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Archive for the ‘3D printing’ Category

LiDAR (or “light detection and ranging”) sensors are all the rage these days, from their potential uses in autonomous vehicles, to their implementation on the iPhone 12. As cool as they are, these (traditionally) spinning sensors tend to be quite expensive, well out of reach for most amateur experimenters. Daniel Hingston, however, has managed to build his own unit for under $40, using an Arduino Uno and a pair of VL53L0X time-of-flight (ToF) sensors.

The lighthouse employs a small gearmotor to rotate the two sensors on top of its cylindrical 3D-printed housing, passing signals to the Arduino via a slip ring. Data can then be visualized using a Processing sketch running on a nearby computer.

As seen at around the 10:00 mark in the video, the setup has been utilized to map out different test enclosures, and could be excellent for use in small robotic applications. More details can be found in Hingston’s tutorial here.

Approximately 18 months ago, Mark Howe embarked on a journey to build an animatronic launchpad and gantry for a LEGO Saturn V model rocket. After approximately 1,000 hours of CAD work, hundreds of hours of 3D printing, and a major redesign, he’s created a truly impressive setup that resembles one of NASA’s.

Howe’s rocket and structure stand several feet tall, with a crane, sway bar, crew walkway, gantry arms, and service arms that move out of the way using servos. Everything is controlled by Arduino Uno, along with an MP3 shield to play the Apollo 11 countdown audio.

Once ready for liftoff, the rocket rises via a trio of stepper motor-driven linear actuators, simulating the real thing with a fiery plume of NeoPixels underneath.

More details on this dynamic diorama can be found on Howe’s project page.

Christmas trees normally have a star on top, and Super Mario famously becomes invincible when he grabs the star power-up. Naturally, for retro game enthusiasts, these two are begging to be united. 

In this project, Doug Lenz (AKA “Freshanator”) did just that by morphing the Mario star into something that can be placed atop a tree, using a 3D-printed body and addressable WS2812B LEDs to provide the “twinkles.”

The unit is printed in yellow PLA, with a pair of black eyes glued on. Inside, LEDs are arranged near the tip of each of the star’s five points, which diffuse through the printed material. Power is supplied by a Micro USB breakout, and the lighting is controlled via an Arduino Nano. The device runs on the “Fire2012” example program from the FastLED library, though Lenz may revisit its operation in the future.

Looking to take your holiday decor to the next level? More details on how to make your own can be found on Imgur, or you can purchase one from Etsy.

After studying the way a worm wiggles, Nicholas Lauer decided to create his own soft robotic version. What he came up with uses an Arduino Uno for control, inflating six 3D-printed segments sequentially to order to generate peristaltic motion for forward movement.

The robotic worm uses a 12V mini diaphragm pump to provide inflation air, while a series of transistors and solenoid valves directly regulate the airflow into the chambers.

The build looks pretty wild in the video below, and per Lauer’s write-up, you’re encouraged to experiment to see what kind of timing produces the most expedient motion. Code, STLs, and a detailed BOM are available on GitHub.

While this project took him over 100 hours to complete, creator Whity claims that his glowing geodesic domes were worth the effort. As seen below, each dome is able to light up its triangular faces, using via WS2812B programmable LEDs embedded inside. The effect is mesmerizing on video, and has to be even more so in person.

Each device is controlled by an Arduino Nano, along with a MPU-6050 inertial measurement unit. A series of 18650 rechargeable batteries provide power for the numerous lights involved. Magnets hold the two halves of the spheres together for easy access, and the triangles were 3D-printed with hinges to make assembly easier. 

Additional details are available here if you’d like to attempt this challenging build yourself!

If you want to build your own first-person view RC rover for some backyard exploration, this design by “MoreMorris” is a great place to start.

The tank-esque vehicle features a 3D-printed frame, including print-in-place tracks, and is able to traverse rough terrain as seen in the video below. Meanwhile, a servo-mounted FPV camera on top allows it to look left and right without swinging the body around.

Inside the vehicle, an Arduino Uno board controls its two motors with the help of an L298N driver module. User interface consists of a Nano-based remote, while communication is handled via a pair of nRF21L01 radio transceivers.

Plenty of additional project info is available in MoreMorris’s write-up.

Imaging phantoms are used to evaluate and test medical devices, such as X-ray machinery, where a human subject would be impractical and/or dangerous. In order to simulate the motion and deformation of a lung, Stefan Grimm created an Arduino-powered phantom at a materials cost of around $350 USD.

Much of the project’s structure is printed with dissolvable PVA, used as a form for silicone that mimics tissue and plaster for bone. Movement is controlled via three linear and rotary actuator setups outlined here, and the structure can either be pre-programmed or manipulated in real-time using a USB cable and PC.

You can see a simulation of the setup in the video below, tracking target objects as they move along with cylinders that represent respiratory motion.

Cable-mounted cameras can be a lot of fun for capturing moving footage. Although commercial cable cam options can be expensive, this system by Kasper Mortensen of MAKESOME is comprised of 3D-printed components with a receiver and wheel salvaged from an RC car.

The build was meant to use some of the toy vehicle’s other components, however after some trial and error outlined in the clip below, more involved measures had to be taken.

Everything is powered by a Tattu 650mAh 3S LiPo battery, while an Arduino Nano and an L298N dual H-bridge are used to control the motor (taken from an old HP printer) speed, adjustable between multiple settings by engaging the transmitter’s throttle switch. Final results come around the 13:40 minute mark in the video, and the footage looks fantastic!

One of the simplest ways to make a mobile robot involves differential steering, where two wheels move at different speeds as needed to turn, and a roller on the back keeps it from tipping over. The MrK_Blockvader is an excellent take on this type of bot, demonstrated in the first clip below. It features a nice blocky body comprised out of 3D-printed parts, wheels driven by tiny gear motors, and an integrated roller ball on the back.

The MrK_Blockvader is controlled via an Arduino Nano, along with an nRF24 breakout that allows it to receive signals from a radio transmitter unit. The build includes LED lighting as well as a piezo buzzer for all the beeps and boops. It can also take advantage of various sensors if necessary.

The eventual goal is to use the MrK_Blockvader in a network of robots, hinted at in the second video with a worker at its side.

If you’d like to build a walking biped robot, this 3D-printed design by Technovation looks like a fantastic place to start. Each leg features three servos that actuate it at the hip, knee, and ankle for a total of six degrees of freedom.

Control is handled by an Arduino Uno board that rides on top of the legs, along with a perfboard to connect to the servos directly.

Movements are calculated via inverse kinematics, meaning one simply has to input the x and z positions, and the Arduino calculates the proper servo angles. The bot is even able to take steps between two and 10 centimeters without falling over.



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