I like my robots unusual. The weirder the better. Stargate Replicators (bugs – not the human looking ones) are my favorite. They always gave me the impression of robotics and nature meeting, the robotic ants that take over worlds. In current robotics they would be categorised as Swarm Robots which has always been a particular fascination of mine. Simple robots with simple behaviors and abilities that work together with the results being emergent behavior that gives the impression of a higher intelligence.

I have always wanted to build robots such as these, but this is a very far off goal as anyone who has started a robot project would know very well. So to start I want to build a robot that is simple and work towards my goals into the future.

First things first. Whenever I have built a robot I have started very well, bought all the electronics and mechanical pieces and started to put things together with limited success and finally ending up procrastinating and abandoning the project or starting something new. Also when I show my wife, friends or family what I have built I am usually greeted with funny looks and the usual “what is it?” and “what does it do?” question. I feel that I am missing the WOW factor in my robot building.

I am usually WOWed while watching Sci-fi shows and the robots they create. Another favorite of mine is the Farscape DRD which is a very cute driving robot. I will begin my robot making by building the outside shell first to give the WOW factor that I hope will keep me motivated to continue the project to the end. I want an unusual robot to give me the WOW but I need to learn how to do this. In the next few weeks I will look toward making a great model for my robot to fit in.