gizmo by _tngc from uk
designer's own words:
Gizmo is a small biomimetic robot designed for using in daily life. Photos and a movie are showing a prototype for investigation of mechanics. In fact, it still does not have a concrete application. If it’s going to be installed high power LED it will be a light moving like a creature. Also if it’s going to be installed a camera it will be a movable device for shooting. Its attractiveness is its motion of working like a creature. It’s working very lively such as being a little bit creepy. This is a robot like an artificial creature and it can be developed with a specific function as a robotic product like Roomba, robot cleaner.
This robot is designed to mimic a moving way of slug or snail to be adapted for undulating surfaces in our living environment. As structural inventive points, it moves with six sets of legs driven by one actuator and it can drive even a body of the robot bent in any direction. To achieve these invention, I’ve designed a driving shaft composed of flexible shaft couplers and worm gears, unique brackets working for avoiding twisting and also maintaining excursion, six sets of worm wheels with different phases connecting to the legs with 3D printing.
There are not so many things with motion in our daily life. However in recent movable tools have been increasing gradually. I imagine the life with robots like pets but very obedient will provide us with brand-new experiences that is different from the life with only static things. Biomimetic approach is one of trends in robot development but main application is for military use or still be only in a laboratory. I’ve thought using biomimetic robots as coexisting products like creatures in our daily life. In static environment, moving object produce unique elegance.
Moving on undulate surface Styling appearance of top side [jwplayer config=”mplayer” width=”818px” height=”600px” file=”https://static.designboom.com/wp-content/compsub/368004/2012-12-31/video_1_1356986037_1cbf2f09e229b393c9532f7aa6bba942.flv”] video
Styling appearance of bottom side With pinching by a hand Moving on a hand [jwplayer config=”mplayer” width=”818px” height=”600px” file=”https://static.designboom.com/wp-content/compsub/368004/2012-12-31/video_2_1356986037_3c4a3b0fe87f17c18cf1e7a456ede11e.flv”] video
Assembling