Design a ready-to-go kit that robot enthusiasts can purchase, assemble, and enjoy! You heard right, we are awarding $1,000.00 worth of Actobotics parts to the winner of this contest - just imagine the things you could build with a massive pile of parts from ServoCity! Not only that, but each entrant will receive $50.00worth of Actobotics parts for submitting a working robot video...awesome right? Ok, now that you’re intrigued, visit the link below for the official entry rules and deadlines.
I’m in, assuming I can I’m in, assuming I can afford to buy the necessary items.
The motors and wheels have to be bought through ServoCity, and the electronics through SparkFun. I got mine through Polulu and Adafruit, so I’d have to get another IMU and set of motors. I was already planning on getting a TRex controller from SparkFun, so that fits the contest.
You also need to have (vertically) at least one Actobotics beam or tubing of 24".
After I get my robotics allowance at the start of next month I need to see what I can get. ServoCity has some nice motors, but they don’t seem to have encoders.
We’re very sorry you have the wrong impression of our contest - we are sincerely just trying to do something fun…and we thought offering a $1,000 prize package of our parts would be welcomed by entrants.
We get quite a few requests from customers asking for help building a balancing robot…so instead of just using our own internal R/D team, we thought we’d turn the question around to our online community and see what different and innovative designs they could come up with. Generally, people are excited about the opportunity to share their designs, and with a chance to win $1,000 worth of cool parts - we assumed they would be even more so.
We have run many contests in the past (and we plan to offer more in the future) that do not require the exclusive use of our parts. This is just one of many contests and we do appreciate your feedback. We are always listening to our customers/community and we use their suggestions to improve our business.
If you have additional questions we’d love to hear from you [email protected]. Thank you, ServoCity
Our intentions are not malicious in any way. We simply wanted to offer a fun contest that we think many people will enjoy participating in. We may or may not use the final design as a retail kit, so the ownership of the design really isn’t the focus here. Often people send us their robot designs & code without the expectation of anything in return - so the contest is more of a marketing / online community interaction effort than anything.
Thanks again for your feedback and have good weekend! Lauren
One thing in their favor… I recently reread the FAQ that comes with the rules. You do not have to buy the electronics from SparkFun, they merely have to be available from SparkFun.
So, for example, had OddBot given me a T’Rex controller to test, that would still count because SparkFun is still selling them. If I bought a bunch of Acrobotics stuff that was currently available from ServoCity, then I believe that would also be safe.
Unfortunately my IMU’s are from Adafruit, so they don’t count at all. And my motors are from Pololu because they has the size motors I needed with encoders.
So to enter the contest I would need to buy much of the mechanical parts from ServoCity, plus a few electronic parts. Which would still cost more cash than I have now at the moment.
Lumi, I agree with you that a commission will not make you rich and that anyone should grab 1000 bucks when offered. But they don’t pay in money but in parts. So after you payed $100 or more on parts, you get more parts worth $50 and, if you win, a whole lot of parts worth $1000. So money and ideas go one direction, and parts go back.
One thing that remains unclear is if you can choose freely from their website or that the set is selected by them.
I was actually considering submitting a video. I think I will be happy with any prize. But I don’t like having to buy special parts while I can also build a robot with material I already have. They want me to spend money, then their story should be okay.
1) Will the winning robot be turned into a kit? Ideas might be used, but probably not a kit exactly as presented. More than likely it will be a combination of one of the robots our R&D team has already built and the winner’s entry.
2) Will the winner receive royalties from a kit? Sorry, no royalties. $1,000 worth of Actobotics is the prize for this contest.
3) Who will own the rights to the kit? The robot community…all the parts and programming code will be shared. ServoCity may sell a kit or at least show you how to build one, but anyone can buy the parts and build their own…even if the parts are not from us.
4) Spend $100+ to enter the contest and then get $50 worth of Actobotic parts when I enter? Correct. If you were thinking of building a balancing robot we think this is a pretty good deal…especially if you are skilled enough to win. Once again, this is a contest and you do not have to enter or spend a dime…but if you already have some Actobotic parts laying around and electronic components that can be found/purchased from Sparkfun, Polulo or LittleBits that is even better!
Each future contest will be a little different so if you want to hold out for the next contest you are more than welcome.
Will I be able to Will I be able to open-source my entry and still be a valid entry? I will do this with both my code and hardware.
If so, then may I do this as soon as no more entries will be accepted?
One of the problems to the cost of this entry is that ServoCity, from whom we have to buy all motors, has no decent torquey motors with a rear shaft or built-in encoder. There is a solution that involves a lot of expense: around $200 from SparkFun and ServoCity (external encoders-2, pullies-4, belts-2, supporting structures). I would love to see a less expensive solution. I would have one if I could use some encoders I already have.
Unfortunately I do not think that a decent balancing bot can be made without odometry. I’ve got some interesting ideas, but they also involve parts that are out of bounds.
I’m curious if ServoCity has made a balancing bot that follows the rules of the contest and doesn’t use pre-release items. I’m especially interested if this robot is as good as this (which I view as the minimum that I would consider entering): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w6VqASRawgg
If I can’t make one that good with the parts I already have, then I see no point to wasting the cash to duplicate my robot with different hardware.
I think this is a fair deal, and I am glad you answered the questions. Anyone can decide on his/her own if he likes the deal or not, but at least it is clear now what you can expect.
Well, as I already watch this discussion since the beginning I am now just simply want to compare some numbers.
I am buying stuff for 100$, get back 50% for posting a video of the thing i built with that stuff. Good deal as you ask me.
Transmitting my design (even with code and instruction manual) and grab 1000$ seems fair for now.
What else options we do have?
Commission. Ok, you will get a lifetime commission of the sold robots you designed. Say 5~10% (as it’s the usual number). After selling 100 units for 60$ each you will be able to get 300~600$. seems fair. But what happens when they cannot sell that much? Then you will bang your head against the wall of not taking that 1000 bucks instead. If selling more then you are lucky.
That’s the risk everybody has to calculate, either the easy and real 1000$ cash on hand or an unsure flow of maybe 100$ per month for the sales. Todays robot market is full of products, who can assure you that your design is a top seller?
Any DIYer with countless robots in his/her shelf would love to grab a 1000 bucks only for convincing his wife/her husband that his/her hobby is worth something
PS: If Chris is saying that those guys are ok I am going to believe him but bdk has a point too. Questions should get answered.
