Roachbot

[MrMikey83]

**broken link removed**

Found this on Collegehumors links for this week. Interesting project.

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach runs on a ping pong ball acting like a computer trackball. Roach is velcro'd to a support bracket so it will stay put. Sensors on the front of the bot sense if its close to an obstacle and turn on an LED so that the robot will back up from the light.
~Mike

 

[Someone Electro]

Nice idea to use an insect insted of an microcontroler.But an MCU eod do beter seince a roach is kinda a dumb thing.But its an interesting idea.It wod be nice if they used somting smarter.

I wod like to see how the roach gets around obstecles.i dont know how well those LEDs serve as an indicator to an isect.Dosent UV light atrtact most insects and he is using blue LEDs that are realy close to UV and emit some of it too.

 

[tansis]

Well I like it, sure beats the invasive approach
of many robotics research labs.


Early results would of course seem poor as the 'roach has to cope with trying to learn two different sets of responces, those when harnessed with the robot and those without safely back in its box.

 

[Clyd3]

NOW THAT IS THE MOST AMAZING THING I'VE EVER HEARD OF...
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION - REPLACE THOSE MICROCHIPS...FAST!!!

 

[Someone Electro]

I still have way more trust in microcontrollers.

 

[Clyd3]

I actually have a lot of trust in Cockroaches!

Especially if you can convince them (evil means :twisted: ) to do what you want them to!

THOSE THINGS ARE INVINCIBLE!!!!!!! (unless there are any old grannies around)

 

[MrMikey83]

Roaches run from light (turn on lights in a previously dark room), so therefore, maybe the dirrectional lighting of each of the LED's will make it run in just the opposite dirrection. SO theres something blocking it on the left, the left LED light up and causes the roach to run backwards and to the right.
I want to see what he has in store for version 2.
~Mike

 

[eblc1388]

THOSE THINGS ARE INVINCIBLE!!!!!!! (unless there are any old grannies around)

Have to agree. Remember seeing one walking happily inside the microwave oven while I was heating up some food under "High Power".

Also once caught a big one using "Roach Hotel". I zapped it using 5KV from a transformer and it stop moving, looking like dead only to wake up again happily after a few minutes.

 

[tansis]

caught a big one using "Roach Hotel". I zapped it using 5KV from a transformer and it stop moving, looking like dead only to wake up again happily after a few minutes.

:lol:

How much does it take to stop them ?