Bug Sport
hairpin turns with the mix and match
line-following track. While one bug is
tons of fun, we thought a second bug
would be a great addition to the
family. We decided to build the
grasshopper out of a second kit (a
single kit contains two motors, which
is enough for only one bug at a time).
We were drawn to the grasshopper
because of the antenna that seemed
to defy gravity. The construction of
the grasshopper is quite similar to that
of the ladybug, even though the base
is slightly modified.
The charming antenna are given
their shape by an innovative little
assembly that uses interlocking
serrations to provide an adjustable
joint that stays in place fairly nicely.
These joints are the secret to many of
the insect-like details on the Ollo Bugs,
and while they certainly seem robust
at first blush it remains to be seen if
they will be able to hold up after
prolonged usage. We think that they
would, but one has to remember that
these bugs are going to face some
serious wear and tear at the hands of
the intended audience.
Splattered
After building the ladybug, the
grasshopper went together quickly,
and we were ready to test the new
specimen. We were excited to see the
grasshopper work because the leg
design is slightly different than that of
the other bugs, with longer back legs
to more accurately represent its insect
inspiration.
You can imagine our disappointment when we first activated the
grasshopper robot only to discover
that it sorely lacked the agility that
would earn it props from a martial
arts master. The basic problem was
easy to see – one of the motors was
not functional, and the intrepid insect
could only move in a wide circle
despite its most sincere efforts.
We resolved to try out some
insect surgery. The first step would be
to disassemble the grasshopper to the
point where we could remove the
motor. This, unfortunately, was almost
to the point of complete disassembly,
but we readied our Ollo Tool and set
to work. That is one disadvantage of
the Ollo kit – disassembly of the bugs
is not as quick as one might hope.
The parts themselves can snap apart
fairly easily, but removing the rivets
and sleeves properly can require
individual attention that can become
somewhat time-consuming.
Once the motor was freed,
we were able to give it a thorough
inspection. We began our investigation with the classic technique of
jiggling the wires to see if there was a
loose connection on the end with
the connector or at the end that
connected to the motor itself. When
our jiggling provided no answers, we
were forced to look elsewhere for the
cause of the problem. We even went
so far as to take the motor apart to
see if anything was jamming the
gears, but we found nothing. After
doing our best to clean out the gears,
the motor would actually move, but
it would not start without a little
helping hand. When reattached in the
leg assembly, the motor would not
start, and we were forced to bid
farewell to our dreams of an epic bug
battle. We must make it clear, though,
that problems with motor modules are
not phenomena confined to the Ollo
Bugs. We’ve had similar experiences
FIGURE
11. THE OLLO GRASSHOPPER,
CON TROLLER, AND TRACK.
with motors from the LEGO
Mindstorms kits, and the companies
were more than happy to speedily
replace defective units.
Gnat Race
The Ollo Bugs come with a
preprogrammed line-following mode,
easily accessed by a few clicks of the
power button. After activating the
FIGURE
10. NOT THE BEST CAMOUFLAGE.
SERVO 04.2009
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