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Laser Reproductions Helps Bring Spider Robots to Life

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Rapid prototyping, manufacturing and product development company Laser Reproductions brought Autotelematic Spider Bots to life for creator Ken Rinaldo, associate professor of art at The Ohio State University.

Rinaldo retained Laser Reproductions in November 2005 to manufacture the Spider Bots and make his vision of three years a reality. Within five months, 10 six-legged, robotic spiders measuring two by 1.5 feet were complete. Using DSM Somos® stereolithography (SLA) plastics made of flexible liquid resins, Laser Reproductions was able to produce the intricate, light-weight components that make up the body, legs and leg joints of the Spider Bots.

SLA is a rapid prototyping process that produces a physical, three-dimensional object using CAD data and a computer-controlled laser to cure a photosensitive resin, layer by layer, to create the three-dimensional part.

Production began with the creation of the Spider Bots’ legs. An efficient robotic leg joint with high fluid motion that required a low number of motors to achieve fluidity was critical in the overall design. Rinaldo designed a unique system of motors and pull string mechanics with an intelligent servo-control system to activate leg movement as a solution. Laser Reproductions created three sets of two flexible legs using SLA materials and monofilament, commonly used as fishing line, and added two motors per leg. The Spider Bots were designed with a tripodic gait to allow the robots to walk forward at multiple speeds and turn in either direction.

The Spider Bots’ bodies were fabricated from an original rapid prototype model made out of DSM Somos® resin. Transparent urethane castings were created and combined with various colors of pantone inks to highlight the individual personality of each Spider Bot.

Using their on-board microprocessors and sensors, the Spider Bots are able to interact with humans, each other and other things they encounter in their environment. A few advanced features include a right and left hemisphere approach to parallel processing; Bluetooth® technology for intercommunication between robots; infrared eyes for sight; ultrasonic ears for hearing; and light-emitting diodes (LEDS) for visual feedback.

“We are thrilled to have been a part of bringing the Spider Bots to life, “ said Paul Bordner, president of rapid prototyping for Laser Reproductions. “Working with the project from the conceptual stage through completion was very satisfying. Everyone was excited to see the Spider Bots walking about, chirping and interacting.
“This project was exciting as it is different than what a typical customer may need. For example, we helped to develop and build the prototype for SkyBox, a personal vending machine for Maytag and the InJEGtor for JEG’s, which is a streamlined cast aluminum automotive hood scoop. The Spider Bots show the flexibility that rapid prototyping has in stretching the imagination of the products that can be accomplished.”

Previously on display in Sunderland, England, the next exhibit of the Spider Bots will be at the Hopkins Gallery at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, for three weeks beginning October 17, 2006. In April of 2007, they will travel to the Aboa Vetus and Ars Nova Museum in Turku, Finland, and then to the Kerava Art Museum in Kerava, Finland. The display is designed to allow the robots to interact with the public in real time. A miniature video camera mounted on each Spider Bot will project the images that it sees onto a large screen. Rinaldo has received numerous requests for a commercial kit to create Spider Bots, which he will be working on in the upcoming year.