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Here's next week's video, early for Patrons. This one goes out public on Jan 25th. I started with this as a progression from the worm robot I made a while ago, although that wasn't exactly quick, so I decided to just make the best thing I could which would climb over things and go a bit quicker.

I'd like like to make a longer one with multiple sections that can steer in different directions, or a big one I can ride on!

Files

Previews only

Snake Robot - PREVIEW VERSION

I previously made a worm robot, which used Peristaltic locomotion – expanding and contracting various segments of its body to push itself along. I’d intended to come back to this project and add some ratchet wheels on each segment – just like the hairs that can be found on real earthworms, which would help prevent slippage. I’d also intended to add more actuators so that the worm could bend side to side to steer, and also bend up and down so it could climb over objects. I’ve also previously experimented with various wheel alternatives, to see how robots can climb over objects. This included a hybrid-leg-wheel robot, and my Pedrail wheels, which had fourteen extending legs around the circumference of the wheel which run on a rotating guide in the wheel hub. 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 Bearings from: https://simplybearings.co.uk/ 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

Awesome! It’s super effective, great work. I’m really tempted to remake it in using sg90 servos and small geared drive motors. Would love to see independent section steering, it would definitely appear more snake like!

Anonymous

Very cool robot James! I love the practically of it. I could see this mixed with ros being a very cool combo!

Anonymous

Nice! I like the side-winding behavior, very cool!

XRobots

Thanks, I think the steering works where there's hardly any friction but if it were longer or had more mass to it then I'd need to change the way that works.

Anonymous

Maybe it could take inspiration from a real sidewinder snake, and kind of move its body in a sine wave (multiple "ripples" as opposed to just one) whose frequency can be altered to combat this? It wouldn't really make sense for 4 segments, but for a longer snake it might work!

Steve Martin

Building a life size version sounds like the sort of collaboration the Furze would be up for (once he's finished his tunnel of course!)

XRobots

Well I have a welder and a CNC machine, just no where to put them at the moment!

Steve Martin

Two options then, 1. follow in Furze's footsteps and essentially underpin your house and excavate your entire garden to create an underground 'makers complex' (that would make any Bond Villain jealous) for all your making needs... or 2. Buy a bigger house :D

XRobots

2 is the plan, but there are various reasons it hasn't happened just yet.

Richard Hackathorn

Yet again... AMAZING! ..and SURPRISING! It was not intuitive what the behavior of that weird thing would be... ;)

Anonymous

I like this one a lot! Looks like a lot of fun to drive! Did you think about putting on larger wheels? Feels like it would make getting over corners of boxes etc. quite a bit easier? Also, I am wondering if you could put on the jetson nano or similar and get it to learn how to optimally move itself over different terrain (give it full flexibility on all the joints and wheels to do what it likes and then do some kind of NN training for it to learn how best to move?)

XRobots

It could do with tracks on each segment I think, or wheels that are large enough it still works when t's upside down. I think machine learning would need a clear input like a 3D scan of the terrain?

Anonymous

Yeah, I'm not sure exactly what input you would need, but was thinking something like the Intel RealSense depth camera might be enough. Although perhaps processing everything in real time would be a challenge!

Anonymous

Absolutely one of my favorite creations of yours! I love how fun it looks to drive around, and it really gets over stuff well. If you do a new iteration of it, you could move the universal joints up higher, to the middle of the motor/servo mount so it doesn't hook in anything it's going over.

Anonymous

Not bad at all! That thing gets around really well. Nice work James!

Steve Martin

Aww... that's a shame, I was gearing up to enjoying more tunnel building! In seriousness though, house moves are never easy and always stressful, so fingers crossed everything goes smoothly for you

Anonymous

I wonder if you could attach 'whiskers' to the front that would make it automatically rise up to go over obstacles, go around them, or stay on them. Contact switches with long wires attached could work or, more complex hall effect sensors to detect forces on them. It could navigate through obstacles where you can't see what it's doing.