Creepy Bot - Wooden mechanical toy plans from Clayton Boyer

Clayton Boyer, the master of mechanical wooden clock designs, has come up with something a little different. He will soon be selling plans for this charming little walking wooden robot. The project is easier than many of his clock designs and reportedly can be finished in a weekend (provided you have some of the right tools). The little creature is driven by a 9 volt electric motor. This examplwe was designed by Clayton Boyer and built by Adrian Iredale. Clearly, the dog doesn't know what to make of it!

Here is where you should soon be able to buy the Creepy Bot - Wooden mechanical toy plans.

---

Butterfly Effect -- a kinetic sculpture by Brett Dickins,

Here's the latest sculture from Brett Dickins, this one titled Butterfly Effect.

From the video description:

One off wooden/polished aluminum gear sculpture featuring a mechanical butterfly which takes a different flight path on each revolution of the main gear. Other features include small gears on the body of the butterfly which rotate, and the introduction of polished metals as a new material in my work.

Here is where you can see unedited footage of the Butterfly Effect sculpture

---

Insect's legs turn out to be the first mechanical gears found in a living creature AND similar to those on Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots

Popular Mechanics featured a story online yesterday that announced that U.K. scientists discovered the first biological gears on a living creature. The creature is a tiny insect is known as the issus, which lives on European climbing ivy and has an incredible ability to jump. As it turns out, the gear-like structures located at a joint on the insect's hind legs aid in that ability to jump. To jump quickly and powerfully, the issus relies on mechanics. The gears are thought to simplify the neuro-muscular feedback system that can slow down an attempt to move quickly. Because the gears are so well suited to transfer power properly, the insect's nervous system simply fires the signal to jump and doesn't need to bother with feedback. It shaves crucial milliseconds off what is often a life-or-death maneuver.

Now for MY discovery. I read the article with fascination. At the end, I realized the gears found on the insect's legs seemed familiar to me. I searched my brain and remembered where I had seen this arrangement before: the classic Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot Game! First, let's take a closer look at the insect's joint. As you can see in the animation, the two segmented gears meet at the junction of two body parts where one must rotate around the other. The gears engage to transfer a what I am guessing is a short linear force into a longer, faster rotational force.

Now take a look at the arm joint of this Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot. The elbow joint employs a series of gears to convert a short downward motion on the back of the robot into a quick jabbing motion. The assembly is a bit more complicated than the insect for it uses three gears rather than two. On the robot, there is a gear fused to the body at the shoulder. This gear meshes with a second one located on the inside of the robot's upper arm. This idler gear transfers motion to the final gear located at the end of the robot's lower arm. When the lever behind the robot is depressed, the upper arm is raised, causing it to rotate around the shoulder. This causes the intermediate gear to spin a bit. The advancing teeth engage with the ones on the lower arm, causing it to straighten.

My discovery may not be as ground-breaking as that of the U.K. researchers, but I will still gladly accept an honorary doctorate in engineering from any accredited college or university. Please use my contact form if you can bestow these laurels upon me. I would love to be referred to as 'Dr. North'.

If you want to learn more about biomechanics, check out these books on biomechanics.

---

Le Buffet Magique (The Magic Cupboard) automaton circa 1910

The antique automaton shown here is titled Le Buffet Magique which translates as "The Magic Cupboard". According to the video, the piece was probably made by Auguste Triboulet for the Vichy firm in Paris around 1910.

The scene features a young boy perched on a hutch -- probably somewhere he's not supposed to be. He opens the door to the cupboard and a fly disappears within. As the boy reaches for the jar of currant jelly (I think), the face of his omnipresent grandmother appears to warn him away. The boy defiantly sticks his tongue out at the old lady. There seems to be an unusual fascination with tongues in many of the old French automata. I haven't figured out why that is yet. Having been thwarted from his attempt at the jelly, the boy is consoled by the sight of a mouse climbing a nearby apple. To my eye the scene is a bit more bizarre than magical. Certainly, it is humorous. Regardless of your particular interpretation, it is an amazing piece with a lot of interesting figures and motions.

This historical automaton is just one of hundreds housed at the Morris Museum, home to the Murtogh D. Guinness collection of automatic musical instruments and automata. The info is at the end of the video. You may also visit the Morris Museum web site for more information.

---

Motorized mechanical beetle mounted with miniature cannons

Check out this amazing mechanical sculpture. It appears to be a metallic hybrid of an old war ship and a beetle. The piece was made by Russian artist Victor Plotnikov. I love it!

---

Hexbut Larva - autonomous squirming bug robot

Hexbug has been delivering insect-inspired robots for a while now. Based on simple electronics and basic bio-mechanics, they are robots-from-the-ground-up, similar to many of the BEAM robots in principle. In addition to their original Micro-Robotic Creatures, they have introduced an Inchworm, Spider, Crab, Ant, and nondescript Nano, as well as various terrains and habitats for these little creatures.

The HEXBUG Larva is the latest addition to the line. Though quite small, the robot has infrared sensors that allow it to detect obstacles in its wriggly path. The robot is then capable of steering clear of those obstacles. All of this is pretty good for a robot this size, but not earth-shattering. The thing that sets the Larva apart is the bio-mimetic motion. It's both fascinating and -- if you are not into creepy-crawly things -- perhaps a bit unnerving. Personally, I think it is fantastic!

Here's where you can get the Hexbug Larva in a variety of colors.

---

The Corpus Clock with grasshopper escapement

I posted about the incredible Corpus Clock back in 2008, but at the time I wasn't able to find a video to embed for you here. As you can now see, that has changed!

The Corpus Clock, created Dr. John Taylor, was commissioned to honor the John Harrison, the clock maker who built the first truly reliable sea clock, thus solving the problem of determining longitude at sea. For more on this fascinating story check out Dava Sobel's book, Longitude. Harrison was also the inventor of a clock mechanism known as a grasshopper escapement, which is used (quite literally) in the Corpus Clock.

For more information about the Corpus Clock check out http://www.corpusclock.co.uk.

[ Thanks Thomas! ]

---

Electronic firefly lights up a glass jar, doesn't die!

A while back, we spotted a very convincing mechanical butterfly in a jar in a store. Really, you have to see it; it's uncanny.

This firefly-in-a-jar version must be by the same folks. The illusion isn't quite as startling, probably because it is limited to a single firefly. Still, the effect is good -- especially at night. They show the firefly simulacrum at night later in the video below.

There your have it: a little bit of summer preserved in a jar for those urban/winter nights. No fireflies were harmed in the making of this film. I can live with the diminution of 3 AAA batteries (included).

Here is where you can check out the electronic firefly in a jar

---

Elenco Scarab Robot - kit for soldering practice

I have an affinity for small robots based on insects. This Scarab robot kit by Elenco features two touch sensors which detect obstacles in its path. Once it detects an obstacle, the beetle will execute a two-step maneuver to bypass it. The robot is capable of moving left, right, and in reverse. This kit is rated at an intermediate skill level, so if you want to hone your soldering skills this is a fun and affordable way to do it.

Here's a link to Elenco Scarab Robot Kit (soldering required).

---

4 winged rubber-band powered Luna Ornithopter

What makes ornithopters so cool is that they fly by flapping wings just like an insect or bird. As a kid I had the Tim Bird rubber band-powered ornithopter. In the last few years, they have come out with a number of new designs, like this ornithopter available in The Automata / Automaton Store.

The Luna Ornithopter is a kit shown here includes everything you need to make your own four winged rubber-band powered ornithopter with a 14 inch wingspan. You will need to provide a few basic tools and some white glue.

Here's where you can get the Luna Ornithopter Kit (Flies by Flapping Wings!)

---

Amazingly realistic electronic butterfly in a jar

I saw this in a store last weekend and was quite impressed. Here's a guilt-free way to have you own butterfly in a jar. The butterfly's motion is surprisingly realistic given how simple the mechanism is. A very clever bit of engineering that creates an very lifelike effect. At $20 USD, it's very affordable too.

The animated image above doesn't do the motion justice. Here is a YouTube video that shows the butterfly in action:

About the electronic butterfly in a jar:

Each Electronic Butterfly in a Jar is a jar with a wire in it. The wire has a fake butterfly on the end. Somehow, when you tap the top or make a loud sound, the electronics in the cap make the wire wiggle. This creates the very realistic illusion of the butterfly flittering around your jar. It even just stays on the glass and flexes its wings sometimes.

The butterflies come in pink, blue, orange (Monarch), and yellow.

Here's where you can get your own electronic butterfly in a jar.

---

See Bruce Campbell's automata art in 3D!

As promised, here is a 3D video featuring the work of Bruce Campbell. Still need glasses? It's not too late to get a FREE pair. Just send an email request for the 3D glasses to Leafpdx.

The 3D movie was made by Shab Levy. Thanks to Shab for his hard work!

Bruce Campbell's wireart automata are currently on display at Leafpdx Gallery in Portland, Oregon. As you will see, Campbell uses levers to articulate the legs, wings, tails and adds basic gearing to create multiple movements, speeds, and articulation within the same piece.

Here is where you can read Bruce Campbell's bio and artist statement.

To see the work in person visit the Leafpdx Gallery:
Leafpdx Gallery
1720 NW Lovejoy St. (entrance on 18th Ave. at Lovejoy)
Portland, OR 97209
Wednesday–Saturday 12:00–6:0

---

Ethiopian Caterpillar automaton by Maillardet

The Ethiopian Caterpillar is an exquisite automaton from 1820 going to auction at Sotheby's November sale in Geneva. The automaton is attributed to Henri Maillardet -- creator of the famous drawing automaton now at the Franklin Institute.

Only six automaton caterpillars are known to exist and only two of these are studded with diamond, emeralds, rubies, and turquoise as the one for sale by Sotheby's is. This is a fantastically rare, important, and valuable piece. The pre-auction estimates place its value somewhere between $350,000 to $450,000.

From the Sotheby's catalog:

The body realistically designed to represent a caterpillar comprising eleven jointed ring segments, framed by seed pearls, and decorated with translucent red enamel over an engine-turned ground, studded overall with gold-set rubies, turquoise, emeralds,and diamonds. The underside is decorated with champlevé black enamel. When the automaton movement is engaged, the caterpillar crawls realistically, its body moving up and down simulating the undulations of a caterpillar by means of a set of gilt-metal knurled wheels. The automata work is composed of a barrel, cam and two leavers all working together to create the crawling motion.

Here is the Sotheby's catalog listing for the The Ethiopian Caterpillar automaton by Maillardet.

[ Thanks Michael! ]

---

The Butterfly Effect Automata by Malcolm Brook

Here is a charming automaton by Malcolm Brook. I love the dog's motion!

Here's a web site where you can see more kinetic sculpture by Malcolm Brook.

---

Hand-cranked steampunk spider automaton

From the Impsandthings blog comes this awesome mechanical spider. The creator of this metal arachnid is trained as ceramicist and has been working with mixed media for the last ten years. This has lead to some really cool sculptures of well...imps and (steampunkish) things.

Here is where you can see one of Impsandthings' gallery of sculptures. Here's where you can see a second gallery of sculptures by Impsandthings.

[ Thanks Tom! ]

---

Giant weevil automaton for a stage production

When faced with the huge challenge of creating giant weevil for a stage production, a team at Texas Performing Arts at the University of Texas at Austin came up with the elegant solution shown in the video above. J. E. Johnson, Scene Shop Supervisor at Texas Performing Arts, wrote to explained how it came together.

About the giant weevil:

In the entertainment industry we often make use of deck winches. These winches operate a cable that is hidden in a track below the stage deck to move scenery. Some of our deck winches are powered by powerful three phase motors and show control software and some are hand operated. By connecting a leg moving mechanism to a wheel and pulling it across the stage like a pull toy with a hand operated winch we didn't need any motors or remote control units. This lack of high tech brought the cost of construction down enough so that it could be retained as part of the set design.

A number of team members contributed to this collection of metal, wood and plastic to create one beautiful giant weevil, which trundled its way across the stage every night of a ten performance run without mishap. Outstanding!

More about the production, The Difficulty of Crossing a Field, cant be found at: here and here.

---

OLLO reconfigurable bug robot construction kit

OLLO is a reconfigurable robot construction kit based on a system of plates and rivets. Shown here is the OLLO Bug Kit, which comes with instructions to walk you through building 4 different types of robotic bugs. The various robot bugs can trace lines, detect objects, or be controlled via wireless remote.

Here's a link to the Ollo Bug Robotic Kit

---

Make Beetlebot Bundle - obstacle avoiding robot

You may have seen a post a while back about how to Build your own obstacle-avoiding beetle robot. If you like the idea, but need a little help gathering all the parts together, you should consider visiting the Maker Shed Store. They have a Make Beetlebot Bundle which includes most of what you need to make the little beetle robot. You might also consider picking up MAKE Volume 12, which has complete step-by-step instructions for making the robot.

Here is where you can get the Make Beetlebot Bundle and MAKE Volume 12. Make Volume 12 is also available from Amazon.com.

---

Build your own obstacle-avoiding beetle robot

Why not build a capable little beetle robot that can scurry about and avoid obstacles? The really cool thing about it is that the behavior is all hard-wired and/or mechanical -- no computer or programming required. The parts are easy to find too!

Here's a link to the Instructable on How to Build The BeetleBot.

---

Welded Flea - kinetic metal sculpture

Andy over at the Workshop Shed blog has made this great metal flea sculpture. Take a look!

---