MX-Phoenix | The tarantula-inspired robot was built by one man in his garage

Norwegian engineer Kåre Halvorsen has created the MX-Phoenix, a 3D printed spider inspired hexapod robot that uses 18 different motors to crawl over uneven ground.

Zenta has designed a number of hexapods and other varieties of robots over the years, including his award-winning MorpHex robots. He states his goals for this particular project:

“A more dynamic gait engine and terrain adaptation. I also want a hexapod robot with a relative small body and large leg section, I’m also trying to keep the total weight as low as possible.”

The robot’s tibia and body components were designed using Fusion 360 and printed on a Wanhao Duplicator i3. He then strengthened the printed ABS parts using an acetone vapor treatment. Weighing 4.76 kg (10.5 lb), the Mx-Phoenix utilizes a total of 18 Dynamixel servos from Robotis. The C++ code, which contains Zenta’s custom gait-algorithm for hexapod robots (called DynaZgait), is being run on a Teensy 3.6 MCU.

The idea to design a hexapod walking robot was developed through imitating insects such as a cockroach or an ant. Their movement is based on the alternate motion of three legs. Hexapod robots are considered more stable than quadrupled and bipedal robots.

They integrate six legs, and constitute a mechatronic system that combines concepts inherent to mechanical, electronic and computer engineering. The interest of studying such robots is mainly justified by their stability along with their terrestrial applications. Their mobility is indeed stable their operation efficient and managed by its supporting polygon. The applications involve, among other operations, collecting data in remote, disaster and dangerous areas along with the possibility of adopting them as domestic robots.