The most realistic moving Hexapod ever !

[limor]

I received this email yesterday from Matt Denton of http://www.micromagicsystems.com who also worked on famed mechanotronics contraptions for movies like Harry Potter

Hello all,

I have just got around to posting my first "i.c. hexapod" video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oXuSXCKJeY

This is an interactive hexapod which uses a CCD camera to track peoples faces and take a snap shot for its own website. Although there is still some tinkering and the display stand to finish, the video gives the kind of idea.

(shameless self promotion starts here:)

I think this project comes somewhere between creative engineering and kinetic art, if you like it leave me a comment in youtube. If you think a friend would like it.. pass on this email.

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[NovaOne]

It's hypnotizing.
The movement is so organic, do you think we all should learn Inverse Kinematics from:-
Introduction To Robotics, Mechanics And Control' by John J. Craig. or is this there a better book on the subject?

[BillB]

My, my, that is very very impressive. Such natural looking movements.

I wonder if we could convince him to bring it along to the UK meet in November. Would be great to see it real life

[daxx2k]

yeah the animation it's very good, there are a lot of secondary motion involved.

[winchy_matt]

My, my, that is very very impressive. Such natural looking movements.

I wonder if we could convince him to bring it along to the UK meet in November. Would be great to see it real life

Where and when?

Matt.

[Sonic]

ROBOtic'07 will be held on Sat. 24th November 2007 Birmingham

http://www.tic.ac.uk/micromouse/

http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... &highlight

I also would like to see it in real life

[Humanoido]

This holds the potential for many applications, spilling over into the humanoid realm. The correlation between the deliberate motions, face tracking, and internet response can be adapted to other platforms as well. Amazing accomplishments! It looks like face tracking and recognition will become big ticket items in the near future.

humanoido

[winchy_matt]

ROBOtic'07 will be held on Sat. 24th November 2007 Birmingham

http://www.tic.ac.uk/micromouse/

http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... &highlight

I also would like to see it in real life

Unfortunately this is my girlfriends birthday!! So I will be unable to make this meet.

However, keep me posted of future meets and I will see if I'm free to bring a few of my robots along. (Email me directly or stick a post on my forum)

Hope the day goes well.

Matt.

[Zoid]

That's really neat. What else does he do? I want to see this kind of fluidity in travel mode. So far every walking bot I've seen is either a snail, or a spastic amphetamine addict (or both). LOL...sorry, that was a cruel--but fun--exaggeration. Although a walking bot is what I sought at first, fluid locomotion was not a problem I wanted to tackle. Based largely on videos I've seen, I'm leaning toward a roller or walking-roller for my platform, but your video has given me hope.

[winchy_matt]

That's really neat. What else does he do? I want to see this kind of fluidity in travel mode. So far every walking bot I've seen is either a snail, or a spastic amphetamine addict (or both). LOL...sorry, that was a cruel--but fun--exaggeration. Although a walking bot is what I sought at first, fluid locomotion was not a problem I wanted to tackle. Based largely on videos I've seen, I'm leaning toward a roller or walking-roller for my platform, but your video has given me hope.

Hi Zoid,

You can see him walking here:

http://www.micromagicsystems.com/hexapodv4b

or here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hbAMFAnui4

Cheers,

Matt.

[NovaOne]

Hi Matt,

Shame you can't attend ROBOtic

Any chance of pointing me in the right direction, to get my Robonova moving more "organically"?

ie good books web sites etc. Where do i start? And what path did you take?

Chris

[BillB]

Great videos - your hexapods really are fantastic.
Such a shame you will not be able to make it in November.

I read on your webste that your controller boards are compatible with sensors. Have you tried the hexapod with foot sensors? - if so did you find them useful for terrain? I can imagine that it adds alot more complexity to the programming.

Any more videos of your robots are very very welcome.

[winchy_matt]

Hi Matt,

Shame you can't attend ROBOtic

Any chance of pointing me in the right direction, to get my Robonova moving more "organically"?

ie good books web sites etc. Where do i start? And what path did you take?

Chris

Hi Chris,

You could have a look through the robot pages and forum on my site:

http://www.micromagicsystems.com/robotics

There are a few flash demonstrations and links to books I used. I guess the fluidity comes form years of having to make animatronic puppets look organic, which is one of the most important features to me.

cheers

Matt.

[winchy_matt]

Great videos - your hexapods really are fantastic.
Such a shame you will not be able to make it in November.

I read on your webste that your controller boards are compatible with sensors. Have you tried the hexapod with foot sensors? - if so did you find them useful for terrain? I can imagine that it adds alot more complexity to the programming.

Any more videos of your robots are very very welcome.

Hi Bill, yes a shame I can't come to the meet, but next time...

There are a couple of videos on my site of the hexapod V4 with the foot sensors working:

http://www.micromagicsystems.com/hexapodv4

or on you tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ont07BS3bBE

cheers,

Matt.

[winchy_matt]

iC hexapod video footage from the Monster Mash exhibition:

iC hexapod @ monster Mash

M@