A “Waldo” is a type of remote-control device (named after a science-fiction novella by Robert A. Heinlein) that’s used by everyone from NASA to the Muppets. It’s when a human controls the actions of a robot, usually through something like an electronic glove. (The most recent extreme example can be found in Pacific Rim.)
Maker Danny Benedettelli has added a new dimension to remote manipulators by building this robotic exoskeleton out of LEGO, an Android app, and a DIY kit micro-controller called an Arduino, which means he built a Jaeger in his bedroom for like $1,000 or less.
The project is called Cyclops, and he’s been working on it for four years. This is the demo footage of the latest version:
I love anybody who pronounces robot like “robutt.” They’re automatically moved to the top of my Do Not Exterminate list.
The Cyclops is connected to the exoskeleton controller via Bluetooth, and, as you can see, it doesn’t really have much of a lag in response time. This is just the prototype; Benedettelli plans to upgrade the robot so it can walk and open and close its hands.
He’s written several books about LEGO Mindstorms, the kit he used to build this (and many other) robots. You can keep up with his progress on his website.
(Via Kotaku)