May 2, 2016 | By Benedict
Robotics startup Endurance is offering a free, 3D printable DIY SelfieBot to interested educational institutions. The stationary telepresence system enables users to create professional recordings of themselves with a mobile device—ideal for Skype video conferencing, recording lectures, and more.
3D printed smartphone and tablet accessories are fairly commonplace, but the DIY SelfieBot, a build-your-own video recording accessory from Russian-American tech startup Endurance, is perhaps one of the most useful. The 3D printed telepresence system looks a bit like a car handsfree kit, and packs a great number of useful features for video and photo capture. The most important mechanical aspect of the DIY SelfieBot is its biplane rotation which, when coupled with the Arduino firmware and dedicated app, enables a mobile device to track the movement of a subject during video recording. This is great for conference calls, vlogs, and much more, as it allows for dynamic video recording without the assistance of a cameraman.
Importantly, although the 3D printed SelfieBot is available to buy as a complete, readymade item, is not just a consumer product. Endurance, the company behind the device, also packages the SelfieBot as an open-source robotics project—ideal for students or robotics beginners. In keeping with this philosophy, the startup has begun offering one DIY SelfieBot for free to interested educational institutions. The DIY kit consists of 5 items: a CAD scheme, STL files for 3D printing, Arduino firmware, an APK file for Android, and a list of physical components needed. These physical components are all easily available via Amazon or eBay.
Best of all, the 3D printable DIY SelfieBot is relatively easy to put together. Endurance has put together a detailed tutorial which will enable even the most amateur of makers to assemble their own functional telepresence system. Furthermore, since the SelfieBot is now open source, the growing network of SelfieBot users will enable individuals and institutions to share information, advice, and improvements with one another, in order to arrive at the best possible device. “Our mission is to educate and encourage students and others by creating a friendly robotics network and to empower them by providing the skills necessary to create and develop their own robots that will help people in the field of Education,” Endurance says.
For those who would prefer to start using the SelfieBot immediately, a prefabricated version of the device is available to buy for $199.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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