Tentacle Mechanism Animatronic Robot


This robot is a great way to dive into the world of animatronic tentacle mechanisms and explore different ways of interacting with a robotic creature.

Also known as Botbait, this robot moves organically, lights up charismatically, and enjoys interacting with you.

Available as a kit, a kit including electronics, and customised & assembled. See it in action below:


Watch video on YouTube

Do-it-yourself Kit


If you are a robot explorer with electronics scattered about your workbench, this is the kit for you.

This does not include the electronics, but comes with all the 3D printed parts.

Kit Includes:
  • 3D printed parts
  • Flexible tentacle center core (pre-moulded)
  • Necessary mechanical pieces (screws & nuts)

Lead time: 3.5-8 days

$59.95 - Buy Now
View on store

Do-it-yourself Kit
(incl. Electronics)


Start your journey of tentacle mechanisms with this kit! Includes the basic electronics to get you up and running.

Kit Includes:
  • Arduino Pro Mini
  • 4 Micro Servos
  • 6x 5mm LEDs (your choice: red, orange, yellow, green, blue)
  • 4x RGB Piranha LEDs
  • Resistors for LEDs
  • Shift-out 74HC595 Proto Board Assembly (pre-soldered)
  • 3D printed parts
  • Flexible tentacle center core (pre-moulded)
  • Necessary mechanical pieces (screws & nuts)

Lead time: 3-4.5 weeks (waiting on parts mainly)

$119.95 - Buy Now
View on store

Customised & Assembled


The tentacle mechanism is a beautiful robot to hang on a wall, like a piece of artwork that is a living and interactive creature.

Everything will be pre-assembled, and come pre-loaded with an interesting behaviour and some dance routines.

Customisable:
  • Vertebrae diameters
  • Tail LED colours
  • Filament colour
  • Paint highlights colours
  • Other interesting things you can think of / request!

Lead time: 4-8 weeks (hand-made by RobotGrrl)

$174.95 - Buy Now
View on store
Looking to make your own tail or flexible robot? Check out our flexible starter kit with all of the pieces you will need!

In order to program the tentacle mechanisms, you will need an FTDI cable. Available at Adafruit or Sparkfun (or perhaps your local hackerspace too!).

Photos


Here are some photos of the tentacle mechanism in action. The colours from the RGB LEDs really shine and cast colours everywhere. Watching the LEDs on the tail as it is swooshing is quite mesmerising.

Making Of


Here is a 17 minute in-depth video about the tentacle mechanism. It covers the design, building, electronics, programming, and behaviour of the robot.


Watch video on YouTube

We will be posting more information for assembly, electronics, programming, and going further, very soon. In the meantime, please do enjoy our video above.

Build Instructions


Get started on building your Botbait! It requires lots of patience, but the end result will be worth it :)



Build Part 1 Build Part 2

Electronics Instructions


Now that your own tentacle mechanism is built, time to add its BRAINS!



Electronics

Programming


Time to make the tentacle mechanism do some interesting animations! Let's program it!



Programming

Botbait and the Space Fish


Make Botbait play with space fish using this interactive software!



Space Fish

More Information


For a look behind the scenes to see how this robot creature became into existence, check out these links below to old progress updates.

Show-And-Tell

at the 2:55-7:06 mark

Tentacle Mechanism (work in progress 3)

tentacle_mech_more_1

Tentacle Mechanism (work in progress 2)

tentacle_mech_wip_2_11


Tentacle Mechanism (work in progress)

tentacle_mech_experiment_9

Sugru Experiment #2

sugru_experiment_2_14

Sugru Experiment

sugru_experiment_17

Open Source Hardware


For everyone who would prefer to make their own prints of the tentacle mechanism, here are all of the files for printing. Please send us a photo of whatever you do end up making!



Download OSHW
License:
Designed by Erin Kennedy / RobotGrrl for RoboBrrd.com

CERN OPEN HARDWARE LICENSE v1.1
http://www.ohwr.org/

All text above must be included in any redistribution


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