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Chatter: Linkbot Modular Robot on Kickstarter, very clever design — Parallax Forums

Chatter: Linkbot Modular Robot on Kickstarter, very clever design

WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,933
edited 2013-06-18 09:21 in Robotics
I've seen this in person and these are very clever and designed very well. I hope they succeed as they are perfect for STEM education in classrooms.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/barobo/linkbot-create-with-robots
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Comments

  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2013-05-21 11:35
    Wow, that is clever.
  • NWCCTVNWCCTV Posts: 3,629
    edited 2013-05-21 12:38
    Very clever indeed. My only concern would be the price. Seems like it will get quite expensive to do any real robot work.
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2013-05-21 12:47
    It is too expensive now. Hopefully they will be successful and mass production will bring the price down.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,255
    edited 2013-05-22 13:44
    Very clever indeed. Reminds me of these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oSavAHf0dg

    That said, it's a bit of a sofa bed, neither a great sofa nor a great bed in trying to be all things to all people. It would make an awesome demo to win people into robotics, but IMO once you get rolling, nothing beats function-specific design.
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2013-05-22 15:12
    My guess is that it's part of a curriculum that primarily teaches robotics fundamentals to non-robotics majors.

    Like Dr. Erco says, the idea looks cool, but for a learning platform it might be limited except for a cursory introduction to robotics. For something deeper, the "servo erector set" concept that Lynxmotion (and now Servo City) have might provide similar functionality, at a lower price. If they could work out a system of snap-on attachments, it would be an improvement. It shouldn't be too hard for one of them to come up with some clever device that allows the motors to easily snap onto the girders, for example.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2013-05-23 07:34
    Saw something similar to this at Museum of Science and Industry during National Robotics Week. Looked very cool, the five year old really liked it. This had separate modules for motor, battery, sensor, and lights, and stuck together with magnets. At $500, its about $480 over my price range.

    They say money isn't everything, and one can be rich in other ways than money, but being rich in money sure solved a lot of problems quickly.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,255
    edited 2013-05-23 09:48
    prof_braino wrote: »
    At $500, its about $480 over my price range.

    We're on the same budget!
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2013-05-23 09:55
    erco wrote: »
    Very clever indeed. Reminds me of these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oSavAHf0dg

    And don't forget Cubelets.

    Having a battery in every module has got to be one of the factors making Linkbots cost as much as they do. At least they were honest and showed how crazy charging all the modules will be.

    8d5cd4752fddf307d20dfb84919d6901_large.jpg?1368872425

    I noticed another robot on KickStarter while I was there. Sparki
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,933
    edited 2013-05-23 10:32
    FYI: another reason for the higher cost is the current plastic process used. I believe several parts are still 3D printed due to mold costs. Once switched to standard mold processes, per-unit cost should drop. Also, these are geared towards STEM programs within schools, so a standard and robust platform is needed for long term usage and "hackability" by users like us is not the mainstream goal. These are very tough. The first build of a few hundred linkbots were given away to schools in the Sacramento area. That's pretty cool.
  • RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,762
    edited 2013-05-30 07:03
    Is anyone here going to back them?
    Jim
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,933
    edited 2013-06-17 11:31
    Looks like they are going to just make it to funded status.............
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,255
    edited 2013-06-17 14:15
    Glad to hear it, good for them. It's a very nice video demo on their Kickstarter site. I missed that previously. It does look like an engaging way to start into robotics!
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2013-06-17 14:58
    I'm tempted to get a couple but they do not make it clear if there are two or three motors per unit. There appears to be different versions used in the videos, some have motors opposite each other that are clearly operating and others have one "wheel" motor and one "pivot" motor in use. Can;t find an example video of all three in use at the same time. Further, it looks like depending on the version, the place where the pivot or wheel would be is molded differently than the part that moves.

    In the beginning of this video you can see all three sides of the Linkbot, it sure looks like one side is not capable of rotating.
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,933
    edited 2013-06-17 16:31
    W9GFO, Each module does have three motors. Use of those motors is dependent on the programming, so in the video you posted, there is no need to have the third axis doing anything.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,255
    edited 2013-06-17 16:47
    Man, with that Linkbot Lock Popper, my dirty running socks will never again be safe in my combination gym locker!

    Nice demo, duct tape & all!
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2013-06-17 17:03
    WBA Consulting wrote: »
    ... Use of those motors is dependent on the programming, so in the video you posted, there is no need to have the third axis doing anything.

    Yes of course. But in the video you can clearly see that one of them is not like the others. When he handles it he turns the two outputs by hand that are black but not the one that is white (which looks like it is molded, part of the case). In every photo I have seen of the white output shaft the mounting holes are in the same location - not at random positions like you might expect with something that rotates.

    Here, look at this image;

    LinkBot.jpeg


    That don't turn!

    Maybe the final versions will have three outputs, I hope so but no mention is made anywhere that that is the case.
    LinkBot.jpeg
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  • ercoerco Posts: 20,255
    edited 2013-06-17 17:10
    This linked video of a kid cracking a Masterlock didn't make much sense to me, but if it's true, the math involved to isolate the potential combinations could easily be programmed as well.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=W6ptmRIZl4s#t=114s

    Sorry for hijacking!
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2013-06-17 17:12
    Well if my last post didn't convince you...

    The Linkbot has two motors and comes in two configurations: The Linkbot-L and the Linkbot-I. The Linkbot-L has one motor on the side and one motor on the front. The Linkbot-I has a motor on each side. We're going to send out a questionnaire to everyone who pledges to our Kickstarter asking what configuration they'd like to receive.
    Best Regards,
    Graham


    That was a response to my question about how many motors the Linkbot has. This seems like a key piece of information that is nowhere to be found on their KickStarter page. It makes my decision whether or not to back very easy.
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,933
    edited 2013-06-17 18:54
    W9GFO, Gotcha! I had forgotten about the L/I versions and didn't catch the difference in the videos. One side is simply the molded hub for attaching the extra parts, but does not rotate.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2013-06-18 08:16
    W9GFO wrote: »
    This seems like a key piece of information that is nowhere to be found on their KickStarter page. It makes my decision whether or not to back very easy.

    Does this mean you will not back them because there are only two motors? Or because they didn't say the number of motors clearly?

    Or do you mean you will back them now that you know there are two motors?

    I'm part of a discussion about what makes kickstarters reach funding, this would be a useful insight.
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    edited 2013-06-18 09:21
    prof_braino wrote: »
    Does this mean you will not back them because there are only two motors? Or because they didn't say the number of motors clearly?

    It appears to me that the lack of info about there being two versions and not specifying that there were only two motors in each unit, was deliberate. It is more than them not saying the number of motors clearly. I searched for that information and could not find it. It was absent, not just unclear.
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