Introduction: Artist Bristlebot
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About: Send me a message if you're interested in Technology or Science Workshops in Flanders, Brussels or the Southern of the Netherlands. I have over 20 years of experience in developing and giving creative workshop…
These are pictures from a workshop I organised at school for the occasion of my daughter’s birthday party. The children (aged 9 to 12) each built a bristlebot out of a dishwasher brush after sawing off the handle. Some testing beforehand revealed that the shown attachment of the motor provides a strong propulsion and allows for some control of the curvature of the trajectory by shifting the motor a little to the left or right.
The motor and a battery holder with a pre-soldered switch were attached with double side tape. Soldering the leads to the motor was done with small groups of children, under close supervision. In the meanwhile the others were asked to make a drawing of the kind of world these bristlebots might inhabit. The motor gets a tie-wrap for extra fixation and a 2-pole connecting block makes an easy-mount off-balance weight.
We put out some large pieces of paper on plastic sheets, with wooden strips as a “fence”. Then, with the bristles dipped in a saucer with gouache, we let the bots lose on the paper to create their own paintings:
The motor and a battery holder with a pre-soldered switch were attached with double side tape. Soldering the leads to the motor was done with small groups of children, under close supervision. In the meanwhile the others were asked to make a drawing of the kind of world these bristlebots might inhabit. The motor gets a tie-wrap for extra fixation and a 2-pole connecting block makes an easy-mount off-balance weight.
We put out some large pieces of paper on plastic sheets, with wooden strips as a “fence”. Then, with the bristles dipped in a saucer with gouache, we let the bots lose on the paper to create their own paintings:
Finalist in the
Nostalgia Electrics Ultimate Party Challenge
Participated in the
I Made It Photo Contest
13 Comments
9 years ago
Where can i get the motor and battery attachment?
Reply 9 years ago
www.kelvin.com for example
10 years ago on Introduction
You could also try drizzling paint on the paper and having the bristlebot run around in the wet paint too.
12 years ago on Introduction
Thanks for sharing!
Ynze
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Wow, this means these creatures are multiplying and conquering the world!
What have I caused? ;-)
Great! Thanks for sharing what you did with my Ible.
12 years ago on Introduction
this is almost like the drunken robots i saw on this site a while ago. Those were cool, but seemed a bit pointless. these however, take the random-movement propulsion idea to a great new level. Thinking from a street artist's point of view, i might like to make some of these, fit them with an on-board paint supply, and let them loose in choice spots. ideas ideas ideas... good job.
12 years ago on Introduction
Where are the drawings of the world the bristlebots might inhabit? Those sound fascinating!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Hi Eric,
I only have couple of pictures of those. I was to busy guiding the construction and painting chaos eh.... process ;-)
Yvon
12 years ago on Introduction
Could you use Velcro strips?
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
As bristles? Maybe. It's worth a try. Please let me know.
12 years ago on Introduction
Nice..!
But that main purple one almost looks like it knows what it's doing...
And then, in the pull-out shot, they start to look like cockroaches...
12 years ago on Introduction
nice work:)
12 years ago on Introduction
I love it!
They look quite organic.