Similar with the TurtleBot, Kondo Robot seeks to give an affordable home experimenting robot to the masses. Their offering, an intimidating spider like robot with 6 legs called the KMR-M6. To reduce costs, a clever leg appendage uses 2 servos and a mechanical spring actuator. Legs can be purchased separately so the ambitious can build their own multi-leg creation. Attach a Microsoft Kinect to this "hexapod" robot, and Turtlebot may have to roll aside. The KMR-M6 can navigate over complex and rough terrain. The low center of gravity will also keep it from tipping. At the center of the KMR-M6 bot is a Kondo RCB-4HV controller powered by a 10.8V 800mAh Ni-MH battery from ROBO. Available in May for $880 USD. Although Kondo Robot is based in Japan, a fairly extensive community is available for aid, support, and design examples.
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