youtube.com/watch?v=NZ2XMBOGUDQ
Introducing my newest creation: the Creeper2! I started designing the Creeper2 Oct. 1 as a short-term Halloween stunt and long term upgrade of my previous Creeper robot (forums.trossenrobotics.com/album … tureid=197). It’s been a whirlwind month but I not only built but programmed the robot in the last 3 weeks.
As you can see in the above video, the Creeper2 is an ideal seasonal solution to candy dispersal. It will be serving candy to boys and girls who stop by its “lair†this Halloween, but its usefulness doesn’t end there!
Long term, the Creeper2 is upgradable with foot sensors for future experiments in rough terrain transversal. The Creeper2’s large body contains expansion slots for 3 additional servos for adding navigational sensors, a head, small mandibles, or even a camera. I also have plans to add a remote control option to the Creeper2 using a standard PS2 controller.
This is my first robot to boast an all aluminum custom chassis (thanks to the Waterjet cutters at TubeFab Inc.). I applied a hard black anodization in order to render the surface non-conductive and, let’s face it, for looks as well. The Creeper2 uses dual processors to ensure smooth movements and a high servo refresh rate. High level gait generation is performed by an Axon microcontroller, while the low level servo timing is handled by a SSC-32. This also allows for an easy isolation of the motor current from the electronics, which can be a problem for the Axon when running this many servos.
If you like the Creeper2 or simply have some questions about it, please post a comment. I very much like to hear from those who enjoy my work.