• Models
  • Contests
  • Slicer
  • Login
  • Start Here
    thingiverse-iconprintables-iconcults3d-iconmakerworld-iconmyminifactory-icon

    3D GO

    3D ModelsContestsCollectionsSaved ModelsOn a mobile device?

3D GO

Privacy Policy
Monobot, the single servo robot 3D Printer File Image 1
Monobot, the single servo robot 3D Printer File Image 2
Monobot, the single servo robot 3D Printer File Image 3
Monobot, the single servo robot 3D Printer File Thumbnail 1
Monobot, the single servo robot 3D Printer File Thumbnail 2
Monobot, the single servo robot 3D Printer File Thumbnail 3

Monobot, the single servo robot

ekowi avatarekowi

January 28, 2020

thingiverse-icon
DescriptionCommentsTags

Description

How many motors do you need to make a robot which can move in 2 dimensions? Most need 2, either left-right differential like a tank, or one for going forward and one for steering, like cars. There are experiments to achieve steerable robots using just one actuator, notable ones are the 1STAR from UC Berkeley (which has 6 legs, the middle legs are elastic) and the Monospinner from ETH Zurich (which can even fly), but they require complex and delicate mechanisms and control systems.

Introducing Monobot, the single servo robot. This robot has only 2 parts, the base and the foot, which are connected by a servo motor. But how could this robot move?

The key is center of mass, friction, and acceleration. The mass of the robot is located on the upper part ('the body') and is offset to the front, near the batteries. When the motor is accelerating to one direction, normal force (N) on one side of the foot is greater than the other, and since static friction limit (fsmax) is proportional to N, then one side will have more tendency to slip and 'steps' forward. By accelerating to left and right repeatedly, the robot will move forward... ideally. If the foot sides have dissimilar friction constant, because imperfect surfaces, the robot will veer off from straight line. But you can make the robot turn around in spot (which 1STAR cannot) by moving the motor to one direction slowly then suddenly reversing, so the body which has larger inertia will continue rotating that way, but the foot slips. You can see the demonstration in the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g27qqC4I8kU

Print the base, battery holder holder, and choose a foot (I used 5 degrees, haven't tried the others, but Blender Rigid Body simulation shows that higher angle gives faster movement), screw the servo horn to the foot using servo mounting screws, put your favourite controller (I used Arduino Nano and Bluetooth receiver), 2x 18650 batteries and battery holder, a 5V step down converter for the servo (I don't like powering servos through the nano's regulator), and there you are, a robot as simple as could be.

I suggest using high quality servo, preferably metal gear, since this robot will put high stress on the gears, motor, and motor driver from the repetitive direction reversing. I haven't broken any servo though.

Friction is important here. Slippery PLA only produce little movement, so I covered the foot with masking tape. I measured the coefficient of friction on wood, the result is about 0.4. Too high friction and the robot jumps around or topple.

Arduino code included.

How could you improve the performance of this robot?

License:

Creative Commons - Attribution

Related Models

Fully 3D-printable wind-up car gift card preview image

Fully 3D-printable wind-up car gift card

Bribro12 profile image

Bribro12

29,446

Mobile Exo-Suit preview image

Mobile Exo-Suit

jajaum3d profile image

jajaum3d

8,810

6DFrame Standard 1.0 / No AMS, No Support, No glue preview image

6DFrame Standard 1.0 / No AMS, No Support, No glue

6DCreation profile image

6DCreation

4,782

Wip: Tiny articulated bot preview image

Wip: Tiny articulated bot

BQEducacion profile image

BQEducacion

24,371

Star Wars B1 Battle Droid 2.0 Kit Card preview image

Star Wars B1 Battle Droid 2.0 Kit Card

Willi profile image

Willi

14,633

Animatronic Eyes, Compact, With Arduino preview image

Animatronic Eyes, Compact, With Arduino

Morgan Manly profile image

Morgan Manly

2,362

WALL-E Robot Replica preview image

WALL-E Robot Replica

chillibasket profile image

chillibasket

22,702

AT-ST Walker Kit Card preview image

AT-ST Walker Kit Card

Nakozen profile image

Nakozen

12,351