Robots come in many forms, but some can move in all directions just by adjusting their shape. Joshua Stanley, a creator on YouTube, has previously created Fred, a rolling robot with a hexagonal folding design. The creator took a different path this time and made improvements, hence the birth of Marc, a new multi-directional rolling cube.
The older version is much more complex, so he chose to go with a square shape, which was much more simple and gave more freedom of movement for the robot. It uses servo motors to shift its shape and uses an IMU sensor to detect which side it’s resting on. If it’s not in the right position to move, it automatically adjusts itself to the default resting position before rolling.
For this project, the creator designed a custom PCB with Seeed xiao microcontroller, nRF24L01 transceiver and other components instead of using traditional wiring. The PCB supports servo motors, sensors, and a wireless transceiver for remote control. Which he made so that it can be used in various robotics projects, making the PCB more flexible to use in various DIY projects. Marc can roll over small obstacles and can correct its position when tripped over, making it a unique and engaging robot to have fun with.
