Building a Robot/Mech Suit: One Step at a time

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 2:08 pm

Sounds like you pretty much just want to make powered roller blades? Cool idea, and you don't even have to program anything, just use the scooter motor controller and other parts. I want to build something like this, except with 2 smaller motors so that both back wheels are powered (maybe all 4 eventually). I'm thinking gears would be better too, so the motors can be in closer to the trucks. All of this has to wait until I have a job/source of income (I'm working on it).

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:16 pm

. That looks like a pretty awsome skateboard. xD

Yea, first im going to start with "Powered rollerblades", and then build from that.

Heck, I can go with 3 ways with this project. 1) Just make the powered rollerblades, and the rest of the suit is for cosmetic reasons. 2) (This will be hard) Build a mech using the powered rollerblades as the feet, and make a computerized controlls that will be used for the arms.
3) Just make the rollerblades, and drop the whole mech costume/exoskeleton idea.

Not sure what way I'm gonna go with.

Yet the name for the rollerblade would most likely be:

Roboblades (I like this one the best)
RoBlades
RobotBlades.

Yet theres a problem.

I could go with a skateboard/foot in front of foot stance (1 Wheel is powered. The other 3 wheels arent, they just go with the flow. This may be dangerous, as I'd have to be in the exact same position everytime, or I could wipe out. The reason why I cant do rollerblade stance with is, is that since only 1 wheel is powered, the foot where the wheel is powered may shoot out from under me and trip me. )

Or Rollerblade stance. (2 wheels are powered/One wheel on each foot is powered. The other wheels on each feet, arent. They just go with the flow. Yet powering two wheels off of 1 motor, would make me go slower and would be hard.)

Or, I could go with Segway style/stance. (This one seems the best, yet may be hard to maneuver around corners.) I build it so theres 2 wheels on each foot. Only one wheel is powered, and theres a connecter, which hooks both feet together. Thus solving the problem in stance one, as since both feet will be hooked together, my feet would always stay striaght and connected so one foot cant shoot out in trip me.)

Stance 1: Easy to do, most compact, very menuverable, yet dangerous.
Stance 2: May be slower, may be hard to get both front wheels powered, yet most economical stance.
Stance 3: Easy to Do, Not compact, Not menuverable, Not Dangerous.

Which idea is the best? Or does anyone else have any other ideas for stances?

Post by **Triton** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:32 pm

no offence dude as this is a very cool idea for a project but you lack both money and skills to really pull this off, ive had some ideas for powered armor so to speak, a motor assisted exoskeleton but rought estimate doing it as cheap and simply as i can and still have it be reasonable would still cost thousands of dollars (compact motors, pressure and motion sensors steel, controll hardware etc) i do like the powered rollerblade idea tho and have been thinking of building something similar

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:35 pm

Like I said triton, I'm gonna build to the mech most likely. Read my newest post xD

.

Yet remember, This will be started AFTER I buy my used 40gb ps3 with 1 game for $345

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:58 pm

For rollerblade stance, you'd need two motors unless you only wanted one foot powered, otherwise it'd pretty much be your segway stance. It'd pretty much be the same as my idea for a 2 wheel drive skateboard, use two lower power motors with one normal power controller. I'd suggest finding a store that sells electric scooter parts and see what they have.

And I think you should drop the whole mech idea until you come by a large sum of cash. The way I see it now, you'll probably just look like an idiot with cardboard boxes strapped to you.

khaag · Post by **khaag** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 5:34 pm

http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2 ... l-iron-man

This is why you couldn't do it.

HotDog-Cart · Post by **HotDog-Cart** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:57 pm

vskid wrote:For rollerblade stance, you'd need two motors unless you only wanted one foot powered, otherwise it'd pretty much be your segway stance. It'd pretty much be the same as my idea for a 2 wheel drive skateboard, use two lower power motors with one normal power controller. I'd suggest finding a store that sells electric scooter parts and see what they have.

And I think you should drop the whole mech idea until you come by a large sum of cash. The way I see it now, you'll probably just look like an idiot with cardboard boxes strapped to you.

So what do you suggest, if I was to only use one motor to power one wheel?

HBN · Post by **HBN** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:17 pm

I don't know about vskid, but I suggest you NOT do it.

You got high hopes. I respect that. I've BEEN there. And in theory this should work "Okay". But theory is always better than how it actually goes down. And if the theory is only "Okay"...The result is pretty grim.

Honestly, you are coming across as a person who wants do some something, without having put ANY research into it.

Lets say, for a second, you did build this the way you explained. One powered wheel, three non. Assuming I read your post correctly, the powered wheel is in the front. Am I the only one who see a problem with this? Your weight is going to shift towards the back. Thats just a basic law of physics. When it starts moving, you are going to be pushed backwards slightly. With your weight shifting backwards, the front wheel - also your power wheel - is going to loose traction. Thus, the take-off has been botched because the front wheel slipped. This leads to:

Instability. Losing traction can cause the wheel to "Skip". This is seen a lot in drag racing when the wheels break loose. If it skipped badly enough you could loose balance, and face-plant the asphalt. I've done it. Not fun.

Loss of speed. Even after the take-off is over and done with, you won't have nearly the top speed because you will never have solid ground contact.

Spontaneous loss of traction. The devil himself (Assuming you believe in that). This can, and most like will happen at higher speeds. Causing the above mentioned "Skip", thus landing you in the same situation. Only harder.

Slow take off. This is not only annoying. Its also not good for the motor. Your stressing it far longer than normal. Increased stress on the mechanics can cause breakdowns, and all-out loss of power.

Those are just a few things. Really, I don't mean to be a killjoy. But I'm being realistic.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:18 pm

I'd say a skate/mountain board like in that link I posted. Then the main part is done and you just have to motorize it. Rollerblades with one motor might be possible if the motor didn't produce much torque. You could manually get up to speed, then flip on the motor to keep you at speed/speed up more. Then your powered leg wouldn't get ripped out from under you.