DIY'er creates homegrown mini mech

We've seen mechs of all shapes and sizes, but typically, they either aren't for sale or are priced right out of most budgets. Thankfully, Andres Bella has created a "mini mech" that can be replicated by anyone with a few extra dollars, a decent understanding of robotics and a bunch of unused vacation time. The creature was built using a Basic Stam II microcontroller, a couple of high gear motors / pneumatic cylinders, a power supply, pressure gauge and a bunch of metal (among other things). We won't pretend to know exactly how he went about constructing this thing, but we'd certainly love to have one to take the load off our own feet (and part the seas of holiday shoppers).

[Via Hacked Gadgets]

[Kurt MacD @ Dec 3rd 2007 8:19AM]

Besides the obvious coolness of this gadget, *buzzer* you guys were too slow. It's been front page on Hackaday.com since yesturday or the day before.

[Rocketboy @ Dec 3rd 2007 8:28AM]

Wow o wow! That's yet another blog that I'll need to read in order to read something that someone else did a day or two earlier! That's for the great tip.

/sarcasm/

[Kenundrum @ Dec 3rd 2007 8:34AM]

Now all he needs to do is paint it blue, hook it up to speakers that blast W.A.N.D. by the Flaming Lips, and control it with a Dell laptop... he'll be the coolest kid in town

[Mobius_1 @ Dec 3rd 2007 9:11AM]

And if we use a MacBook, he will be the deadliest warrior ever

[USGS @ Dec 3rd 2007 9:27AM]

Mechwarrior was on the PC for 2-4, not macs.

[Kenundrum @ Dec 3rd 2007 9:36AM]

uhh... i was referring to the dell commercial...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKYgGyX4pkE
about 48 seconds in...

[Paul @ Dec 3rd 2007 8:58AM]

Hmmm... the first thing that came to mind for me was the futurama episode with the professor sitting a mechanical pair of legs saying something along the lines of "These long walks sure are a pain in the buttocks"

[katie @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:45AM]

Yay! A Futurama reference! :) That was pretty funny.

[thesawzall @ Dec 3rd 2007 9:34AM]

It reminds me of Wallace and Grommit, "The Wrong Trousers". But I guess it's not ex-NASA.

[Blink @ Dec 3rd 2007 10:35AM]

"And if we use a MacBook, he will be the deadliest warrior ever"

With Sony batteries and Leopard a MBPro it would make a nice cluster bomb.

[aoeu00 @ Dec 3rd 2007 11:19AM]

Begs for Force Feedback Electrocution Chair

[Carson Whitsett @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:58PM]

Isn't it "Basic Stamp II", not "Basic Stam II"?

[3rdsun @ Dec 3rd 2007 2:38PM]

the days of the office chair are numbered