Robot Giveaway – 10 Years of GoRobotics, $1000 in prizes!

Posted on by & filed under Competitions, RobotShop.

Update: The contest is now closed. I’ll be gathering the entires and sending them to our judges over the next week or two. Stay tuned for a post announcing the winners. If you won I will also contact you via email. Thanks and good luck!

The past few months have been a lot of fun, with us giving away nearly $750 dollars of awesome robot prizes. But, we’re not done yet! April is the official 10 year anniversary of GoRobotics.net and we’ve saved the best prizes for last! This month we’ll be giving away over $1,000 dollars of prizes from our sponsors Pololu, Zagros Robotics, Solarbotics , Vex Robotics, Apress, and No Starch Press. Our sponsors have been incredibly generous and we hope to be able to offer more contests in the future.

The final robot giveaway is going to be a little tougher to enter than previous contests. This is only fair because we’ve got some awesome prizes and we have confidence that you, our faithful readers, will rise to the challenge. To enter this month’s contest, post a link in the comments to a project that you’ve built. It can be a link to your own website, a forum, or something similar, but we suggest adding your project to RobotBox and posting a link to that (shameless promotion, natch!). One entry per person, so pick your best project.

Here’s how the prizes will be awarded:

1. First prize goes to our favorite project. Favorite will be voted on by a panel of folks TBA.

2. Second prize goes to the second place favorite.

3. Third prize goes to a randomly selected project – this means there’s no excuse for you not to submit your project no matter how “good” you think it is!

The contest ends April 30th, at 12AM EST. Comments are moderated to prevent spam. Your comment won’t show up till the moderator has approved it.

Prizes:

Grand Prize Vex Dual Controller Starter Bundle with RobotC (donated by Vex Robotics), Pololu Jrk 21v3 USB Motor Controller (donated by Pololu), Build Your Own CNC Machine (donated by Apress), LEGO Mindstorms NXT One-Kit Wonders (donated by No Starch Press). ($605 total!)

The GoRobotics 10 year birthday giveaway Grand Prize is a complete Vex Robotics Dual Controller Starter Bundle with RobotC included! Vex has done a fabulous job of creating a unique and powerful robotics development system that is used across the globe in several popular robotics competitions for high school and middle school students. This prize includes everything you need to get started constructing amazing robotic creations. It includes the basic Protobot Robot Kit with over 300 parts and plans for building two robots. It also comes with a microcontroller and RobotC for autonomous creations, and a transmitter and receiver pair for RC ‘bots. Note: Because of the receiver/transmitter this kit can only be shipped in the US.

Along with the Vex Robotics system, the Grand Prize winner will also win a Jrk 21V3 USB Motor Controller from Pololu. It is a highly configurable brushed DC motor controller that supports four input modes – USB, serial, analog voltage and RC control. It can be used with closed-loop feedback for speed or position control, or as an open-loop controller. It can continuously supply 3A from 8v – 28v.

Build Your Own CNC Machine is the book to get you started in fabricating your own parts. CNC expert Patrick Hood-Daniel and best-selling author James Kelly team up to show you how to construct your very own CNC machine for about $500 - $1000 USD. Then they go on to show you how to use it, how to document your designs in Computer-Aided Design programs, and how to output your designs as specifications and tool paths that feed into the CNC machine, controlling it as it builds whatever parts your imagination can dream up.



2nd Place Prize - Parallax Penguin Robot , Extreme NXT (donated by Apress), Wall Hugging Mouse Kit (donated by Zagros Robotics), LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Thinking Robots (donated by No Starch Press) ($268 total!)

The Penguin Robot by Parallax is a unique walking robot. Using two micro servos and precisely CNC machined parts, the robot can walk via a tilt-stride action gait. The cute little penguin comes equipped with a digital compass to track its heading, two photoresistors for sensing ambient light and light tracking, and two infrared emitters and a detector for obstacle avoidance. The Penguin Robot comes with a 7-segment LED indicator and a piezo buzzer for making sound. This is a great kit for getting into robotics, and you should set aside about 4 hours to assemble him.

Extreme NXT shows you how to advance the NXT with more than 45 exciting projects that include creating a cool magic wand that writes words in thin air, building a remotely guided vehicle, and constructing sophisticated robots that can sense color, light, temperature, and more. All projects are explained with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, so you’ll be able to create them successfully whether you’re a novice or an expert. This book also shows you how to expand the programming software and use the alternative language NXC.

The Wall Hugging Mouse uses a simple two-motor system to scurry along the wall. It is quick and easy to assemble and makes great kit for kids to try out.


3rd Place Prize – Oomlout Arduino Experimenters Kit (donated by Solarbotics), Practical Arduino and LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0: The Kings Treasure (donated byApress), and The Unofficial LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Inventor’s Guide (donated by No Starch Press) ($165 total!)

The Arduino Experimenters kit from Oomlout comes with 11 electronic experiments along with all of the hardware to implement them. It comes with breadboard overlay cards to clearly illustrate where everything hooks up. Items in the kit include an Arduino Duemilanove, wire, LEDs, DC motor, a servo, speakers, buttons, a temperature sensor, and several others. This is an excellent way to get introduced to Arduino, microcontrollers, electronics and a little programming.

To go along with the Arduino Experimenters Kit, we’ve included the book Practical Arduino: Cool Projects for Open Source Hardware, by Jonathan Oxer and Hugh Blemings, which will tech you how to create your own Arduino-based designs, learn the arduino programming language, and will guide you through many practical projects from home automation to test equipment. This book is for hobbyists and developers interested in physical computing using a low-cost, easy-to-learn platform.

LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0: The King’s Treasure is written for children ages 10 and up who want to learn to design, build, and operate robots using LEGO’s immensely popular MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 robotics kit. The book leads readers through a series of five projects centered on an engaging story line. It can be read by kids alone, or it can provide the spark for a wonderful series of parent/child activities.

The LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT set is a very powerful robotics toolkit, but it lacks a detailed user’s guide. This is the user’s guide that every MINDSTORMS owner needs. The Unofficial LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Inventor’s Guide begins by introducing the NXT set and directing the reader through setup. Following this is an in-depth discussion of the set’s electronic elements and other LEGO pieces as well as building techniques. Next, it covers the NXT-G programming environment and introduces several unofficial programming languages, providing examples of code and programming insights along the way. Finally, it presents a method for designing NXT robots in addition to a series of projects with building and programming instructions for creating complete robots.

 

Rules/Regulations/Fine Print:

  • To enter the contest, you must comment on this post and include a link to a project you’ve built.
  • First place winner must reside in the US (due to restrictions on shipping the receiver in the Vex kit). If the winner is out side the US, he/she can choose to take the 2nd place prize instead.
  • Giveaway ends April 30th, at 12AM EST (9PM PST)
  • One prize package per winner.
  • No purchase is necessary to enter the contest. it’s free!
  • Everyone is eligible, but shipping is free to only those in the Continental US: if you are outside this area, you will have to pay for shipping.
  • PayPal is required to pay for shipping if you live out of the Continental US
  • Winners will be contacted via email supplied in the comment form.
  • You have 48 hrs to respond to the email and choose your prize package.
  • GoRobotics.net makes NO WARRANTY or GUARANTEES about these prizes.
  • GoRobotics.net can change the rules WHENEVER IT WANTS.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors! BUY STUFF FROM THEM:

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60 Responses to “Robot Giveaway – 10 Years of GoRobotics, $1000 in prizes!”

  4. PIXHAWK Student Team

    Not sure if our system is interesting, but this is the one we won the European Micro Air Vehicle Competition with.

    We had automatic image recognition onboard, an example is given is this video:

    http://pixhawk.ethz.ch/videos

    All work in this project is done by Bachelor and Master students of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich).

  6. G Warren Martin aka GWJax

    This is a project that I am still working on but a very intense project that I am very proud of. I call it The Elvinator Project. You can find the complete details on building it here at this web site: http://www.instructables.com/id/WowWees-Elvis-Alive-to-The-Elivinator-Project/
    When I get further in the project I will be adding the connection to the PC and editing the voice and movements via another program that I’m working on. It will have Full AI in it so you’ll have to teach it and train both the Elvis side and the Terminator side of him. I hope you enjoy the articles..

  12. David

    Very informative site LOTS of robot stuff I love it.

    Here is a link for my bot…hope it works.

    http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc277/Roboguy_2007/?action=view&current=robot1.flv

    This bot has 20 servos using an SSC32 servo controller and an Atom Bot Board.
    It can track a target with it’s sonic sensor and then turn the head ( which happens to be a Nintendo ROB THE ROBOT that’s been hacked ) towards the target and send a picture wireless to a computer.
    It operates autonomous or controlled by a wireless PS2 type controller.

  18. Benbo231

    For beginners, my robot is an excellent starting point. While the initial coding is simple, you can adapt the platform to do almost anything (as I have done), making it a good robot to learn PBASIC on. Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for…
    http://letsmakerobots.com/node/6525
    The MARK System!

  22. Mike

    I’d link to my senior project which is a high precision three axis rate table but the website is gone now. Sigh…

  24. Steve Emmell

    My highschool computer science class puts on a sumo competition as part of learning how to program. Typical BOE bot with add-ons and a few sensors. Kids have fun designing, programming and competing!

    Ottawa, Canada

  29. Chris Bruner

    Since William personally emailed me, (and I expect a bunch of other people) I thought I’d throw my hat into the ring with my little balance bot.

    The thing I’m most proud of with this bot, is the battery connector. I used a 7 vold Black & Decker VPX battery, and made my own little snap in battery container with the leftovers from a wall wort adapter.

    Also the wheels attached to the motors required some puzzle solving. I ended up drilling a hole through the head of a bolt, with a tightening screw going into the side of the head. The screw holds the motor’s axle, and the bolt holds the wheel.

    The balancing isn’t very good, due to the motors being geared down so much they can’t keep up, (at least that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it). But the little guy really tries hard to balance himself.

  31. cr0sh

    Homemade “ROV” (now “UGV”) Project:

    http://www.phoenixgarage.org/show_article/51

    Currently working on an update to it, which will use a PowerWheels H2 as the “base”, dual Logitech Orbit AF USB cameras on a yet-to-be-built custom pan/tilt platform with a low-cost LIDAR system based around OpenCV, custom h-bridge driver circuitry, an Arduino, a Pololu Micro Serial Servo controller, and a custom Intel Atom motherboard with a gig of RAM, 250 GB of RAID 0+1 hard drive space, plus 802.11g wifi, running Ubuntu and LAMP. We might even throw in a custom manipulator arm, seeing as how there will be enough open servo connections on the Pololu controller board.

    Here’s a link to an article with video showing the layout of the custom main control computer:

    http://www.phoenixgarage.org/show_article/78

    Jared has, unfortunately, left the project to pursue other goals…

  32. NeXTSTORM

    Not necessarily my best, but definitely my funniest one.
    Here is 3it3ot (BitBot) the MINDSTORMS Club Dance Robot.
    3it3ot is consisted of one NXT Brick, three NXT Motors, one NXT Touch Sensor, one NXT Ultrasonic Sensor, one NXT Sound Sensor, one HiTechnic IR-Link, three PF IR Receivers, five PF Medium Motors and six PF Light Pairs. All LEGO.

    More information you’ll find at http://web.mac.com/NeXTSTORM/NeXTSTORM/BitBot.html and at my YT channel http://www.youtube.com/user/NeXTSTORMING

    Music theme is original! Inspired and composed especially for 3it3ot!

    Hope you’ll enjoy both the robot and music.
    Vassilis (NeXTSTORM)

  38. mark

    I built HaloBOT for my daughter. It was her design, which was based on an earlier version that used overseas sourced parts.
    It is based on Picaxe18 and can be programmed in either basic or flowchart, which suits her programming level.

    http://beta.robotbox.net/project/mcb1/halobot

    Enjoy Mark

  47. ignoblegnome

    A simple and fun drum robot project: Blind Lemon

    http://letsmakerobots.com/node/15949

    Blind Lemon handles basic navigation and is armed with a bass drumstick thumper at the rear and a high hat drumstick on his left side. His front bumper switch is used for collision detection. He currently has three drumbeats he alternates between. I am currently experimenting with adding dance moves and more beats.

    My goal with Blind Lemon was to get as much out of the little Picaxe-08M processor as I could. I used my dual Y-Bridge motor control design so I could drive with only 3 processor outputs, rather than 4 outputs for a traditional dual H-Bridge. That left me one dedicated input and one input/output.

    That wasn’t enough, so I added a DPDT relay. One Picaxe output controls the relay, and now I can get double duty from the other four pins.

    Pin3 on the Picaxe-08M is a dedicated input and is being used for the bump switch. The other three switches allow motor control in one mode and drum and speaker outputs in the other.

  50. Chris Farrell

    Hey, here is my robot, Kai: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Kai/65207915408?ref=ts

    http://forums.trossenrobotics.com/gallery/files/1/4/9/2/p1010019.jpg

    25 DoF humanoid robot, wears clothes, can participate in soccer and kung-fu. Has the ability to get up from prone position, walk, kick a ball, bat (as in baseball) as well as a large variety of other things.

    Controller is Gumstix Verdex, running and Arm processor, software is custom written to run the 25 Robotis Dynamixels. Trajectory generation is done through both S-curve point-to-point, Bezier PTP and inverse kinematics patterned gaits. Full interrupt control driven over bluetooth on a PS3 controller for semi-autonomous control of the robot.

    All mechanical work is custom, made from mostly aircraft grade aluminum (5052), designed on Autodesk inventor, created using a Sherline CNC mill. Other components are made from 3D blocks of reinforced nylon, cut from the same mill.

    Runs off two hotswappable LiPo batteries, placed in the legs to balance the CoM near the pelvic region of the robot – extremely close to that of a scaled human. Arm to Leg is proportioned to avg. human. Has full hand with flexible fingers for gripping a variety of objects (anything from a small ball, a baseball bat or a pen/marker).

  53. Francesco Corsini

    I’m so late because i am working on another project and i hoped to completed before the deadline of this contest…but I’m still far away from finishing it.

    So i will present in this contest my first robot: it’s an easy robot, but i still have fun with it! I didn’t get lucky in the past months in the GoRobotics contest, so I hope to get it this time!
    The post on Robotbox tells everything, so i don’t want to bother you here with the details.

    http://beta.robotbox.net/project/gvu/my-first-robot

    So thank you very much for the oppurtunity that this contest offers. GoRobotics, you are just the best!

  54. John

    I haven’t actually done anything in robotics to date. However, I would use parts won to start a project to introduce my children & myself to the marvels & possibilities of robotics and machine vision.

    I plain to start simple and eventually incorporate CMOS imaging devices from my employer & utilize & expand my image processing skills.

    I haven’t been involved in this project, but it seems very interesting to me
    http://www.surveyor.com/SRV_info.html

  59. Dino_Martino

    how do I know the contest is over, and the winners are selected, when I’m not one of the winners? How can I be shure I didn’t win? do we get emailed for that?
    thank you