the ER1, which employed a laptop to execute simple computer vision tasks via a webcam and rolled on rollerblade wheels. This well-designed machine was quite advanced for its time. Modern robot platforms have adopted depth cameras instead of webcams, enabling more sophisticated computer vision capabilities. The Eddie Platform from Parallax is one such example, boasting a price tag of over $1200 without the laptop or depth camera, which made it unappealing to me. That's where Spool Bot comes in - a simple and affordable solution for experimenting with sensor and computing platforms for future bipedal robot prototypes from Project Biped (www.projectbiped.com). Priced at around $250, including the depth camera (excluding the laptop), it offers computer vision fun without breaking the bank. Its ability to carry heavy computers without relying on spindly legs is a significant advantage. Once Spoolbot has identified suitable sensor combinations, the task of miniaturizing and lightening the computer will be undertaken.