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Really Useful Robot! (Patreon)

Published:
2021-05-24 09:51:41
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

Here's next week's video, early for Patrons. This one goes out publicly on June 1st.

Generally the Really Useful Robot series hasn't done as well as some other videos I've made this year, so I've tried to pitch the video thumbnail and intro slightly differently in order to hold more retention. 

There is quite a good update though - it's hacky, but that means it can certainly get better also.

Files

Previews only

Why I Built This Robot

It's time for an update on the Really Useful Robot and also show some updates I've been working on. I've managed to write some hacky scripts that pull the depth detection out of the Intel Realsense D435i camera, so I can pin point items in 3D space that are detected with the NVIDIA Inference/TensorRT deep learning models. This will allow the robot to manipulate specific items in the environment driving the inverse-kinematic model for the arm. You can support me on Patreon or buy my Merchandise: *************************** Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/xrobots Merchandise: https://teespring.com/stores/james-bruton *************************** Affiliate links - I will get some money of you use them to sign up or buy something: *************************** Matterhackers 3D printing supplies: http://www.matterhackers.com?aff=7500 Music for your YouTube videos: http://share.epidemicsound.com/xrobots *************************** Other socials: *************************** Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xrobotsuk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xrobotsuk/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/xrobotsuk *************************** CAD and Code for my projects: https://github.com/XRobots Huge thanks to my Patrons, without whom my standard of living would drastically decline. Like, inside out-Farm Foods bag decline. Plus a very special shoutout to Lulzbot, Inc who keep me in LulzBot 3D printers and support me via Patreon. HARDWARE/SOFTWARE Below you can also find a lot of the typical tools, equipment and supplies used in my projects: Filament from: https://www.3dfuel.com/ Lulzbot 3D Printers: http://bit.ly/2Sj6nil Lincoln Electric Welder: https://bit.ly/2Rqhqos CNC Router: https://bit.ly/2QdsNjt Ryobi Tools: http://bit.ly/2RhArcD Axminster Micro Lathe: http://bit.ly/2Sj6eeN 3D Printer Filament: http://bit.ly/2PdcdUu Soldering Iron: http://bit.ly/2DrNWDR Vectric CNC Software: http://bit.ly/2zxpZqv Why not join my community, who are mostly made up of actual geniuses. There’s a Facebook group and everything: https://www.facebook.com/groups/287089964833488/ XROBOTS Former toy designer, current YouTube maker and general robotics, electrical and mechanical engineer, I’m a fan of doing it yourself and innovation by trial and error. My channel is where I share some of my useful and not-so-useful inventions, designs and maker advice. Iron Man is my go-to cosplay, and 3D printing can solve most issues - broken bolts, missing parts, world hunger, you name it. XRobots is the community around my content where you can get in touch, share tips and advice, and more build FAQs, schematics and designs are also available.

Comments

Anonymous

honestly, these videos are the highlight of my Monday!

Darius Zaerin

really great work as always james, some solid progress and smart solutions indeed! to your reformatting endeavous though...while i personally love looking back at your incredible portfolio, hearing your thoughts and generally seeing what you do, i found the first half of this video pretty intense and overwhelming. you cover huge projects and timespans really quickly, jumping from one fascinating and detail rich project scene to the next, all while talking pretty technical details at 100mph. its hard to absorb it all at once and while i'm ok with pausing, rewinding and re-watching your videos, if it were something i'd just stumbled on and i didn't absolutely want to hear what you're saying, i'd have clicked away. i don't think its digestible for the average layman. the thumbnail on the other hand is eye catching, exciting and fun. i think that unfortunately the long, multi-part robotics builds that i like the most don't attract a large, casual audience. i think it would be ok, and hopefully a good idea for a more average joe 'viral' viewership, if you milk your completed projects a little more, using them for colab competitions, feature highlight sketches and more flashy presentation videos. add a playful or suspenseful element to the story. i think that would do well with a larger audience, and also get a good portion of them interested in then diving more deeply into the build videos. maybe, if you manage to get ahead on a project, even do it in reverse. thinking about it, thats pretty much what most maker channels do it i think, and i guess it works. show a crazy new robot wowing briefly, then go into more detail, revealing additional surprise features or impressive b-roll maneuvers for retention as you go along. zack freedman, an even more nieche nerd channel than yours, just posted a video about his video/channel directing strategy the other day, and i think he brings up a few tactics that are interesting/worth thinking about. anyway, keep it up dude! i for one couldn't be more amazed by the things you do and KNOW you deserve more attention. it'll happen, just keep doing your thing.

XRobots
>>60466569

Yeah, I'm trying to avoid really long series which is why most of the other recent content has been 1-2 episodes at most, and then we're onto something else - and mostly simple mechanical things that aren't too hard. I guess the point of this project is to learn about some new technology that I can integrate into other projects more quickly one I understand it.

Darius Zaerin
>>60466569

hey! sure, absolutely, that makes sense and i totally get it. but personally i love your long term projects most so please don't give up on them. it takes time to create such intricate and impressive things and you're already an absolute productivity machine! maybe some larger projects lend themselves to being done in individual components, and then your increasing knowlage of ros allows them to be tied together. like the kitchen robot series, with added components and functions as you go, or the growing performance/band ensemble, although im personally less keen on the musical stuff. a motion platform, robot arm, vision/automation system, diy battery bank for example can all be presented as individual projects in their own right, but build on something larger. just like you've been doing already, but maybe with a satisfying standalone use case for each one being highlighted a little more clearly, to get more 'video value' out of all the work each one takes. a basic motion platform is a shopping trolley, mobility vehicle, assistive bike trailer. a Z axis actuator is a camera rig, standing desk, fat pet elevator... a battery bank is an off grid power system, an arm is a 3d printer, drawing robot and so on. i think it'll let you get more youtube value out of your work and also appeal more to casual viewers. i see all that in your work already but i think you could emphasise it more in your presentation format. also in particular the presentation technique of giving people a glimpse of the result seems to work really well for retention. anyway, just my thoughts, you'll figure out what works for you :-) are you planning a live stream again sometime soon? :-D

Anonymous

Very nice! Can't wait for the gripping conclusion. You could do some nice calibration by putting a recognisable mark on the arm and comparing the RGBD position vs the kinematic position. Or do it live, so you align the depth by bumping the target position of the arm until its RGBD depth matches the cup - then it does not matter so much what the absolute value is.

XRobots
>>60472960

I'll probably experiment with a marker on the gripper and then it'll be easier to align with the object, and if it's a known size then it'll be easy to check its depth too.

Thomas Messerschmidt

James, do you think you will be using ROS more as time goes on? Does it easily solve a lot of problems that cannot be done with Arduino alone? I have had a hard time just getting it to do anything. I normally use EZ-Robot/ARC for my more complicated projects such as my fembot. I can accomplish much more with ARC than ROS, although I suppose I will need to move to ROS in the near future.

XRobots
>>60484315

Yes I think you can do a lot more with ROS, but you have to understand a lot more as well! Sometimes it's easier to do some tasks another way - I'm only just scratching the surface with these videos as there are actually thousands of ready made ROS modules written by many people. I guess the advantage of ROS is using other people's ready made code, but it takes quite a bit of digging to get to the bottom of it sometimes.

Anonymous

Hey James. If we want to download your builds and tinker with them IRL, how do you recommend we go about procuring the non-3D printed parts like bearings and structural components? Are there parts lists for your builds somewhere? I am interested in building an opendog, but I'm not sure what exact parts I need to purchase

Simon the Delusional

I wouldn't fret too much about the viewership numbers on your more technical and long-term projects. Know that you have a core audience that really love that sort of video, you really seem to enjoy them as well, which is the most important aspect. Not to mention how many of those projects uncover new avenues of knowledge and inspire other researchers. Sure, you would probably get more views if you devolved into just doing short superhero themed builds, but would you actually be doing good interesting work then or merely be pleasing the masses? I have seen far too many great channels turn to shit in the name of 'viewer engagement'. How many of your patrons came from videos with low engagement? How big part of your revenue from your videos come from patreon? Don't get hooked on numbers. Do the work you find interesting.

XRobots
>>60518789

If it's openDog V2, the bearings should be in the CAD to measure. I haven't done a BOM for any of the other parts, but drop me a message if you can't work out specific parts from the CAD/videos. The motors are however out of stock at Hobbyking and have been for ages - I'll be doing an openDog V3 with Cycloidal Drives just as soon as they are back in stock or I can find an alternative.

XRobots
>>60525771

Yes it's true, although YouTube gives more reach to videos that do better, which drives for Patrons. Quite a few new Patrons have come along in the last few months with the new variety of content. I have a few longer projects planned, but I guess what I'm saying in the video is that it'll be easier to integrate similar technology into them more quickly so the videos get to the point quicker.