Giant BristleBot

Bristlebots are some of the first robot people build. They are just SO EASY! Sitting around the instructables lab i got the idea, for the Giant BristleBot.

Warning, this device involves fast spinning objects and high torque motors. Letting it go for the first time is kinda scary. Watch your eyes.

Randofo gives this his seal of approval of awesome, so expect it to be in the next 62 projects to make with a dead push broom.

Below is a video of the death bringer. Thanks Matt for putting yourself in harms way.

Step 1 Supplies

You will need the following to complete this project:

1 push broom brush
1 6v lantern battery
1 large 12v motor (a machined shaft helps)
2 pipe clamps
1 piece of scrap acrylic or wood
1 on/off switch
Tape
Wire

Tools suggested:
Drill
Soldering Iron
Safety Glasses

Comments

[daggerofblood1243]

you don't need to do this step just turn it on...NEK MINNIT...THUNK!!!!!! now you cant see through your left eye

[godofal]

maybe an idea to make it fall over less often; use a zip-tie (or equivalent) along the long side to widen up the bristles of the bot, so that it has a more stable stance. don't know what this will do with the complete "randomness" though, so it might not be perfect XD nice one though, i'm hoping for a car-sized one soon :P

[jacobtriffo]

car sized bristle bot? we'll probably see it at burning man... no photos though, those guys are nazis about photo rights... you could probably still make it into an 'ible though...

[naruto the ninja13]

a car sized bristle bot you can drive around would be awesome

[jwoo2023]

very bumpy ride! vibrating journey!

[godofal]

burning man? whatsthat? gonna google :P

[ilpug]

to solve the tipping over problem, you could take a reciprocating saw or other like cutting device, and cut the broom head in half lengthwise, giving you tow long thing bristly pieces. you could then take some light weight material like acrylic, and stick the two bristly strips on the bottom. this would make the whole thing a bit like a double-hulled catamaran, spreading the weight over a wider area while minimizing drag on the ground. Awesome idea by the way... i have a scheme brewing involving these bots.

[simplebeep]

Awesome Sauce all around!

[busidit]

Nice job! I think a good addition might be an ultrasonic sensor so it can ping and find the dustpan-bot.
Check out mine here, made with a horsehair shop brush and a $5. Walgreens personal (it's got lights in it) mas-sager.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul2ITtQmlfA

[GrumpyOldGoat]

My thoughts would have been, if I still had a functional brain to think with, would have been... Two bristle heads with a small platform between them for the motor and battery. Of off balance acrylic blade as in the original, with the addition of a small propeller to provide forward motion and a cord attached to the tail to redirect it if needed. A slight tug one side or the other could change the direction, or a pull backwards would be a brake.

[elmarco38]

if you had stiff enough bristles you could build two of these things and strap them on your feet, then you'd be like bristle blading, hehe or maybe attach them to the bottom of a skateboard deck that would be awesome !!!!! I just think it would be cool if someone built a rideable one.

[sqeeek]

Lol ever try to stand on a broom? You'd need a whole ton of 'em. That would be cool, though.

[Culturespy]

lol, already looking for the project materials.

[elmarco38]

awesome be sure to post, I'd love to see the results.

[teapotking]

I would love to make a bristleboard (like a skateboard but with bristles xD) but i would imagine you'd need a brush (or brushes) with very stiff bristles to take the weight of a person =/

[Silver Buttons]

That video had me laughing out loud for real! XD All you need is a way to steer it, and it'll be even better. You could even hook several of them together to make a bristlebot train!

[Questor]

what if you used two brushes (like a catamaran) and used an off balance fan blade with a remote control rudder

[kierano]

Your two brushes idea could work pretty well, actually. No need for a fan blade/servos - you could just steer by varying the speed of each motor. It could even be built as a BEAM style phototrope. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phototrope

[Questor]

I was thing two brushes one motor. the fan blade would give more directional control (pulling)

[walkerman1980]

awesome basic bot. i think if the large bristlebots were fitted with a remote control(probobly can get away with an old rc car rc board with steering) attach the wheels from the rc car so you can steer itd actually dub as a quick way to clean or sweep the floors/sidewlks. though extremely basic it is the simple things that gain the most popularity in many applications. thanks for sharing ill have to build one. possibly put a SLA battery and protect it all when it falls over:)

[lambsb]

Hmmm. I love it. Suppose you had a vibrating motor on either end that would kick on or off as needed, rotating in either direction to "Steer" the bot????

[bigcatpants]

Much in the same fashion that one would turn their hamster into a fighting machine, I believe that attaching weaponry to this diabolical machination would fulfill its destiny as a war machine :)

[kidNeutrino]

i predict a very perverse and slightly dangerous future for this young man, good job!

[WhyIsThisOpen]

Sounds like it needs training wheels.

[randomray]

Cool beans , just a thought about puting the motor between two push broom heads ? Hmmmmm ?

[profpat]

Awesome! i have lots of dc motors that i salvage from ink jet printers will try them out!

[nickodemus]

Also doubles as a large vibrating mustache... Nice work.

[ilovepaper]

Thats nice but you should make a remote or you should put a camera in the front so it can see were it goes

[XOIIO]

Crazy! Take it to a bristle bot fight!

[zilcho]

I think it would be eaiser to build using some heavy wood instead of acrylic. That way you wont have to worry about shards going everywhere and you can easily form it into the shape that you want.

[Tommyhzy]

Soup that up a bit and it would be a roomba for non-carpeted areas! I can already see myself cheering one on as it vibrates across my floor :D

[imrobot]

new interns; makin' the streets of san fran cleaner one invention at a time.

[TSC]

That is sweet!!!!!!!!!!!

[angelabchua]

ok, this is the most awesome thing i have seen. it looks like a mustache choo choo train. Tom Selleck approves.

[Culturespy]

You rule. I'm currently assembling a bristlebot army. I have some motors and a box of rusty saw blades, just need more brooms.

[Jack A Lopez]

It looks easy to build, a little bit dangerous, and also difficult to control. I like it!