Build this fun paper craft rabbit that reacts when you give it a carrot. With our Bit Board and Maker Tape it's easy to connect everything! We're using a micro:bit to control the two servo, and with code from Microsoft MakeCode you can rearrange the blocks if you want to change the behavior.

(Thanks to Jasmine Florentine who created this project for us. Check out her website as well as her other Instructables posts.)

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Rabbot_Template.pdf
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Supplies

Brown Dog Gadgets does in fact sell kits and supplies, but you don't need to buy anything from us to make this project. Though if you do it does help support us in creating new projects and teacher resources.

Electronics:

Other Supplies:

2 x Magnets
Cardstock
Sewing Thread

Tools:

Glue
Sewing Needle
Scissors
Tape

Step 1: Print Template

Print and cut out the template

Step 2: Making the Body

Cut two small pieces of Maker Tape, about 1" long each
Without removing the backing, slide a piece of the Maker Tape through the slit in the body, so just a short bit is poking out the side without the template
We'll refer to the side of the body with the template as the "inside" (since it'll be inside the Rabbot when it's folded up)

Step 3: Maker Tape on the Inside

Peel off the backing, but only for the piece of Maker Tape sticking out on the inside
Trim off that piece of backing
Stick down the piece of tape

Step 4: Maker Tape on the Outside

Remove the rest of the backing on the Maker Tape
Stick down the tape on the side of the body without the template (the outside)
This is the side that will be visible when everything is folded up
Tip: You can trim the Maker Tape before removing the backing if you don't want very much showing on the outside

Step 5: Repeat

Repeat with the other slit so there are two pieces of Maker Tape

Step 6: Maker Tape Traces

Add more Maker Tape following the paths on the template
Leave some extra hanging off the side of the body
Fold the extra on itself to create two small tabs

Step 7: Give It a Face

Give your rabbot a face!
Make sure you're drawing on the outside of the body, and on the half where the slits with the Maker Tape are
Draw paws around the Maker Tape
You can also decorate at the end, but I found it was easier to draw while everything was still flat

Step 8: Add the Magnet

On the inside, add a piece of regular tape over the slits, making sure it covers the Maker Tape
Make sure the tape is bigger than the magnet! The tape is there to insulate the magnet from the Maker Tape — otherwise the magnet itself closes the electrical circuit!
Tape the magnet on, right in between the slits

Step 9: Making the Ears

Use a needle to poke holes in the ears where indicated on the template
If you want to add any decoration to the ears, it's easiest to do now rather than at the end

Step 10: Attach Ears

Glue the ears to the body
Make sure that you're attaching them to the inside, and on the half of the body where the rectangular cutout is (there should be an arrow on the template that will get partially covered)

Step 11: Prefold the Body

Crease along the dashed lines in the template — this will make it easier to fold the Rabbot up late

Step 12: Prep the Side

Use the sewing needle to poke holes in the paper where indicated on the template
Fold all the tabs up where indicated on the template

Step 13: Glue the Side

Glue the side so the tabs are on the inside of the body; they'll overlap on top of the ears
Make sure you're gluing it with the arrows on the side and body pointing towards each other (not shown in photo because I made the mistake of gluing this wrong! I had to poke new holes for the thread)

Step 14: Add the Servo

Thread the servo wire through the rectangular cutout in the body
Move the servo so the back is flush with the side of the body

Step 15: Add the Servo Holder

Fold the servo holder
Glue the servo holder around the servo
The part with the diagonal cut out should face the curved part of the body
You don't need to put any glue on the servo itself; the tabs on the servo holder should glue directly to the body

Step 16: Cut the Thread

Cut two pieces of thread about 12" each
Knot one end of the thread (like you're sewing)

Step 17: Add the Thread

Using the sewing needle, sew a piece of thread through the hole in the ear and then the hole in the body
Add a drop of glue on the back of the ear so the knot doesn't pull through the paper
Do the same thing with the other ear

Step 18: Tie a Knot

Tie the two strings together just above the servo

Step 19: Attach to the Servo

Tie the two pieces of thread to the LEGO axle mount
You want to tie it so that when the LEGO axle mount points up, the thread is loose enough for the ears to be fully extended, but when it points down, the thread is tight enough to pull the ears down
Attach the LEGO axle mount to the servo

Step 20: Connect the Servo

Connect your servo and battery holder to the Bit Board on Pin 1

Step 21: Upload the Code

Upload the code from here: Rabbot Code

Step 22: Test It

Test that the mechanism works as expected
When the Bit Board turns on, the servo should pull the ears down; pressing and holding the A button should raise them up again

Step 23: Fold the Bunny

Fold the rabbot up and glue the body closed

Step 24: Make a Carrot

Glue the two halves of the carrot together, leaving a pocket open at the top for the magnet
When the glue is dry, slide the magnet into the pocket
Attach the carrot stem then glue the pocket shut

Step 25: Add Maker Tape

Add a strip of Maker Tape to one side of the carrot, making sure that it's on top of the magnet (since that's where it'll stick best to the Rabbot)
We used a piece of 1/4" tape to give the carrot more conductive area, but you can also just put two pieces of 1/8" tape side by side

Step 26: Connect the Rabbot

Connect the Maker Tape tabs to the Bit Board at pins GND and 0
We looped the Maker Tape around the holes in the Bit Board, like in Step 4 of this project
You can use a LEGO baseplate instead of looping the Maker Tape
Note that the order of which tabs connect to GND and 0 doesn't matter; the micro:bit is only sensing when they're completing a circuit

Step 27: Feed the Rabbot

Give your Rabbot a carrot!
Its ears should bounce up and down, then stay upright in joy...
...but if you take the carrot away, the ears will droop again
If it's not working, make sure that the Maker Tape on the back of the carrot is contacting both pieces of tape on the body
It's best to store the Rabbot with its ears fully extended so the paper doesn't stay permanently drooped. One thing you can try to make the ears more springy is to attach a thin strip of plastic to the back of the ears

Introduction: Rabbot

Attachments