As I briefly mentioned on Tuesday night, we have been asked to participated at Brisbane on Parade http://g20cultural.initiatives.qld.gov.au/events/brisbane-on-parade.aspx (a G20 cultural event) on the 1st of November.
During this event a group of HSBNE members (The more the better) will be marching through the CBD from 4 to 5:30-6 showcasing how great HSBNE is.
We have been allocated a total budget of $2,500 to build a robot between 1 and 1.5 meters high that can follow us during the parade.
In order to make this happen, we need to assemble a team to take charge of the building and programming of the robot.
Anyone who is able to help or has any suggestion on how to tackle this build, please post below. For example, one idea would be to fix and modify one of the segway lookalikes.
Any help is appreciated.
We really need a few keen members to make this happen
must be fully working and tested in the next 3 weeks. ( this is actually a hard one, given how our groupās policies/politics can/often work ).
Iād suggest that if we can find a willing āchampionā for this ( ie an appointed dictator ), then they should be trusted to do everything toward the actual goal, and be given the right to spend to a budget ( eg $2k, with the remainder $500 going into group coffers?) all us rubber-neckers , cookie-lickers, and bike-shed-ers should get out of the wayā¦ or itās not going to be done at all, or on-time.
Soā¦ are there any unemployed or student types with plenty of time in the next 3 weeks, and some artistic/creative talent whoād like to spend $2k, to make something for a public opportunity?
I agree with Buzz about having a champion (aka. appointed dictator). Thereās lots of choices to be made, and lots of different transactions to be approved. Too many for each to be voted on, even if only a small group is voting, especially for the given timeframe.
Iām willing to stand for that position if no-one else wants it. However Iām not particularly creative and would like lots of creative/artistic input.
Iām more keen for @rut4ger to take the position (nudge nudge) - given he has demonstrated he has the hacker/maker aesthetic down-pat and gets things done.
Strandbeest style legs are pretty simple to put together. I could make that as a base. Theyāre pretty awesome to look at and once you make one set of legs, you can just jig them out one after another. and we could easily RC it. Or if we were really keen we could even have someone small ride it.
Are we really going to be allowed to have flame throwers? Doesnāt seem like the kind of thing theyāre going to be cool with.
If weāre really going to do this, we need to start right now or itās not going to happen.
Would be an awesome thing to have around. Iām keen as shit for it. Iāve got some electric window motors that would drive it nicely, Iād just need some square steel tube, a little plate, a bunch of nuts and bolts and a bunch of bearings.
Strandbeests are awesome but canāt steer. Maybe a good alternative would be to make a strandbeest for the front of the vehicle with 2 undriven wheels behind to provide steering, in the spirit of a half track.
[]
Maybe it could be styled as a buggalo with a chariot behind, and steered with āreinsā which pivot the joint between. This solves the steering problem, makes it look nerdy and cool, and all the riderās weight is on the bicycle wheels under the chariot rather than the strandbeestās legs.
Iād love to help out with this, but considering my limited financial and welding abilities, Iām not suitable to be the project lead.
Strandbeests are easily steerable; just have two sets of individually controllable legs strapped together. Eg this RC Strandbeest. You generally need two sets of legs for stability, anyway.
My voteās for something Strandbeest-based since theyāre not that complicated to build once youāve got the first leg template done and they have a fantastic āwowā factor. Iād love to see a pure Strandbeest big enough for someone to ride but I donāt think we have the time to troubleshoot its structural integrity with that much extra weight. I think aiming for rideable like a chariot or just RC-based is a more realistic goal in our limited timescale.
I canāt weld and canāt champion this but Iām willing to help out where I can to get this done.
Is someone willing to put the effort into drawing and estimating the raw material required?
I would assume a metal drop saw would be handy for such jobs (do we have one at HSBNE?)
Yet to confirm the details, but this will be paid for by external sourceā¦
So unless anyone has any objections, or would like to point out any rule stating we canātā¦
I would like to use this incoming money for this build as stated in Victors messageā¦
An electric powered strandbeast like the one mike posted aboutā¦ But bigger!!! Would be awesome!!! I might have the motors for itā¦ Iāll post about it later this afternoon !
Not-German-Sven gave me some electric window winder motors which I think could be useful. Not sure but if they are it would make it a very simple deal.
]
I think aiming for rideable like a chariot or just RC-based is a more realistic goal in our limited timescale.