14 DAY TRIAL // I've seen my share of robots, 3D printed ones included, but none of them impressed me as much as this parrot did. Why, if it had a skin and feathers I'd be tempted to think that it wasn't a robot at all.
And I do mean that in a good way. The parrot, as it is right now, has a behavior remarkably similar to that of the real bird. Or at least it can move like one based on outside stimuli.
Arduino hardware/software is used to run the featherless friend located on the shoulder of Brian Matthews.
The man used 3D printing technology to make the body, minus the electronic parts. Between that and the way he programmed the beast, the parrot has a very persuasive body language.
In case you wanted to know the specifics, the robot is run by an Arduino Mega controller, seven servo motors, and a skeleton printed from ABS plastic, except for the wings which are made from PLA. A 6-volt battery powers the whole thing. The IR distance sensor from Adafruit completes the component list.
The only thing you might have trouble with, if you ever decide to try and replicate this project, is the custom 6-volt battery layout maker.
You can find more info on Flapping Sprocket, though if you intend to make something like this yourself, you might have to start from scratch by downloading a 3D parrot design from Sketchup 3D Warehouse, like Matthews himself did.
