Frequently Asked Questions

Can Prodos walk?

Prodos can move like it is walking, however the servos aren't powerful enough to actuate the legs under any load (and it would also need some sensors to know when it was falling over). That means that Prodos must be suspended from something or held up in the air while it is performing its walking movement. The objective for Prodos was to create a robot that used microcontrollers to actuate limb chains in a coordinated manner. Future prototypes will improve on the design of Prodos and hopefully walk with a natural human-like gait under full load.

Why should I build Prodos?

Building Prodos is a good way to learn about robotics, electronics, programming, and 3D printing ... but mainly it will look really cool on your desk. Hopefully building Prodos will inspire you to improve on the design or to create your own robots.

Why are the assembly instructions so detailed?

The instruction weren't designed to insult anyones intelligence, rather they were created with the goal of allowing anyone to build a copy of Prodos. This includes people without any prior knowledge of robotics, electronics, 3D fabrication, or programming.

What skills do I need to be able to build Prodos?

The goal was to design Prodos and create the instructions such that anyone with a desire to learn about robots could build one. That means no special skills are required coming into the project. However several things are handy to have working knowledge of, such as soldering, 3D printing, programming, and electronics. But don't worry if you don't have a these skills, the level of knowledge for each of these is pretty minimal and references are provided in the assembly instructions.

How do I get all of the parts to build Prodos?

The manifest spread sheet contains a list of all of the non-printed parts that need to be purchased to build prodos along with links to the web sites that I bought them from. The manifest is arranged by vender to make ordering easier.

Do you sell a kit that comes with all of the parts for Prodos?

Sorry, unfortunately there isn't a kit for Prodos.

Why is the robot named Podos?

It is named "Prodos" because it is the second prototype and dos is 2 in Spanish (pro + dos).