Invention Coach:
Main Link:
Motivation:
Research into Robots with Generalized Structures
Begun 20 years before microelectronics allowed them to be made much more cheaply, tetrahedral robots that can change their shape promised to be lighter and stronger than other kinds of robots, as well as potentially more versatile.
In particular, this project explored if it would be possible to build robots that act as generalized structures, which could help in disaster relief. They could also support the environment by producing less soil compaction, and allowing structures to rapidly deploy while not removing past footprints.
Story:
One of Public Invention’s First Projects
The Tetrobot project was the first project seriously undertaken by Public Invention. After a great deal of trial and error and some years of work, the team produced a system for building tetrahedral robots on a small cheap scale. In doing so, they created, or recreated, several important inventions, including a 3D-printable multimember joint and an electronic controller system.
The Origin of Further Projects
Spin-off projects include coil-choice, a journal publication (video here), the Public Invention Mathathon, the Segmented Helix project, and the GlussCon controller.
Work is currently focused on using dlib, a popular open-source library, to search the configuration space to provide algorithmic control.
Related Open-Source Projects
If interested in learning more about other projects, check the following pages for updates and volunteer opportunities:
Status:
Collateral
A Drawn image can be found here:
https://pubinv.github.io/tetrobot/
Journal Article:
http://mechanismsrobotics.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/article.aspx?articleID=2683455
Essay about the Mathathon:
https://hackernoon.com/the-story-of-a-public-cooperative-mathathon-29ea5f4ff538
Video
Video
Video
