Phoenix is the winner of the Trossen Robotics TRC Project Contest...
...and deservedly so.
She's a little small to really conquer the indoor environment, but the design is very scalable; I think a double-size Phoenix made with super-torque standard-sized servos or the big quarter-scale ones could scuttle up ordinary stairs quite easily.
(One could, in fact, be climbing your stairs right now. What was that noise?)
More at the forum thread.
(Via.)
[UPDATE: It's now available as a kit!]
12 March 2008 at 9:49 am
Having lived in Sydney all my life, I really had to struggle with the urge to find something solid to belt that thing with - it looks way too much like a Funnel Web Spider, even with only six legs.
It does however look fantastic 'playing' with that box, an RC version would be fun for scaring the bejezzus out of people!
12 March 2008 at 9:01 pm
That was the single creepiest thing I've seen made by the hands of man...
12 March 2008 at 10:21 pm
Well it certainly told that box who's boss.
13 March 2008 at 1:18 am
It's the first robot I can easily say actually looks alive. *shudders*
14 March 2008 at 3:29 am
That is awesome. When I first saw it, I thought, "robotic tarantula" -- except, of course, only six legs. It moves extremely well; very impressive.
14 March 2008 at 4:46 pm
Phoenix, a robotic spider
Phoenix is sort of a robotic spider, except for the minor detail of only having six legs. It's self-contained, and remotely controlled using Bluetooth. The movements are calculated using an Excel spreadsheet, and it moves beautifully. (via)
14 March 2008 at 5:46 pm
Do they have any plans on selling the thing, or is it one of those research projects that nobody ever hears from again after their fifteen minutes of fame?
14 March 2008 at 6:00 pm
I don't think anybody's said anything about selling Phoenixes. It'd be easy enough to break the hardware down into a kit of parts, though; Phoenix is essentially just another robot-made-out-of-servos, and several of those are on the market (I think they're all bipeds, and very expensive) today.
Control systems are the complex part, of course. There's nothing about the Phoenix structure that is inherently especially elegant; it's the PC that makes her dance.
(Phoenix also has no sensory capability, so she's just a wireless puppet at present.)
15 March 2008 at 6:10 am
Looks like it will be available at some point, check out http://www.lynxmotion.net/viewtopic.php?t=2884
15 March 2008 at 7:00 am
I await my Mortein branded shotgun.
15 March 2008 at 11:31 pm
Yeah, I've looked in on that Lynxmotion thread, and at around $200usd for the bits & pieces, it looks pretty cheap.. but I have zero skills with which to put the thing together, or equipment with which to control it :(
18 March 2008 at 12:17 pm
Oh, great. How long before it starts sporting a hypodermic filled with acid, and Gene Simmons takes over?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_%281984_film%29
Futhermore, even though I'm sure it would draw 33% more electricity, they need to go ahead and just add two more legs, as more than a fourth of the posts so far (and I'm sure just as many elsewhere) involve comments like "...spider, except with only 6 legs..."
19 March 2008 at 2:47 pm
It is a lot bigger machine, but I think you'll find this of interest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1czBcnX1Ww
Boston Dynamics' BigDog. “The Most Advanced Quadruped Robot on Earth”
21 March 2008 at 9:58 pm
Why do I find the Big Dog creepier than the Phoenix?
22 March 2008 at 6:42 pm
I saw the Big Dog on BoingBoing. As someone else pointed out, the normal gait doesn't look particularly life-like, but when it's being pushed around or tripping on ice there is a strange sensation that they've just dug up two pairs of cadaver legs and run petrol through the veins...
27 March 2008 at 7:49 pm
Where oh where has Dan gone? I hope those firepower buggers haven't come round and broken your legs or something.
27 March 2008 at 9:30 pm
Speaking of the Big Dog, Here's the ghetto version.
28 March 2008 at 1:11 pm
I guess it was creeping up his stairs.
28 March 2008 at 3:22 pm
It is a little disconcerting. Where's Dan?
29 March 2008 at 3:32 pm
We miss you, Dan. I'm getting drunk in your honor right now.
29 March 2008 at 8:55 pm
I'll drink to that, RichVR! I'll get myself another G & T. It's theraputic! It prevents malaria!
31 March 2008 at 11:19 am
The Official March 30th "Where Is Dan?" Post.
1 April 2008 at 2:50 am
Dan! Dan? DAAAANNNNNN!?!? Hmm... nobody's home. How odd. Well, I hope you're just on vacation and all is well in your world Mr. Rutter.