CRABFU'S STEAM SPIDER: Designed in collaboration with Crabfu and powered by a small steam engine. The initial sketches have four leg pairs and differentially steered. It will be approximately 20 inches long and constructed of sheet metal that is cut and folded. The left and right sides will be independent and a large central gear will drive both cranks. The center portion of the frame will be removable to compensate for various sizes and styles of boilers, steam engines, and mounting points. Fabrication will be outsourced.
T1 SPIDER : A small walking toy approximately 4.5" wide and 8.5" long. Each will have two motors with differential steering. Model has been turned over to another party for consideration.
This prototype is made of layers of 1/8" polycarbonate layered and held together with small rods that go all the way through the body. Openings for the motors, stepped gears, links, and shafts are built into the layers. Several of the pivot points rely entirely on a 2-dimensional version of a ball and socket joint cut into the pieces.
A single square crankshaft drives all three sets of legs. Disks are connected to this shaft and off center by the length of the crank arm. This can be seen in the pictures and video. The disk increases the overall space required by the crank and lowers the ground clearance but simplifies the drive train and assembly.
The three sets of legs are all identical with the middle set rotated backwards. All of the connecting pieces were built symmetrically front to back with the crank shaft at the center.
An inherent question is "how fast can it go?". The specific answer is determined by the size, materials, design, efficiency of the power train, and the amount of power applied. The "poly speed" video shows a single leg unit attached to a power drill. The manufacturer's maximum rating is 800 RPM. Each cycle of the crank translates to two 1.75 inch steps of the legs yielding roughly 2.5 miles per hour. This model can handle more.
This was the first powered prototype. It moved the concept well beyond theoretical. It had a stride length of 4 inches and easily handled carpet or grass. The 2-inch step height enabled it to step onto a 2 by 6 with little effort.
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General-purpose platform: EOD, security, surveillance, mine clearing, reconnaissance...
Targeted capabilities: stair climbing, collapsible for delivery to target, 12-inch step height, top speed of 15 mph, video, and paintball-gun equipped. Suitable for prop on a TV show.
Future Additions: Computer-stamp controlled self-righting capability, collision avoidance, and simple compass-guided directional travel.
HP SPIDER
HUMAN-POWERED SPIDER: Pedal-powered amphibious version of the Mechanical Spider capable of breaking world records in the category of human-powered walking machines in the fifty-yard dash and one-hour distance.
TARGETED CAPABILITIES: slightly faster, more efficient, and more linear with a greater obstacle-handling ability than any other human-powered walking machine.
SRV SPIDER
Built around an existing computer-controlled vehicle. www.surveyor.com The onboard webcam will relay pictures to the host computer's screen which also sends commands through a module plugged into the USB port. This telepresence can also operate over the internet.
