" DESCRIPTION: The HexCrawler is even better than ever with enhanced capabilities relating to both the body of this robot and the electronics as well. The key features listed below covers all of the details to help you become more informed about the HexCrawler. The partnership between us and CrustCrawler has continued to grow, resulting in continual improvements and support for current and future HexCrawler owners. Earlier this year, we started a Yahoo! discussion group solely for HexCrawler enthusiasts. This forum is the best place for you to learn about what's new with this 6-legged autonomous robot. With a design conception that originally began in 2001, the HexCrawler features excellent design in power and leg efficiency. Additionally, its large size and generous number of expansion slots can accommodate a coniderable amount of additional electronics and hardware upgrades. The expandability, rugged design, and 7.5 lb. payload capacity make it a formidable hexapod. The HexCrawler has been developed with the future in mind by creating expansion kits (The S3 tilt pan system and the 3DOF upgrade kit) that can enhance and extend your robotic experience from the base HexCrawler kit. Couple the HexCrawler's hardware extensibility with the BASIC Stamp 2 microcontroller, Board of Education programming board, Parallax Servo Controller, and you have an unbeatable combination. If you think this robot is amazing just by the image to the left, wait until you view the videos at the bottom of this page! We recommend reading the entire HexCrawler resource page thoroughly in addition to the Downloads and Resources at the bottom of this product page prior to purchasing the HexCrawler. It's important to know that the HexCrawler Kit is a walking platform which is designed to be expanded by you. The Parallax robotics team and CrustCrawler are continually developing new source code and extra projects for the HexCrawler, so stay tuned to the web site and Yahoo! HexCrawler Discussion Group for updates. The Hexcrawler robot is built on a high-quality aluminum chassis that provides a sleek platform for the 12 servo motors and BS2/BOE based control system. The kit allows you to get started with this impressive list of materials, including the BASIC Stamp 2 microcontroller, Board of Education carrier board, 12 Hitec servos, and 1 Parallax Servo Controller. Mounting holes and slots may be used to add custom robotics equipment. The Hexcrawler circuits are built on the Board of Education carrier board. With additional accessories in our Robot Component Shop and Accessories pages, the Hexcrawler robot may be programmed to perform all sorts of neat movements. The detailed manual gets you started with a number of complete programs. Once you have mastered the supplied code, you can easily customize it using your own programming creativity. We recommend checking out the manual and source code below so you can understand the level of complexity involved with the assembly and programming of this kit. The kit is not complete, since you are required to supply hand tools, a 6 cell battery pack, and a 9V battery (not included). Contents of the HexCrawler Kit: (1) HexCrawler Hardware Kit (1) HexCrawler Manual (1) BASIC Stamp Manual (12) Hitec Servos (1) Parallax Servo Controller (PSC) (1) BASIC Stamp 2 Module (1) Board of Education programming board (1) 7-segment LED (7) 1K Ohm resistors (2) 10K Ohm resistors (2) Pushbutton (2) 220 ohm resistors (1) Bag 3"" Jumper Wires (1) Serial cable (1) Parallax CD-ROM KEY FEATURES Parallax and CrustCrawler believe that a hexapod should have some key material and construction features to be a truly useful and robust robotic platform. ( Coming Soon - Photos of individual items listed below will be featured in a zip file in the Downloads section below). Our HexCrawler features include: Super rigid yet light construction material - All aluminum components are precision CNC machined from incredibly strong .063 ga. 5052 aluminum sheeting Integrated Pem Stud Pivot Points - Pem studs are super smooth, solid aluminum spacers that are pressed into the aluminum body of the HexCrawler with more than 300 pounds of pressure. These spacers are used as the servo pivot points for all of the HexCrawlers legs. The combination of these spacers and the solid design and aluminum components are what gives the Hexcrawler it's overall rugged design and 7.5 pound payload capacity. Integrated Pem Nuts - Pem nuts are used throughout the key support points (24 in total) of the HexCrawler. Pem nuts are nuts that are pressed into the aluminum sheeting with more than 200lbs. of pressure. Pem nuts lower the number of loose parts in the kit which makes it easier to construct. Pem nuts also allow the roboticist to have quick and easy access to the lower deck of the HexCrawler without removing major construction components. Horizontally Centered Leg Design - To ensure equal, physical, horizontal movement of all legs during the HexCrawler's walking cycle, the legs have been physically designed to align with the horizontal leg servos. Pass Through Leg Design - Having the ability to expand and add lots of additional electronics and sensors is a key component of robotic experimentation and development. The HexCrawler's pass through leg design allows you to route and secure electronics at any point on the legs of the HexCrawler without wire or electronic components being exposed or interfering with the operation of the robot. Dual Deck Electronics Mount Design - The HexCrawler has been designed so that you may mount the controlling electronics either on top of the upper deck or mounted inside on the top of the lower deck. Also, the front and rear support brackets are configured to swing open to allow easy access to the inside of the HexCrawler for battery and electronics installation or removal. Design and Manufacturing Process - The HexCrawler robot and accessories are designed using powerful 3-D imaging and design software which includes AutoDesk's 3-D Studio R4 and 3-D Studio Max. This kit and the aforementioned accessories are machined within within 1/100"" tolerance values, using state of the art CNC drill and punch machines. All machined parts are then inspected, finished and prepared for the anodizing process. During the anodizing process, the machined parts are ""bright dipped"" to give them a bright sheen and then type II anodized to the specified color. Type II anodizing indicates the type of hard finish that is applied during the the anodizing process to prevent scratches and weathering to the finished product. Type II is one of the hardest non- military specification anodizing process that can be applied to a commercial product. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Power Requirements - Batteries are NOT included with the kit. Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries are best suited for the HexCrawler. These batteries range from 1000 to 3000 series and are readily available at most hobby shops. CrustCrawler and Parallax use the 3000 series Ni-MH batteries. The HexCrawler can walk up to approximately an hour of continuous use before a recharge of a 3000 series Ni-MH battery. Expandability - The large size of the decks and the lightness of the assembled HexCrawler provides ample room to accommodate a multitude of additional sensors and hardware add-ons. Multiple expansion slots and holes have been strategically placed on both decks of the HexCrawler as well as the front and rear support brackets for the addition of hardware and electronics. Adjustability - The HexCrawler's legs are fully adjustable which is a very unique and desirable feature in a hexapod. Each leg offers 2 fulcrum points to choose from in the event your HexCrawler needs to carry extra heavy loads. Material: Super strong .063 Gauge 5052 aluminum with type II anodizing for weather and scratch resistance. Dimensions: Overall dimensions - 13"" X 15.25"" leg to leg Prototyping Space: Over 198 sq. inches of total prototyping space is available on the HexCrawler body. Height: 6"" standing, 4.86"" squatting Ground Clearance: 3.5"" Payload Capacity: 7.5 pounds Leg movement: 2 degrees of freedom (vertical and horizontal) for the standard kit and 3 degrees of movement with the 3 axis leg upgrade kit. Weight: 3.6 lbs. with all servos Downloads: HexCrawler Assembly and Programming Manual v2.0 (.pdf) HexCrawler Assembly and Programming Manual v1.2 (.pdf) HexCrawler Source Code (.zip) HexCrawler Remote Control Project Code and Images (.zip) Resources: Sensor Scanning System (S3) HexCrawler Resource Page Robot Component Shop BASIC Stamp 2 Board of Education Parallax Servo Controller BASIC Stamp Manual "