Otto Robot Builds

We had printed these Otto Bots a few years back after finding them on Thinginverse. While we didn't have the servo shields, we managed to put one together using a breadboard and some double sided tape, then ordered enough servo shields to build three.

It took so long get them, they ended up being put into a project box and put on the shelf, even after receiving the shields. Until now..

We started assembling in the old chassis, which after working with for about a day, I wasn't too impressed with the print quality from our old Anet printer and discovered that there is a version 5 for revisions on the design. So we decided to cue it up and reprint.

There were many improvements to the original design we had printed so long ago, a notable one being the slots in the body bottom to allow the servo wires to move more freely.

We soldered a 9v connector and the female connector for the ultrasonic distance sensors to the board rather that use jump simply because we didn't have enough.

The next step we learned from trial and error - it is best to write the position switch to your Arduino, prior to installing the legs. This will ensure that the servos are center position so you can get the legs on inline with the body. If you are out a step or two, it can be addressed and trim can be written to your epprom to accommodate corrections.

We played with wiring a bit to get as organized as we could. We still need to fit our 9v battery in here, potentially a power switch and the Otto has upgrades such a touch sensors to elaborate further with your bot.

One thing to also note - our first battery was a 9v from the dollar store, which does not have the capability of powering Otto. The kits available on Otto's website (https://www.ottodiy.com/) include a USB 9V Lithium battery.

A rechargable 9v lithium battery, through a micro USB? I truthfully had no idea these existed, but I ordered 4 with the same specs as they had listed - around 650 mAh.

One completed - two more to go!

Through the intuitive nature of Ottoblock, what is used to program our Otto - Jamie was able to snap together some tests and get our Otto moving, beeping and moonwalking around.