Junkbot videos - Hayley's work

A collection of videos from Hayley Stevenson's junkbots work including insect-like robots

And here is what it drew:

Taken from: http://junkbots-hayleystevenson.blogspot.com/2011_07_01_archive.html

Taken from: http://junkbots-hayleystevenson.blogspot.com/2011/08/day-9-fan-racer-comes-to-life.html

Junkbots and lego robots combined:

 taken from:  http://junkbots-hayleystevenson.blogspot.com/2011/08/day-18-my-last-day.html 

Here is the video summarising her work:

Junkbots video

A Video montage of Hayley Stevenson's work on the Junkbots can be found at see http://junkbots-hayleystevenson.blogspot.com.

PicassoBot the drawing junkbot

Taken from the blog: http://junkbots-hayleystevenson.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-4-design-and-paperwork.html

PicassoBot

Assembly Instructions for the PicassoBot

•  Using the template provided, cut out a BASEPLATE for your JunkBot. Place the template on the thick card, and cut out using a craft knife. Be careful not to cut anything that is under the card. Depending on the type of card, you made need to make 2 BASEPLATE’s and stick them together to increase the strength.
• If you wish, can now decorate your baseplate, but remember that the holes need to be accessible after decorations!
• Now you need to make the legs. Take 3 of your straws, and place then together, lengthways to make a thicker leg. The end of the straws should look like a triangle. Next, extend the straws to their fullest possible length, and bend the ridged part to make a 45degree angle. Once you have done this, secure the straws together using a strip of tape at the top of the straws.
• Now, look at the other end of the straws, the one that is not secured. This is where the pen must be inserted, and therefore the inside half of each od the straws needs to be removed. Using either scissors or a craft knife, remove the inside half of the straws for the bottom 8 cm of the straws.
• Insert the pen into the cut ends of the straws and secure with tape. Add tape to the legs where needed to hold them together. Then wrap a piece of tape around the ridged end of the straw, to keep the angle a 45 degrees. (see picture).
• Repeat steps 3-5 with the other 6 straws, so you have 3 legs. Once you have done this, the legs can be decorated, but remember the end of the straws both need to be free to draw or be added to the baseplate.
• Insert each of the legs (The ends without pens) into the triangular shaped holes on the baseplate, secure them tightly with tape. 
• You not need to add the supports between the legs to hold them in position. Take a straw, and secure it horizontally between two of the legs. Repeat this until there are supports between each of the legs, Add as many as you feel necessary.
• Take the motor, and add the propeller or weight to the sprog. Then, attach the battery pack to the motor using the wires given. Insert the batteries and make sure it works. Disconnect the battery and motor, the Insert the motor into the the star shaped area on the baseplate. If it is loose, secure with tape.
• Add the battery pack to the baseplate, it goes where the dotted lines are. Secure with tape. Your PicassoBot is now ready to go! When ready, reconnect the battery pack to the motor. This will make your Junkbot vibrate and begin to draw patterns.  

Things to consider

How can you make different patterns using you PicassoBot? Experiment with modifications.

How can you make your JunkBot more stable or more unstable?

What happens if you use more legs on your JunkBot?

waste inspires students

A recent article in the Northampton Herald and Post " How a university is using waste as tool to inspire students

" by Lawrence John discusses the Junkbots project. 

"FUNNY looking robots called junkbots could be the key to encouraging more children across the county to become engineers, computer programmers or scientists.

One force which is driving this idea forward is the University of Northampton.

For the past few years, staff from its science and technology department have been going out to primary and secondary schools to spread the word that science is fun.

By working with schools, the university hopes to show pupils a different side to computing and hopefully raise their interest in what they can achieve" Lawrence John

For the whole article click here.