No-Solder, Funny Robot in Minutes (Bristlebot)

Summary:
Build a cheap robot with no soldering, no programming, and no mechanical work. It is built on a dishwashing brush. To move forward, it will use the vibrations transmitted asymmetrically by the skew of the bristles.

I saw such a robot at the robotics festival of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. I first thought it had a propeller, but soon understood it was working with vibrations.

Credits:
Credits of this wonderful idea must be given to Pascal Peitrequin, explaining how to build one on http://www.expo-robots.net/rob-brosse1.html .

My only and very modest contribution is to show a construction requiring yet less tools and materials.

UPDATE: the no-solder no-programming idea came to me from the No-sew duct tape zipper pouch, a sweet project.

UPDATE: Pascal Peitrequin told me his contribution was to use a dishwashing brush, after seeing bristle bots made with toothbrushes. (a bristlebot by evilmadscientist)

Data Sheet:
- Cost: almost nothing, all should be found in a household (more or less)
- Energy: 2 x AA (or AAA) batteries
- Autonomy: hours
- Propulsion: vibrations (sonic ?)
- Actuator: small electrical motor, no reductor needed (the highest RPMs, the better)
- Speed: between snail and turtle
- Software: none. Open-loop. Not even one neuron. Can we still call it a robot ?
- Limitations: won't wash your dishes (finally, lot more neurons are required for this !)

Step 1 Needed Materials and Tools

Materials:
- electrical cable connectors (only one needed)
- one 3 to 4.5V motor, possibly from a scrap toy
- two zip ties
- insulated hard wire (new toys use a lot of these, to be attached to their packaging)
- 4 x paper clips
- 1 x spare dish-washing brush head

Important note on the brush head
- It is extremely important that the bristles have an average skew. Otherwise the vibrations won't be asymmetrical in average, and the robot will not advance.
- If you don't find a spare brush head, use a brush and saw the handle away.

Tools:
- zip tie tool (optional)
- screwdriver
- cutter
- adhesive tape
- flat nose pliers
- diagonal cut pliers

Comments

[yoda-iz-my-idol]

u should put leds on the front and back

[Drasa]

And it will look like a slow old grandma riding a bike in the night. That was the first thing that got into my mind xD

[D_zeno]

I really like this instructable, I think I'm gonna make one soon

[asli insan]

can it wash dishes?? LOL

[bassclarinet23]

It could scrub the dishes!

[beehard44]

or freak out ants crawling across my table.....

[doctor who fan 123]

i tried it and it is so cool : )

[laxap]

great! do you have photos to post?

[FrozenIce]

 lol

[eulaliaaaa!]

Scrubbing Bubbles!

[dungeon runner]

Try making the weight more uneven, then tapping them so the smack into each other. Last one standing wins. It's a bristlebot war!

There can be only one!

-Y

[rajsekhar291]

I don't know about cable connector and I don't nave it.can you plz suggest any alternate for this purpose or explain about cable connector

[laxap]

The only purpose of the connector is to serve as a mass put in rotation by the motor. If sufficiently unbalanced (i.e. with its gravity center away from the motor axis) it creates vibrations. Pagers are using this principle. These connectors that I used (also called screw terminal connectors), once the plastic shell removed, are convenient because they can be easily tightened, and have some mass. Maybe you can obtain some results with a zip tie, or some metal wire.

[Hycro]

A vinyl or rubber eraser pushed onto the armature and then glued for and extra secure hold might work...

[dragonface]

can i use anyting other than a connector cable to produce vibrations..please answer

[laxap]

yes, anything of high density (i.e. small and heavy), unbalanced, and that you can tighten very well to the motor axis.

[spacecappa]

question, does it matter if the motor is magnetic to the batterys ?

[laxap]

What do you exactly mean ? Electro motors contain magnetic fields. Their vicinity to the batteries don't affect each other.

[thepelton]

Fun! Can you make it polish countertops?

[I3uckwheat]

you could put a polishing cloth under it and let it go would work well on hard wood floors

[tinkerC]

Let it go, and hope it doesn't fall!

[thepelton]

Thanks.

[tinkerC]

Maybe make walls for the countertop.

[thepelton]

Or set it loose on a table with raised edges like they use in the autopsy room in "CSI".

[tommy tinker]

It would be great on a boat or ship where they have borders to keep plates and cups from sliding off the table!

[thepelton]

I think they only had such tables in the scullery on my ship, the USS Frederick.

[tinkerC]

Maybe not, though.

[laxap]

Certainly ! with a lot of time and batteries... ;-)

[alphamale962]

to make it a lil bit better add an unbalanced weight to the end of the motor, or find a broken game console controller and remove the vibrator from it and use that, you can find these motors all over the net if you want one easy, or radioshack has one for 4 bucks, the bot just screams along

[henyobarker]

There is no Wal-mart in New Zealand (next to aussie)

[HamsterPants]

There's no Wal-Mart in Key West either. we have to drive 4 hours up to Miami in order to find a Wal-Mart.

[rcweinkauf]

Do you think this would work with something like an old motor from a Playstation controller?

[laxap]

it should work quite ideally.

[rcweinkauf]

Alright. :D I'll definitely give this one a try.

[Grey_Wolfe]

Lol, a Roomba for your plates. Takes ten times as long, but you don't have to hang out while it's cleaned. :)

[tinkerC]

Roomba? Unfair competition! ( I know, life is not fair ) Disproportionate force! A Roomba can cover the plate without moving!

[Udon]

What about a whole herd of these things vs. one Roomba? That sounds more even.

[mad.hatter.]

yea power in numbers

[Emsaid]

very cool, (to make it go faster put a more uneven weight on it)

[Jawa888]

I relay want to tie that but can't find a brush