April 19, 2012
The Mobot is an educational, competent modular robot system designed for K-12 students to safely learn to program robotics.
A single Mobot module has four degrees of freedom: Two body joints and two rotating faceplates. It uses a quick release snap connector to mount other modules or accessories to its six mounting surfaces, rather than using screws. All parts for the robots can be printed on a 3D printer.
The Mobot is a fully functional robot with four degrees of freedom: Two body joints and two rotating faceplates. It has six mounting surfaces to mount other modules or accessories. It can roll, turn, crawl, stand, and tumble in addition to connecting to each other or accessories.
An individual module can drive on its wheels, crawl like an inchworm, or raise one end of its body and swivel around. It can be used to create all kinds of shapes like a 4×4 truck, snake, dog, humanoid etc by mounting with other modules or accessories.
The Mobot has a Graphical User Interface RobotController if you can do your own programming you can program it with the C/C++ interpreter Ch. Each of cube module is 3? x 3? x 7.43?. It is 100% wireless and each building block can be controlled simultaneously. All you need is a computer with built-in Bluetooth communication or a Bluetooth dongle.
According to the press release from UC Davis this West Sacramento-based robotics company Barobo is started by Harry Cheng, professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and his former graduate student, Graham Ryland in 2011. The technology is licensed by the university to Barobo. The inventors has been awarded a second round of funding, at least $500,000 over the next two years from the National Science Foundation small business innovation research program.
Cheng hopes his modular robot "Mobot" can become a useful tool for teaching robotics as early as third grade and engage a new generation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Normally building robots are very expensive - but Mobot has a reasonable price tag of $269.95 and is up for pre-order right now. Also different type of connection plates and attachments are available in the shop. Users can 3D print its accessories too. But the leading time is around 4 month dure to the the extraordinary requirement for the Mobot.
Photo credit/source: Barobo
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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