Next Hack - Robot B9

bret.tallent

USA
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Now that I have finished B.O.B., my get your feet wet bot, I have begun my next hack. This next robot will bridge the gap between Bob and my ultimate big robot. I am starting with a remote controlled B9 toy from Trendmasters. It was very limited in what it did, and the drive section was pathetic, but it was B9!

Before Pics:

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Note: the front "lights" in the chest plate is actually just a decal.

Here is what B9 looks like now:

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I have mounted clear LEDs in the appropriate colors in the chest at the bottom of the decal and have a flashing circuit that will blink them in the combination as seen on the series. Where the two large round circles are (white domes on the big guy) I will have my ping sensor. I have mounted pager motors in the antenna housings to turn the "sensors" as seen in the TV version. I have mounted red El Wire to his voice plate to emulate the original as well. I have also mounted a series of blinking LEDs to the "brain" section in the bubble.

Next is to work on the rotation of the bubble and torso, articulate the arms and claws, and make a real functioning tread section. For the tread section I am adapting the base from my RAD robot. I will keep you posted with pics as I proceed.

Thanks,

Bret

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#97  

@Bret,

Wow! Playing catch up on the forum...you are really moving out on your bot. It looks really, really good!

Nice work!

v/r

kevin

#98  

Kkeast your avatar creeps me out , just wanted to let you know that cabbage patch from hello keeps me awake at night... Lol Brett - its looking good , I love how the rad base became one with your b9 so well:). I'm going to send you a light sensor , when I bought mine I got like 5 of them.

#99  

Sweet! and thanks you guys. B9 has truly been a labor of love. It brings me back to my childhood and watching Lost in Space.

#100  

I dare say your b9 is looking much better than the original Brett.... Speaking of , your going to need some mixed color LEDs , are you going to use the epoxy colored ones (red led is actually colored red plastic , yellow actual yellow plastic ect) that may be best for realism. I have a assortment you could use to light up b9 head:)

#101  

Thanks Josh, but I already have all those LEDs in place. I used clear ones for the lights in the front chest plate, and colored ones in the dome. See a previous video on this thread where I showed them working. I have decided to change out the EL wire in the voice box area. Instead, to look more like the original (which used neon tubes) I am using solid acrylic rod with red LED's at each end. This should light up the rod similar to the original. And look a lot better than that EL wire. The front isn't going to be exact, as I used clear LEDs instead of colored, and the where the orange and green square buttons are I am placing a battery level meter. But it will look okay I think.

#102  

I have the torso servo mounted:

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This is actually a storage compartment in the front of the leg section - part of the original bot.

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I'm going to mount a triangular piece from the front of the torso base to the servo horn. That way I can get the rotation I want without damaging any of my wires. The storage compartment becomes the home for my EZ-B.

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There is plenty of room in here for the EZ=B and easy access too. I have drilled vent holes to help the fan keep it cool and run my wires. Next step - install the EZ-B. Unfortunately for now it looks like I'm going to have to rob Peter to pay Paul so-to-speak (I'm going to take the board out of Bob for now).

#103  

@Bret,

I know what you mean about that..but you gotta do what you gotta do....B9 is looking very good.

I like the lillypad LEDs if you can work them in vice regular LEDs. I actually think they are brighter too but mounting them could be a challenge depending on where they are needed.

vr

Kevin

#104  

Here is the EZ-B mounted in the leg section. I already have the motor controller, fans, and PIR sensors connected in this pic.

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