Great forum with some REALLY cool stuff people have built.
I’m interested in building something with legs but I’m not quite sure where to start. To give you a bit of background, I’m by no means a beginner programmer having worked for quite a few years developing desktop apps, and did a 3-year stint programming control software for large plotter-cutters, but I don’t have any idea about inverse kinematics (I mostly wrote stuff to control the machinery via HPGL rather than the low level servo control code which was done using Trio motion controllers). I really love the hexapods and I’d be keen to have a go at building one from one of the Lynxmotion kits, but I’m mostly interested in the programming side of things. Would I be better off starting with a bipedal or quadrupedal design first, or is the inverse kinematics similar (or different in such a way that it is not necessarily more complex)? I notice the B.R.A.T does some fancy tilting as well as lifting the legs which looks somewhat complicated. Maybe I could build from a round hexapod kit and start with 4 legs and a quadrupedal gait and graduate to hexapedal or something? Suggestions?
Definitely! Especially with all the existing software available here for hexapods. They should pick a kit of the hexapod they like best and go with that because everything is there ready for assembly and tinkering.
hi and welcome. great to hear about your background, and even better to see you have an interest in robotics.
Ill third what the others have said. a hexapod is far more easier to get walking due to the huge amount of code available.
the lynxmotion hexapod kits, along with any other kit, can be assembled and coded and ready to work with in a few hours. browse the website, look at the kits, code and videos. get a feel for what you would be comfortable working on, and then just choose and order.
as i mentioned the kits have everything you need to get you started. once you become focused on building and coding these bad boys, then just let your imagination run away and build.
Thanks for the info and warm welcome guys. I realise that the Lynxmotion kits come with all the necessary software, I was more wondering which type would be easier to code up from scratch if I was so inclined. I was considering getting an Arduino board and writing some software for that as I’ve already got a bit of experience with Arduino and I’d like to continue down that path (for some other projects as well). I’d also get the BotBoard for instant gratification and learning of course. Maybe I’d get an Arduino board down the track when the Botboarduino is out!
Quick question - do the knee joints on the AH3-R/BH3-R design have sufficient clearance for the leg to flip completely up the other way, similar to the Phantom X video I saw? Could it potentially walk upside down?
So I put my hexapod together over the weekend, and had much fun I’ve calibrated all the servos and still need to install the botboard, but I’ll save that for tomorrow night when I’ve (hopefully) bought a proper battery pack (rather than 5 x AA’s taped together and the 9V out of my guitar tuner).
I think you might have sent me a Stargate SG-1 “replicator”, mate. Geeeez.
I put the BBII in and all is well, figured out the programming using my Keyspan passed through to Windows in VMWare on my Mac - worked a treat after I figured out that the fact the beeping started again after the IDE had discovered the Atom didn’t mean it had lost connection and I should just press “Program”
Now to ADHD between Arduino code and writing a Mac app to replicate some LynxTerm functionality. Great work, Jim!
Hey Snarez, im in about the same position as you are, (just looking at buying the CH3R kit) i have a couple of questions:
a) Is this the only product i need to buy, in order to have a fully working and controlled robot when I am finished construction/setup?
b) If not, which other products do I need? Im thinking, batteries?
c) Is the Servo upgrade (for another few hundred dollars) worth it in the long run?
Ive also posted these questions in the tech support forum, so a mod can delete one or the other if they like
a) yes and no
b) buy a battery and controller as well for instant gratification. I knew full well that this was the case but I chose to buy them locally as shipping from the US to Australia was making it a bit expensive already (relatively it is actually quite cheap for what you get, just expensive as a dive into a new hobby for me). also you will need something with a serial port, so if you don’t have anything with a physical serial port lying around you’ll need a USB to serial adapter.
c) if you plan to build something else with the same servos I would certainly consider it (e.g. phoenix) or if you want the CH3-R to carry a bigger payload
Never mind, my imagination is going off on too many tangents, I need to just get started with something 
I’ve calibrated all the servos and still need to install the botboard, but I’ll save that for tomorrow night when I’ve (hopefully) bought a proper battery pack (rather than 5 x AA’s taped together and the 9V out of my guitar tuner).
LOL