Planet Arduino

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.

You may have seen robots that wobble around, such as BOB, OTTO and ZOWI. Though their locomotion style of shifting the unit’s weight on huge feet is clever, they all share a rather similar look. French computer scientist Paul-Louis Ageneau decided to do something about this and created his own biped in the form of a dancing teapot a la Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

To accomplish this, he attached four servos to the robot’s hips and ankles, which were connected to an Arduino Pro Mini and powered by a 9V alkaline battery. All the electronics are housed inside the 3D-printed teapot. It’s a neat build in itself, and in a separate post he goes over how to play music on an Arduino, which should make this little guy even more entertaining!

You can find Ageneau’s original blog here, as well as the Disney-like bot’s code on GitHub.