"hexpodling" is a work-in-progress, 3-degrees of freedom (3DOF) hexapod robot based on the Vorpal from Vorpal Robotics. The original Vorpal is remote-controlled and 2DOF; it is aimed at teaching in schools.
The main differences between the original and the version described here are:
- The legs contain an additional segment, hence 3DOF
- Based on Raspberry Pi Pico microcontrollers instead of the original's Arduino Nano, with one Pico controlling the movements (server) and one for the "higher" functions (client)
- Programmed in PicoMite MMBasic by Peter Mather and Geoff Graham
- Supports current sensing (load) for up to 8 servos, e.g. to detect if the robot is stuck
Here is a video demonstrating its movements (remote-controlled).
For the details, see Wiki.
- 2025-01-01 - After a long pause
- Switch to MMBasic
- New client board featuring two Pico RP2040 microcontrollers
- Remote control (to test movements) direcly w/ a wireless XBox controller
- 2020-12-27 - Updates - Still work in progress
- Wiki pages 'Mechanics' and 'Boards' added
- Code updated (now also some initial code for the client microcontroller)
- Both boards - for the "walk engine" and for the "behavior engine" - revised (including bug fixes)
- 2020-06-27 - Initial release