To get started, simply print out a template, cut, and fold. Once you add some basic electronics, an Arduino brain will command the robot to roll over the floor, sticking to dark surfaces, based on the amount of reflected light it detects. If the robot’s body tears, it’s no big deal. Cardstock costs only about 10 to 30 cents per piece—just print another. Ankur Mehta, who was an MIT postdoctoral fellow when he designed this machine, says his goal is to get robots into anyone’s hands for cheap. “People who are not engineers should be just as comfortable with creating and using robots as they are interacting with cellphones and smart devices,” he says.
WARNING: Lithium-polymer batteries are a fire hazard. Read the warnings on your battery before plugging it into your paper project.
Stats
Time: 5 hoursCost: $55Difficulty: Hard
Tools
PrinterX-Acto knifeStraight edgeSoldering iron
Materials
Custom daughter boardThree sheets 8.5-by-11-inch cardstock
Two continuous-rotation servosArduino Pro Mini 3.3V/8MHzMale breakaway headers, 30 straight and 6 right-angle30 female headersSwitchConnector for battery1.8-kilohm resistorMini light sensorWhite 5 mm LEDFTDI Basic Breakout 3.3-voltLi-poly 3.7-volt, 130mAh 1S 25-40C batteryLi-poly battery charger
This article was originally published in the November 2015 issue of Popular Science, under the title “Fold a Paper Robot.”
