Hardware

I've been playing around with Nybble, trying to diagnose some traction problems, and making plans for trying some new gaits later. To work on gaits, though, I'm thinking I'll need a stand that can support Nybble and let me load up any frame of a pose over serial. ( I'm not sure if there's a command for that already, but easy enough to write if not; the problem is making a stand! ) I could use cardboard, or wood, but then thought maybe I could just bend a coat hanger into shape. I drew up a rough idea of what I thought might work and then started bending a coat-hanger with pliers.

I'd bend a bit, hold it next to cat then bend some more.

But it started to seem like it wasn't going to work but after bending and bending and bending, I got it to look like this:

There wasn't enough wire to complete the far side of the stand, but maybe if I cut it... and then mount it onto a board later?

Slowly taking shape. literally "taking shape" :P

I don't have a clear picture, but, before nailing the hanger to the board, I wrapped some electrical tape around the top, just to provide a bit of insulation and cushion.

First time the little level on my pen came in handy!

I've been trying to identify a problem my Nybble's had with skidding, and the first time I ran it on the cradle it was clear... there's a slight stutter with the left rear leg ( aha! I suspect I've been a bit too rough with Nybble :P

To be sure it was the servo and not code, I figured I'd swap out one of the head servos for the rear thigh. ( continued ... )