Robot ideas often come to me as I peruse the Adafruit store... this time it was pair of desktop speakers that got me thinking about WALL-E and Short Circuit. The speakers reminded me of their eyes.

I thought to myself, "I wonder what earlier versions of WALL-E and Johnny 5 were like."

A few sketches later, I had a rough-cut on the head ready to go. It's a simple design, a U-joint and two armatures connected to two servos.
The red blocky-thing represents an Adafruit feedback servo - an incredibly useful component!
U-joints provide a huge amount of gestural freedom.
Limits in articulation are primarily a function of the armature... this is where feedback from the servos can come in useful; you'll be able to sense when a servo starts to bind.
It's a simple stack... all the 3D printed parts, with the exception of the base, can fit in the palm of your hand.

When you're ready, grab the 3D models and print-them-up in a color that suits your fancy; I choose black PLA to match the color of the speakers.
Print rod ends with a slow / fine setting for an optimal ball and socket fit. Everything else can be printed coarse and fast.

This guide was first published on Nov 11, 2013. It was last updated on Mar 08, 2024.

This page (Design) was last updated on Nov 01, 2013.

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