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June 17, 2007 02:02 AM

Categories: Roboquad

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RobosapienV2-4mem8

  Member
Joined: 03/02/2007

Hi everyone

Just wanted to let you know that Roboquad is available at the warehouse in New Zealand $199nz, I will be picking mine up tomorrow [Monday] Can't wait to hack this one. Will have a play first before I hack it.Cool

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

Discussion:    Add a Comment | Comments 1-25 of 93 | Latest Comment | 1 2 3 4 Next »

nicerobot Avatar
Member
June 17, 2007 4:23 PM

I'm looking forward to pics and a review!Sealed

Eastercla Avatar
Member
June 17, 2007 4:51 PM

Let us know how well the roboquad walks.  I am very interested in finding out if it goes on anything othr than rough surfaces with the way it moves its legs.

Nocturnal Avatar
  Member
June 17, 2007 8:50 PM

RoboQuad is also available in Australia. Two out of the three stores I visited had it in stock (at $170 and $180AUD). Somewhat ironic that the first store I visited had it in stock, and yet I still haven't been able to locate a dragonfly despite numerous store visits.

No photos from me till later, looks like my SD card has taken a walk in someone elses laptop.

It is odd that the manual is not available online yet, usually its available well before they hit stores.

RoboGuide - Your guide to hacking all things WowWee

RobosapienV2-4mem8 Avatar
  Member
June 18, 2007 12:47 AM

Picked up Roboquad tonight and I will be testing it out tonight assuming I can find the right batteries for it. It's just as damn hard as ever to get the &^%$#@ outa the box. Will report back later as to some findings.

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

RobosapienV2-4mem8 Avatar
  Member
June 18, 2007 3:29 AM

Well, What can one say about Roboquad,I have been putting him through his paces and I must say that he is a ball of fun and so many interesting moves, I just love the guard stance where he rears up on all fours mutters some garbage and is then on alert until you move or get close to him. The demo move is quite hilarious going through his stuff. He also responds well to his surroundings the IR works very well and the light sensor does it's job when you switch the lights out and back on. As for walking on the carpet brilliant could not fault it, On a slippery surface like lino or tiles there is a bit of slippage but can be fixed with the addition of rubber tips on his feet,Do not use rubber tips on carpet as this will cause a load on the servo motors. The display of lights he has is also very good and eye catching. One thing I did notice is that you should keep your fingers clear of those articulated legs, they have a bit of force behind them and could give you a nasty pinch. I have taken some pics and a short video which I will post soon.


[image]

Straight out of the box.

[image]

Those menacing eyes.

[image]

Doing it's thing on the carpet.

[image]

Another carpet shot.
[image]

Diagram of sensors.

 

Video

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

MrScott Avatar
  Moderator
June 18, 2007 8:00 AM

Nice to see it's gotten to some markets.

 Does it have any bending leg joints, or is all the articulation done via rotating cut-joints? The videos I've seen thus far seem to show cut joints only. I know that the cut-joints are stronger, and likely cheaper to make. It does inherently limit the limb articulation more than a combination of twist and bend would.

For some reason your youtube video is not serving up for me. The link is fine. It's just that YoutTube is not loading it into the video frame. I get the perpetual spinning "loading" icon. 

ScottE -- Member (always) & Moderator (when needed)

nicerobot Avatar
Member
June 18, 2007 9:59 AM

Great video and pics - thank you!  I am VERY worrked about Roboquad's fait however seeing all that testing equiptment in the background - its like he's on the operating table!

RobosapienV2-4mem8 Avatar
  Member
June 18, 2007 1:18 PM


   

[ Does it have any bending leg joints] No, they are all articulation but it has a surprisingly amount of movement considering the leg system. Nicerobot seems to be able to see the video so can't answer your question

  nicerobot

Roboquad should be worried, because when I have finished seeing what he can do I will be putting him on the operating table, I would like to use that head and neck + electronics for something else!! 

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

Nocturnal Avatar
  Member
June 18, 2007 11:00 PM

You can read about my exploration through the RoboQuad's internals on my website here. These are a couple of the photos I took while torturing my RoboQuad with a screw driver.

 

 

 

RoboGuide - Your guide to hacking all things WowWee

RobosapienV2-4mem8 Avatar
  Member
June 19, 2007 12:02 AM

Nocturnal, As always you have made a great documentation of another Wowwee product, Just been to your website and have had a good browse, my first hack for Roboquad is to remove the perimiter leds and replace them with 10-15000 mcd blue leds. Will start that one very soon.

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

Generic Member Avatar
Member
June 19, 2007 12:15 AM

Has WowWee posted the manual for the Roboquad online yet? If so, can someone post the link? Thanks.

Nocturnal Avatar
  Member
June 19, 2007 12:25 AM

You mean the "Headlight" ones?

Sorry roschler, its not on the RoboQuad site, and WowWee hasn't added the RoboQuad to the WowWee support site yet (their a little behind the ball this time).

RoboGuide - Your guide to hacking all things WowWee

RobosapienV2-4mem8 Avatar
  Member
June 19, 2007 1:00 AM

Nocturnal, Well I could do those as well, but was thinking of the ones around the lower torso x 4

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

Nocturnal Avatar
  Member
June 19, 2007 1:09 AM

Ah, the "animation" lights.

RoboGuide - Your guide to hacking all things WowWee

RobosapienV2-4mem8 Avatar
  Member
June 19, 2007 4:47 AM

Yep, That's the ones, I now have Roboquad in bits, Photos coming and I now know what I am going to hack first. The animation lights around the lower body blue 10-15000mcd leds and some orange or blue leds in the head lights, Iwill also put a led bargraph below the IR eyes for a mouth.

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

RobosapienV2-4mem8 Avatar
  Member
June 19, 2007 5:41 AM

I have dissected Roboquad ready for my first hack, a change of animation leds from red to high power blue, will also change the outer eye leds to blue. Below the IR led I will fit a led bargraph for the mouth.

[image]

Dissected

[image]

Closer view of main board.

[image]

Head section.

[image]

IR led eyes, below is where I will insert the led bargraph for the mouth.

[image]

The far right and left leds will also be changed to 10-15000mcd blue leds.

[image]

Darker shot to show detail.

[image]

The six eye leds. two outer most will be changed to blue.

[image]

One side of the eye leds.

[image]

Ir lenses behind circuit board for IR leds.

[image]

Darker shot to show detail. Mods will take place this week depending on availability of the blue 15000mcd leds. I will probably link the mouth bargraph to the blinking eyes left and right split.

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

Generic Member Avatar
Member
June 19, 2007 7:42 AM

As a hacker I really appreciate the photos and text you (Nocturnal and RoboMemV8) have posted. As a Roboquad I'd be scared to death of you. :) RoboMem8, when I try to view your YouTube video I get a spinning icon/GIF on the Flash player that never ends (video never loads or plays). Other videos on the site play fine. Anybody else getting this?

MrScott Avatar
  Moderator
June 19, 2007 8:16 AM

I finally got to view the youtube video (immediate load, rather than the infinitely spinning icon). Your other posted videos popped right up, so I can't explain why only one was not loading properly.

With the dissassembly details in mind I was somewhat surprised to see that each "leg" is an unarticulated, angled piece. They appear to simply rotate around the mount axis where it meets the body.

For some reason I was expecting at least one joint in mid leg. I guess I didn't pay enough attention to the early demo videos.

It's a slick way to make a simple walking motion, but it doesn't make for a particularly versatile movement. Since the foot isn't lifted, but rather is swept in an angled arc, the ability to walk over rough terrain is likely less than I expected.

Can you comment on the maximum height a single foot can be raised above a flat foor? That height would be a combination of one foot's swivel, and any body tilt that can be added by rotating the other feet.

ScottE -- Member (always) & Moderator (when needed)

Nocturnal Avatar
  Member
June 19, 2007 8:36 AM

It can be raised fairly high, there is one animation where he raises one leg and shakes it (sort of like you command a dog to shake), but you couldn't really use it for walking. He raises oposite front and rear leg to a maximum height (using them as a pivot), and the other rear leg to minimum height. I assume there is a trick to the way the legs are rotated to make certain that he ends up leaning towards the lower rear leg rather than the front.

On another note, I tried shorting the "TRY_ME" header, but did not observe a noticable change in behaviour. So that rules out it triggering something, about the only other things I can think of are a secondary IR input (intended to make life simpler for people who want to piggy back a second microcontroller on top), or on the outside edge or reality, a comm port. Both are going to take a little while to test. I'm thinking I'll try hooking an LED up to it. Anyone else care to take a guess as to function?

Some of your images don't appear to be loading properly 4mem8. You know if your having trouble with them, you can upload the images into the photo gallery on my site and then link back, I gave you full access to all that .

RoboGuide - Your guide to hacking all things WowWee

milw Avatar
  Moderator
June 19, 2007 9:53 AM

Jeez you guys don't waste much time! Can't wait to see the pix with the blue LEDs, 4mem8! Has he (RQ) got any interactions with the other WowWee bots? And who's going to be the first with a custom paint job?

Visit my Roving RoboReporter blog!

Generic Member Avatar
Member
June 19, 2007 10:10 AM

Does the Roboquad have a remote control? If so, how many functions?

Nocturnal Avatar
  Member
June 19, 2007 10:42 AM

Tsk Tsk roschler, check the photo gallery I linked in internals walkthrough, I posted pictures of the RoboQauds remote inside and out. There are three addition shift modes.

RoboGuide - Your guide to hacking all things WowWee

RobosapienV2-4mem8 Avatar
  Member
June 19, 2007 12:53 PM

Nocturnal: Thanks, I know I can use your site and probably will at some point, I uploaded pics to my website and then linked back to this one, They work for me, I have no trouble viewing them or youtube, For some reason some people can view youtube ok and some not.

 

MrSott: Sorry, at present I cannot give you details of how much the leg raises, As you can see he is dissassembled. [ That will teach him to pinch my finger]

 

Milw: Custom paint job M'mm I'd love to paint him metalic black, I think that would make him a mean lean fighting machine. Just Might do that.

 

Roschler: Nice to hear from you, Yes it does have a remote, and are we thinking of robodance for this beast????? 

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/

Generic Member Avatar
Member
June 19, 2007 9:37 PM

@Nocturnal, "tsk tsk"? LOL. I'll go check again. I only had time to briefly scan the pages last time and utter a small eulogy for your Roboquad. :)

@RobosapienV2-4mem8. Sure, as soon as I can get one here in the states, of course I will. Especially since it sounds like they didn't make the remote modal like they did for the RS Media. I'm still crying over the fact they made the remote modal. That makes it impossible to send an IR blast and know exactly what command you really sent which kind of kills scripting and voice control.

pixelbrat Avatar
Member
  • member since: 06/19/2007
  • rank: 1345 of 1881
  • 4 comments
June 19, 2007 10:26 PM

RobosapienV2-4mem8 said:

I have taken some pics and a short video which I will post soon.

Hi there.  I"m new here but a longtime robot enthusiast.  Thanks for posting the video.  I'd love to see more.  I have a quick question... does Roboquad always turn his head side to side when simply walking forward?  Can his head be turned manually by the remote, either at a stop or while walking?  I'd like to put a wireless camera on his head, with the intent of being able to point it where I like with the remote.  The side to side turning might get a bit annoying from a camera perspecitve if that can't be controlled.  Any info you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Pixelbrat 

Discussion:    Add a Comment | Back to Top | Comments 1-25 of 93 | Latest Comment | 1 2 3 4 Next »

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