Homemade Real Size Astromech Droid

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN ASTROMECH DROID!

The objective of this build is to prove that it is really possible to make a functional Sci-fi robot inspired by the Star Wars universe, with simple materials. The robot will be able to walk and rotate its head, this features will be controled from your cellphone using bluethoot signals.

This is a project that I have built with recycled materials i found, so probably your droid will not look the same as this one but im pretty sure this build will give you some ideas to make your own version.

You can also check out the entire construction process in my Youtube Channel!

VITOR'S INVENTIONS

link for part 1: https://youtu.be/sNOllf9U1lI

link for part 2: https://youtu.be/jFdiuVT9JmY

These are some fundamental components you must have to build your droid.

• Arduino Mega
• Bluethoot module HC-06
• Wires and jumpers
• Two L298 H-Bridge modules
• LEDs (this droid have 9 LEDs)
• 3V motor with gearbox and wheel (for the dome)
• Two electric power window motors(from a car window) to make him walk
• Two shopping cart wheels
• Nobreak 12V battery 9A

The whole structure is made out of recycled materials like a bucket (for its head), a trash can (for its body) and wood boards (for its legs).

The estimated price of this build was 800 reais (150 dollars).

The first step is to find all the materials you are going to use and design the shape of your droid, there is a lot of images in the internet that serve as inspiration, based on them you can cut, drill and put some details in it.

Now that you already have it's body, its time to organize the interior structure! The battery is the heavier component in the droid, so it needs to be in the botton of the body.

The whole eletronic system is placed in a platform fixed around a PVC pipe that will eventually serve as a bearing to the spinning dome.

The droid is controlled with bluethoot signals sent from a cellphone, the bluethoot module receives the signal and send it to the Arduino Mega that will run the uploaded program and send a command to other module, depending on the program decision, it could be the H bridge module that control the motors, or the SD card reader that run the audio flles, responsable for the Astromech noises, or it could turn on a simple LED.

The top of its body is covered with a circular wooden board with a perforation on its center, where the PVC pipe will be fixed. On the edge of this board there is a 3V motor with gearbox, connected to a wheel that will make contact with the internal part of the dome(head) and make it spin around its own center. In order to hold the dome in its place and simultaneously make it spin, a smaller PVC pipe is fixed in the middle of the dome, and it will go in the other pipe fixed in the body. Now you have a rotary axis for the dome.

One of the most iconic characteristics of an Astromech Droid is their 3 legs, the two bigger legs carry the 12v Power Window Motors, responsable to make it walk. This legs are made out of two thick rectangular shapped wooden boards, that you will cut and fix with an angle that fits in your Astromech size, the motors are positioned in the extremity of the leg, with two shopping cart wheels attached to the motor with screws and Titanium Glue.

The third leg is a big silicone wheel, fixed under the body, and it is very important to the droid balance.

All these wheels can be covered with recycled ice cream boxes, to simulate the Astromech feet

This is a APP you can find in Google Play and install in your cellphone for free, called Bluetooth RC Controller, it will work as the Astromech controller, sending the signals to the bluethoot receiver.

The following Arduino program is a very specific one I have made for my droid, but I'm pretty sure you can get some ideas and understand the program logic. Don't be afraid to modify it!

Once the structure and eletronic systems are finished you can add the final details and customize your droid as you want using every recycled greeblies you can find, adding a paint job, weathering, and a several LEDs, giving them a unique personality. Don't forget to check out the result in my Youtube Channel where you can find the two episodes of this awesome build!

  VITOR'S INVENTIONS

link for part 1: https://youtu.be/sNOllf9U1lI

link for part 2: https://youtu.be/jFdiuVT9JmY