1. Project Opiliones Mentor: Luke Wendt
Mentees: Shivani Iyer, Shivam Bharuka, Rebecca Cole, Emily Dixon, Sahil Kumar, Shanay Jhaveri, and Dalton Moffitt

2. Research Statement We plan to explore octopod/animatronic research
Goal: create a thermoplastic shape lock skeletal structuring with a servo/tendon design
Will be hand-built
Structure will use an Arduino platform
Have pseudo autonomy involving walking gaits, exploration/mapping, and control/configuration.
Require minimal machining

3. Motivations
Most multi-legged robots are based on hexapod designs that utilize servo motors to drive rigid legs.  
There are many robots that utilize a hexapod design, but few utilize an octopod design
Wanted a way to mimic the complex movement of opiliones
Make robotics more accessible to undergraduate research
Wanted to emphasize fast build and code times along with low cost/complexity

4. Basic Information
Trying to mimic the skeletal structure and movement of a common opiliones (AKA daddy long legs)
Use of control systems and algorithms to control a tendon based octapod.
Will require pressure sensors for feedback on each of the individual legs for movement. (i.e. use the feedback to determine each leg does not have an overload mechanical force applied to it)

5. Basic Information Cont.
Use of tension bands and string threaded through tendons to emulate tensing/relaxing muscles.
Will make use of a controller (XBOX 360) to control movement
May use infrared to detect objects in front of the robot to avoid collision for semi- autonomy.

6. So Far...
We’ve discussed different options on way to build the octopod
By watching different videos on octopod and hexapod systems
By researching available parts for each portion of the octopod
By looking at different objects in the lab that use tendon systems
We have researched the way opiliones walk
By acquiring a couple opiliones and recording their movements
By looking online at different videos on opiliones
Opiliones Video

7. So Far... We have developed prototypes using K’NEX
Our main focus for the designs has been to minimize the amount of force needed to manipulate the joints
Also focused on limiting the size of the joints.
We have compiled our research into a blog such that we can view everything we have discussed.
This blog can be found purerobotics.blogspot.com

8. Next Steps! Select parts that fit in the budget and meet our needs
Durable and light-weight frame
Accurate sensors
Minimal machining
We will acquire the funds from the professors that have supported us.
We will order the parts to start working on the robot.
We will divide the group into hardware and software subgroups. Each group will be responsible for either coding the motion of the robot or physically putting the robot together.
We will bring the two parts together as a fully functioning robot which does the functions described in the research statement above.