Hi!
I am interested in learning how to create, program and use a multi-leg robot. Based on what I have learned so far, the Phoenix looks like a reasonable robot to start to get into the weeds of robotics. My end goal is to make a custom multi-leg walking robot in a few years.
I can code okay (and work with real coders) and am reasonable mechanically adept, is the Phoenix a good starter robot for a dedicated individual looking to learn?
Thank you so much in advance for your help!
@Ski_Party Welcome to the RobotShop Community. A complete Phoenix would need:
In your case, it’s less about the physical robot than it is about the code itself, which you can go through right now without any purchase. Follow the guide here:
http://www.lynxmotion.com/images/html/build99f.htm
Download the Arduino IDE and the sample code.
This code was created by KÂre Halvorsen (Zenta here on the forum), and KurtE and Xan contributed to its progression and evolution. The code is based on the Project Phoenix Excel program.
There are some advantages and disadvantages with the Phoenix robot for your situation. The Phoenix is really a development platform which doesn’t take you step by step into hexapods - you get the hardware and the sample code, and the rest is up to you. The PS2 above is suggested at least when getting started since that is what the sample code uses. It’s also less modular for upgrades and modifications since the body and leg brackets are purpose built.
If you are really ready for a long-term investment, you might instead want to instead jump into the latest project: the Lynxmotion SES V2 hexapod (no name yet):
KurtE, Xan, Zenta are all participating (as much as possible during the pandemic), and the hardware uses the new Lynxmotion smart servo motors. There is no specific kit available, but we can provide you with a list of hardware needed. The objective is first to port the Phoenix code to Arduino, and then move over to ROS. It’s one thing to learn on your own, and another to learn with the best. The catch is, the project is taking a bit longer than expected due to… yeah…
Thanks for the response. That new bot looks very exciting… i am going to get my feet wet with the kit and hopefully in a few months will be able to contribute to the project.
