makeyourpet / hexapod

Some quick links to get you started

• Watch the step by step build videos on my YouTube channel.
  
• For build questions and to connect with the community join my Discord server.
  
• A wiring diagram that you may find useful.
  
• A fan-made parts list. Also another fan-made parts list. And here is a third one. These are not meant to be a complete list of EVERYTHING that you need, but they cover most of the important and pricier stuff.
  
• If you decide to use the Servo2040 board (highly recommended), find the firmware and the instructions on how to flash it from Eddie's repository.
  

Illustrations

About the STL files in this repository

Some of the parts have multiple versions with slight differences. But all of them are compatible and should work.
Make sure to check all of them to pick the one that works for you before committing to the print.
I use the latest version of each part in my own hexapod, which is the one with the higher number at the end of its name.

Compatible fan-made 3D printable parts

Check out this repository which contains modified (but compatible) versions of the original parts which uses metal horns, M3 screws and seperated components to make the parts more 3D printer friendly. This is especially helpful if you are printing with material other than PLA and have issues with supports or shrinking.

Wiring Diagram

• Pimoroni Servo2040 (The newer, simpler, cheaper and recommended option):
  

• Pololu Maestro (The original, complicated, expensive and legacy option):
  

Electronic Component Layout

hexapod's Issues

Hi there

I am making one hexapod according to all the material on the list and wired all the cable and components according to the wire diagram but the hexapod have no response...

I don't no what the problem is..
It is weird that when I connect the phone to the hexapod, the client apps opens automatically. Two main board have orange and green lights on but there is no response even the touch sensor and all the servo.

Could anyone help on this?

I have simply tried to connect one legs with a pololu 6channel board and connect to the phone and it has no response too.... is there anything I have missed? I am just a amateur in this field so I have no ideas what to do.

Anyway Merry Christmas to all of you!

Can you use 360° servo instead of 180°?

Hey, yh the title pretty much asks the question. Looking into buying some servos and found that the 360 are cheaper than the 180, was wondering if that would be an issue at all. Have experience with electronics and some coding but when it comes to robotics I'm pretty new.

Great Project, finished at last

Hello everybody, at last after 1 month I received all the material from aliexpress and I started working on the hexapod. Definetively it is very minuciosous work but the robot plains and explications are very clear, therefore in 5 days I completed it with successful.
now I can tell it, it is cool! Thank you maker ;)

https://youtu.be/tIauF_b-mhU

Stop robot on loss of Chica Client app focus

I found that if you change apps on the remote control phone while the robot has a motion command, the robot keeps going the same direction until the app regains focus and you touch the software joystick again. Ideally the robot should stop moving or torque off if the remote control app loses focus.

Explore Bluetooth as a control option

Some carriers lock hotspot functionality behind subscription verification via cellular network, making it difficult to hotspot on the Chica Server with an old unused phone - consider adding Bluetooth connectivity for control.

Servo calibration with Chica Server app

It would be nice if you could calibrate the servos using the Chica Server app. The calibration data could then automatically be saved to the configuration file.

software，Where can they be downloaded?

The server and client software for mobile phones mentioned are open-source. Where can they be downloaded? Thank you.

Please add a README.md

Please add a README.md ty ty

Servo2040 uf2 firmware issue

Hi all I have printed all parts and my servo2040 finally arrived. And I have a problem that I follow the step to flash the firmware to the board and look like the firmware was not accepted by the board? After drag and drop uf2 image file immediately offline disconnected and not a automatically reboot and start the loaded program! And I have check no file was transferred. And I have try many time it doesn't works like you did in the video. Did I missed any step? Please help me thank you

Setting the default height of the hexapod

Hi,
Can you please add an option on the Chica app to allow a setting to change the default height of the hexapod ?
Thanks a lot !

Tip should be 1mm smaller

Out of the initial 6 tips that I printed only 1 allowed full movement of the dowel to allow the switch to click. I suspect the measurements are correct but the tolerance is very low, so to make this have a slightly wider margin of error we can just cut 1mm from this model. I tried messing with the limiter a bit, but ultimately found it much easier to simply cut the bottom millimeter off the tip in prusaslicer. To preserve the aesthetic we should just take 1mm from the middle of the model.

I'm happy to do this when I get around to it, mostly just wanted to create this issue to track since multiple people in the discord have mentioned having issues with this part.

Manage multiple height of floor

Allow the hexapod to move over rough terrain with multiple heights.

Chipo STEP files

Hi, awesome project! I am in the process of building the Chipo model with some MG996R servos I have lying around. I have opted to use the metal servo horns for this, so was looking to edit the Chipo parts. Looking at the repository, the STEP files seem to only be for the Chico model - could STEP files for the Chipo parts be made available?

Configurable Responses to Undervoltage/Overcurrent

Set variables in the config file to the robot's responses to low voltage or high current have adjustable reactions.

Variables:

• High Current Warning
• High Current Critical
• Low Voltage Warning
• Low Voltage Critical

Reactions (for each variable)

• None
• Visual Alarm
• Visual and Auditory Alarm ( bonus feature - select local sound files for alarms! 😄 )
• Servo power kill

Hexapod rubber tip wrong diameter

based on the partlist provided in the README.md, the diameter of the rubber tip cover was 8mm. but the tip.step has a diameter of 9mm. I only just realized this after printing it out and will have to redesign to make it 8mm like the rubber tip. Luckily, I haven't mass printed them, so the issue was easy to fix. That aside, what should the diameter of the tip be? Does it even matter?

Explore the use of Adafruit board PCA9685 or Arduino board

I don't have access to a Pololu servo controller, so I will try to use Adafruit PCA9685 along with Arduino for the servo controls. Will submit the solutions as I go along with the process.

Client App UI Suggestions

1.) Add a silhouette or transparent graphic or something to the software joystick to indicate that the left side of the screen is the front of the robot

2.) Color code or group buttons into categories:

• Static motions like Dive and Flex
• Gaits and modifiers like Crabwalk
• Single action commands like home, jump and bounce

3.) Current and voltage readings on the Client UI would be helpful