News

Robot Arms Running Marginally Clever Open Source Code

2016-04-13 Dan

Marginally Clever open source code is gaining traction around the world as young makers use it to build ever more amazing machines.

Pete from Fablab013 in the Netherlands says,

we used your gcodeCNCdemo to power our 3d printed robot arm.

Print time : 80+ hours
programming time : 10 minutes

Next thing you know they’ll upgrade to Evil Minion firmware so they can drive it from Robot Overlord – and we’re looking forward to it!

As we’ve said for years, affordable robot arms are the next step.  Marginally Clever wants to make that future get here quicker.  Part of that plan is we’ve been giving away the code to make it happen.  We’ve also designed our own arms, and we’re looking to help other talented robot arm designers.  We want to work with anyone else who dreams like we do.

In the News

Micromouse contest update 1

2016-04-13 Dan

An update on the 2016 micromouse contest coming to Vancouver Mini Maker Faire June 11-12. The contest poster, tips, and details on the maze.

First, the poster. Please share with everybody!

micromouse 2016 contest poster

Second, here’s a great way to get around the 2s penalty for touching the robot when it’s in the maze.

Third, the maze itself is coming together. We’re having great fun building a maze that’s interchangeable and portable. This contest has been run in various places around the world for 30 years and yet no one’s published a satisfying tutorial how to build the track.

Special thanks to MicrmouseUSA.com for the photo of their robot.

In the News

British Columbia’s 2016 curriculum: Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies

2016-04-12 Dan

Fellow VHS member Daniel C shared with us British Columbia’s 2016 curriculum draft, “Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies”.  To quote the website,

Electronics and Robotics

  • uses of electronics and robotics
  • components of an electric circuit
  • ways in which various electrical components affect the path of electricity
  • Ohm’s Law
  • platforms for PCB (Printed Circuit Board) production
  • basic robot behaviours using input/output devices, movement- and sensor-based responses, and microcontrollers
  • mechanical devices for the transfer of mechanical energy
  • mechanical advantage and power efficiency, including friction, force, and torque
  • robotics coding
  • various platforms for robotics programming

Get all the info or Read what’s new.

No one is better prepared to help teach these subjects in British Columbia than Marginally Clever Robots.  Would you like to know more?