Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Just saw this cute little guy — Parallax Forums

Just saw this cute little guy

Looks like this was posted in 2011, but I don't recall seeing it before (of course, that COULD just be my old age!).

Amazing Bike Riding Robot

Comments

  • Wait till erco wakes up to this one, I just have come to reality that it has all been done before. Hang up the inventors hat, and get in line and try to keep up.

    Thanks JLocke for bringing this to our attention.

    BTW: YouTube doesn't let me get souvenir screenshots anymore.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    RE: " I just have come to reality that it has all been done before."

    To me most "new" products or ideas seem to be a rehash or update of an old idea or invention. In many cases it seems to be that while the original idea was good, the technology was not up to making it viable at the time, or the world was not ready for it.

    Looking at old patent applications is a good source of inspiration.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    edited 2016-08-26 15:22
    Yup, I do remember that guy. I love riding bikes and robots to ridiculous extremes, so that one stands out in my mind.

    I keep seeing this RC motorcycle in the toy store. It's $20 and very much like a bigger one I developed ~12 years ago at Mattel. It begs to be made into a Moto-Terminator robot, and it's just a matter of time before I cave. A good outdoor project for using GPS.
  • kwinn wrote: »
    RE: "Looking at old patent applications is a good source of inspiration.

    Completely agree. I also have a Physics textbook from the 1920's that is one of the best physics books I have ever encountered. The basic, yes detailed explanations of physics concepts have greatly improved my understanding. (I also have a biography of Thomas Edison that was published while one of his close friends was still alive, so it is much more accurate than any other biography written in the past 50 years)

    I expect to see Erco replicate this as a tandem bicycle with a robot couple that also has a front view camera. Of course the rear robot rider would need to be "carrying twins". As a tandem bicycle, you have more real estate with two robots for sensors, batteries, etc.

    One question I have.... How efficient are servos as the source of motion in this format? In other words, I see lots of servo action for very little forward motion.

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    edited 2016-08-27 00:32
    I expect to see Erco replicate this as a tandem bicycle with a robot couple that also has a front view camera. Of course the rear robot rider would need to be "carrying twins".

    Reminds me of this white-knuckle bike ride video from 2009. This is riding our tandem bike in nearby hilly Palos Verdes, I was the first guy in the pool with those mini keychain video cameras. You can't see my 8-month pregnant wife on the back, but there were four souls on our Santana tandem screaming downhill. My palms are sweating now watching this. The wind noise and video compression make it look twice as fast as it actually was, but looking back, that wasn't my brightest move. A crash or car pulling out would have been disastrous for our beautiful girls.

    Kids, stay in school and don't take chances on the road!



  • Erco, yep, the link in my post is for your original posting of that video.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,244
    Doh! Asleep at the wheel again! ☺
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    So, is there going to be some sort of figure of eight challenge for a Propeller powered bicycle robot?
Sign In or Register to comment.