Linkbots in action (via Borobo & kickstarter)
Designing, creating, and programming robots is no easy task and can take years to accomplish and that’s just for companies that can sink a few million dollars into those R&D projects. For those of us who don’t quite have that much money, it’s almost near impossible to get our coffee-can for a head design to even move. Barobo Inc. (designers of the Modbot) is looking to take away a lot of the frustration out of hobbyist robotics with their educational line of Linkbots. The idea behind the robot design is to get children (or adults for that matter) interested in innovation and mathematics to become the next generation of robotic enthusiasts. Constructing various robots is near unlimited as the creators of Linkbots engineered them to be upgradable with new options becoming available as your knowledge and skills grow (much like playing an RPG). The robots are actually pre-assembled modular sections that can be combined together to form new and interesting designs. The robots are created using a base platform as a starting point and feature three sides for mounting additional modules to get your bot off and running. These include (but are not limited to) wheels for mobility, camera mounts and gripper modules that connect to one another using Barobo’s SnapConnectors which look akin to wall outlets. Not satisfied with simply snapping the modules together for your DIY project? Not a problem as the modules come equipped to handle #6-32 bolts that allow you to affix virtually anything to the bot using the bolt pattern found on all three surfaces.
The possibilities that can be achieved using Linkbots are incredible. More advanced users can even download all three of Barobo’s modules (at a cost) and modify them to fit their projects, which can then be printed out using a 3D printer (if available). Users also have the option to use a breakout board to connect sensors, range finders and LEDs (among a host of other things) to projects that may call for them. The Linkbot comes standard with a host of features already built in including a pair of rotating hubs with absolute coding, an accelerometer, LED lighting, buzzer feedback and is compatible with Arduino. Barobo provides the firmware for flashing the Linkbot as well as the software to program the Arduino board for Windows, Linux and Mac. If that wasn’t enough the robot modules come equipped to handle ZigBee wireless with around a 100-meter LOS range. While several prototypes of the Linkbot have been shipped to various schools Barobo is looking for funding to bring the bots to the masses using Kickstarter. The company has currently raised over $7,000 US so far they still have not reached their goal of $40,000 to get the project scaled for manufacturing. Those interested can pledge a minimum of $129 to get the Linkbot plus two wheels along with eight mounting screws and BaroboLink software to help get your robotic projects off the ground.
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