Gonsuke and MedamaOyaji: two tiny walker bots

Hiroki Shirakawa (please visit his web page at http://www.shirakawas.com) created two tiny walking robots, MedamaOyaji and Gonsuke. Both of them walk by moving their center of gravity over the leg that is forward. Each can be build with Lego Mindstorms Invention System 1.5 and controlled with RCX, though you will have better control with a very simple controller: an other Lego motor.

You can also buy a MedamaOyaji Kit here.

As a complement to Hiroki's work, you will find here movies and full building instructions. The only modification I made to the original design was to add "ears" (2x2 corner plate) to MedamaOyaji to prevent his arms from falling backwards.

• Gonsuke and MedamaOyaji walking : QuickTime movies

• Download the source file.
   

• See step-by-step instructions
  - MedamaOyaji
  - Gonsuke
   

• Download the LeoCAD design files

... and for those wanting to know meaning of the names, here is an explanation Hiroki gave me:

Medama = Eye
Oyaji = Father
In TV animation"GeGeGe no Kitarou", MedamaOyaji is the father of the hero.
LEGO Medama no oyaji is like a "GeGeGe no Kitarou's father"

Gonsuke = name of Japanese man.
In TV animation"21emon", Gonsuke is an name of a Robot.
LEGO Gonsuke is like a "21emon gonsuke".

• Other walker robots: Miguel Agullo created biped walker 'bots and compiled an impressive list of links about them.