Editor's note:

Here in Part 1 of this incredible series, our fearless hacker RobosapienV2-4mem8 cracks open the Roboquad exoskeleton. Is this alien dissection from Area 51? Nah, but it sure looks like it.

Iin Part 2, the exploration continues -- complete with photo close ups of electronic innards.

In Part 3 RobosapienV2-4mem8 shares videos he has taken of everything. Don't miss a second of it.

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From: RobosapienV2-4mem8

Hello all,

Some of you would say that hacking Roboquad is sinful, and to a point, I agree. However as a hacker, it's just in my nature to pull a new robot apart and see what is going on inside of him. So, here goes...

The first hack I propose is to replace the two outer LED's with 16,000mcd white one's for better coverage. Then replace the four annimation LED's with two yellow 8,000mcd for the sides and two blue 8,000 for the front and back. This will also give more bright coverage in the vicinity of Roboquad.

The next hack I'm working on is a singe blue 8,500 mcd LED for the mouth.

So, here are some pics of the present mods...

Straight out of the box.

Those menacing eyes.

Gettin' jiggy on the carpet.

Diagram of sensors

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I have dissected my Roboquad, and am ready to preform my first hack - a change of animation LED's from red to high-power blue. I will also change the outer eye LED's to blue. Below the IR IED, I will fit an LED bargraph for the mouth.

Dissected

Closer view of main board

Head section

IR LED eyes

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Next, I will insert the LED bargraph for the mouth.

The far right and left LED's will also be changed to 16000mcd white LED's

Darker shot to show detail

The six eye LED's. two outer most will be changed to white

One side of the eye LED's

IR lenses behind the circuit board for IR LED's

Another darker shot to show detail

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Now, let's get started on my Roboquad eye hack, The first LEDS to go are the outer eye one's ... to be replaced with these.

White 16000mcd LED's

Old LED's removed

New LED's fitted; just have to cut of the leads

Removing the 4 red annimation LED's

Just have to cut the wires and replace with 8500mcd blue LED's

Roboquad's head next to his future mouth

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Finally completed the LED hack. I ended up using two yellow 8,000mcd LED's for the sides, two 8,000 blue LED's for the front and rear, and two 16,000mcd LED's for the two outer eyes. Everything works fine and no hicups. See pics below...

Yellow annimation LED's

Blue LED's in the front and back of Roboquad

Yellow annimation LED's on his sides; just soldered in place

Front annimation blue and white right eye LED's

Another similar shot

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Next mod is to install a mouth. This is going to be tight, as there is not much room to install these bargraph-type LED's. They are 8000mcd green LED's, which will be connected to the various eye LED's matched as an equal pair, so the eye LED's flash and the mouth LED's move simultaneously from the center outward. I will attack this one in the next few days, Pics up when finished.

 

Next: Part 2 More Photos, More Hacking