Just thought I'd make these stampbug files available on behalf of Milford Instruments which is closing down this summer.
The history of the stampbug is as follows:
The first stampbug (in 1994) was a development from the Hexwalker made in the US- this used perf board as the chassis and was very tricky to make so we replaced the perf board with a pcb board. The Stampbug used a discrete version of the the BS1- it was called the School Stamp.
Next iteration was to replace the metal legs and plastic joints with pcb made legs- cheaper and easier to assemble.
Next iteration was to upgrade the processor to the Stamp2 chip set and add a processor that just looked after the servos.
I've attached the milford info on these two devices including the pcb ( in easy-pc format).
There was a further development which never made production- this was the hextor by David Buckley. For info on this and his other robots, just google him. David was also the inspiration behind the Bigfoot walking robot that was later manufactured as the toddler by Parallax.
Just thought I'd make these stampbug files available on behalf of Milford Instruments which is closing down this summer.
The history of the stampbug is as follows:
The first stampbug (in 1994) was a development from the Hexwalker made in the US- this used perf board as the chassis and was very tricky to make so we replaced the perf board with a pcb board. The Stampbug used a discrete version of the the BS1- it was called the School Stamp.
Next iteration was to replace the metal legs and plastic joints with pcb made legs- cheaper and easier to assemble.
Next iteration was to upgrade the processor to the Stamp2 chip set and add a processor that just looked after the servos.
I've attached the milford info on these two devices including the pcb ( in easy-pc format).
There was a further development which never made production- this was the hextor by David Buckley. For info on this and his other robots, just google him. David was also the inspiration behind the Bigfoot walking robot that was later manufactured as the toddler by Parallax.
Hope this is of use.
Edward Buckley ( no relation to David)
That is great info. This means it will be preserved with data hoarders, like me, for future generations.
Thanks Edward! Sorry to hear that Milford Instruments is closing down. I'm hooked on these simple hexapods and now a Mil Inst StampBug is on my must-get list.
Sorry I forgot pic and doggonit, when I go back to edit it I don't see any way to add an attachment.
You cant't edit with an attachment on the previous post. Stinks.
Did you use a kicker on the CA? I was thinking about q-tipping the kicker in the groove and then apply thick CA to the piece to be inserted into the grove. On Depron, I normally don't care about the fog.
I used Weld-On (solvent bond), not CA. But generally I use Great Planes thick CA and Zip Kicker. I think the fog is from the CA, so the quicker it cures, less fog. And keeping a fan blowing or sucking the fumes away reduces fogging from my experience.
Another hack-worthy hexapod is this $31 XL Hexbug Spider. Big and simple to hack, you just unscrew and remove the top section containing the RC section and trace 4 wires to the 2 motors. One motor is for walking forward/reverse and the other turns left & right. Easy peezy. These are often $40 or more, but not on today's erco show!
BTW this is the XL version I'm recommending. There is a smaller version which is button-cell powered. Too small IMHO and nearly the same price.
Also BTW, these are fine toys as-is. Derived from Jamie's famous Spider Tank. But we ARE hacker types. Who will make the first Prop Spider? Or Stamp Spider?
I ran across this discussion while lurking the forum! I have one of the original Stampbugs and it still works great. I can program it using Parallax serial adapters stacked together and the current version of the Basic Stamp IDE. I am thinking of entering it in Erco's Figure Eight Challenge. Here are some pics of it. I noticed it looks different from the Stampbug in the pictures sxman posted. Is mine an earlier or later version of those? If I remember right I bought it somewhere around 1990. The only thing that is not original equipment is the battery holder. The original one cracked with age! I think it may be an older one because the BS1 circuitry is embedded on the board instead of on a daughter board. I still have the original documentation also. I should have changed the jumper for the video, it is high stepping for rug travel.
Comments
???
This Turbot makes good headway in a lumpy sandbox.
The history of the stampbug is as follows:
The first stampbug (in 1994) was a development from the Hexwalker made in the US- this used perf board as the chassis and was very tricky to make so we replaced the perf board with a pcb board. The Stampbug used a discrete version of the the BS1- it was called the School Stamp.
Next iteration was to replace the metal legs and plastic joints with pcb made legs- cheaper and easier to assemble.
Next iteration was to upgrade the processor to the Stamp2 chip set and add a processor that just looked after the servos.
I've attached the milford info on these two devices including the pcb ( in easy-pc format).
There was a further development which never made production- this was the hextor by David Buckley. For info on this and his other robots, just google him. David was also the inspiration behind the Bigfoot walking robot that was later manufactured as the toddler by Parallax.
Hope this is of use.
Edward Buckley ( no relation to David)
That is great info. This means it will be preserved with data hoarders, like me, for future generations.
http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/163253/stamp-bug-2-type-bot-3-servo-hex-crawler
For other Bug items here on the Forums, see:
http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/85370/need-help-with-stampbug-2-kit-5-953
http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/117387/how-to-make-a-stamp-bug-stand-on-its-hind-legs
Verified in this thread that Carol Lynn Hazlett has a Stamp Bug, this thread link had to be posted here (and on erco's toddler thread too)
http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/149087/very-old-milinst-stambug/p2
Live it! We will be watching for post 20,001.
(erco biting tongue)
Did you use a kicker on the CA? I was thinking about q-tipping the kicker in the groove and then apply thick CA to the piece to be inserted into the grove. On Depron, I normally don't care about the fog.
BTW this is the XL version I'm recommending. There is a smaller version which is button-cell powered. Too small IMHO and nearly the same price.
Also BTW, these are fine toys as-is. Derived from Jamie's famous Spider Tank. But we ARE hacker types. Who will make the first Prop Spider? Or Stamp Spider?
$31, free ship http://www.ebay.com/itm/351749918107
Or $32 from Walmart: http://www.walmart.com/ip/HEXBUG-Giant-XL-Spider-Colors-May-Vary/48081276
This baby's got Duane, Jim & Martin written all over it. Maybe Whit can justify one. Maybe even Rick... if he ever finishes Treadnaught!
This would be a great figure 8 bot. Nice & smooth.
Jamie's original video that started it all:
Something having 4 motors can be called a Quad-Copter. Having Eight of them is a Hex-Copter. So far so good.
Allen wrenches (or Hex-Wrenches) have also 8 corners.
But calling something with SIX legs a Hexapod is simply wrong.
Enjoy!
Mike
Hex wrench has 6 sides.
Hex copters have 6 props.
Hexapods have 6 legs.
Octopi have 8 legs.
Octo-Dog is confusing, I'll agree. But I still want one.
I somehow thought Hex wrenches have 8 sides/corners, never counted them.
my bad, sorry
Mike