MAKER: Morrisl4 / Translated by: Fun Endless

This quadruped spider robot uses the Raspberry Pi as its “brain”, and its body and limbs are 3D printed. No custom circuit boards are needed, making it easy for beginners to assemble. Moreover, the tutorial includes nearly an hour-long assembly video. This is a great hands-on project for those who want to learn about Raspberry Pi and Python programming.

Components List

Raspberry Pi 3B+/4B × 1, 15MP OV5647 Pi Camera Module × 1, POWERADD 5000mAh Power Bank × 1, PCA9685 16 Channel 12-bit PWM Servo Motor Driver × 1, LM2596 Buck Converter DC-DC Buck Module × 1, MG90S Servo Motor × 1, 3.7V Lithium Battery (700mAh) × 4, Toggle Switch × 1, Jumper Wires × Several, M3 Nuts and Bolts × Several

3D Printed Components

List of parts to print: 1 x Body, 1 x Joint 1, 1 x Joint 2, 1 x Joint 3, 1 x Joint 4, 1 x Thigh 1, 1 x Thigh 2, 1 x Thigh 3, 1 x Thigh 4, 1 x Calf 1, 1 x Calf 2, 1 x Calf 3, 1 x Calf 4, 1 x Raspberry Pi Camera Bracket, 1 x Top Cover, 4 x Toe (Adhesive), 4 x Toe (Smooth).

Each leg consists of three parts: joint, thigh, calf. For ease of assembly, the STL files are named and numbered. They can be downloaded from the project repository: https://make.quwj.com/project/349

Use PLA material to 3D print all files. You can print all joint parts at once, and the thighs and calves can also be printed together, as shown. However, the body, joints, thighs, and camera bracket need support during printing.

Installing the Raspberry Pi

It is recommended to use a Raspberry Pi with 2GB or more memory + Raspberry Pi OS Desktop version. Install the system on the Raspberry Pi, refer to: https://shumeipai.nxez.com/2019/04/17/write-pi-sd-card-image-using-etcher-on-windows-linux-mac.html

Connect the Raspberry Pi to the network via WiFi, refer to: https://shumeipai.nxez.com/2017/09/13/raspberry-pi-network-configuration-before-boot.html

Enable SSH and log in to the Raspberry Pi terminal using PuTTY. File and movie transfers can be done via SFTP using FileZilla.

Enable VNC and log in to the Raspberry Pi using VNC Viewer, refer to: https://shumeipai.nxez.com/2018/08/31/raspberry-pi-vnc-viewer-configuration-tutorial.html

Assembling the Robot

Assembly process video. (Video length is 51 minutes, please switch to WiFi as needed to watch)

Special Note: 1. Some parts may need to be polished for assembly. You do not have to follow the steps in the video exactly, but it is recommended to test the circuit part first, and after testing, assemble the 3D parts.

2. Wiring diagrams for each servo motor are provided below the table.

3. If you are interested in connecting the 4 lithium batteries, here’s an explanation. This is a set of two 3.7V lithium batteries connected in series to form a 7.4V battery pack. By connecting another identical set in parallel, each lithium battery is 700mAh, ultimately forming a 7.4V 1400mAh battery pack. Series connection increases voltage, while parallel connection expands capacity. The robot has two power sources: the lithium battery pack powers the servo motors, while the power bank independently powers the Raspberry Pi.

Here are the software and commands used: WinSCP: https://winscp.net/eng/download.php Adafruit_Python_PCA9685 module:

sudo pip3 install adafruit-pca9685

Pygame module:

sudo pip3 install pygame

Program source files can be downloaded from the project repository: https://make.quwj.com/project/349

Completion

After following the reference video, you should be able to complete the assembly. I hope you can learn something and have fun!

You can do some interesting expansions and upgrades on this robot platform. For example, add an HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor, and the corresponding STL files are already provided in the project repository. By programming, you can make the robot walk autonomously and avoid obstacles.

By adding an MPU-6050 sensor, you can also achieve self-balancing for the robot. Introducing OpenCV can give the robot computer vision capabilities…

Let your imagination run wild!

Project repository address:

http://make.quwj.com/project/349

via instructables.com/id/3D-Printed-Raspberry-Pi-Spider-Robot-Platform/

Links in the article can be clicked to read the original text at the end

More exciting content

Make a motorcycle dashboard with Raspberry Pi

Make a smart pet feeder with Raspberry Pi

Create a smart planetary observer based on Raspberry Pi

Handcraft a metal wireframe X-wing clock

Arduino + 280 LEDs DIY music spectrum light

DIY Stanford Pupper 12 DOF Quadruped Robot Dog

Barrier: PC and Raspberry Pi keyboard and mouse sharing solution