[MOC] X-wing on Stewart Platform

[vascolp]

 

Hi everybody!

May the 4th seems a good day to present my latest MOC:

This is X-wing on Stewart Platform, an alternate model of the LEGO 42100 set.
The model attempts to be faithful to the original T-65 X-wing; however, given the limited parts, some adaptations were made. The combination of the stewart platform with the X-wing allows for a lot of fun, I am quite satisfied with the final result.
Please watch the video:

 

More pictures here.

X-wing:
The x-wing was a pleasure to build. The wing support was challenging, I started with a super complicated version, and must have gone through about 15 versions. But it turned out quite simple and functional, the wings stay open easily and close almost perfectly. Since there were no white pieces to make the engine nacelles, I had to be creative and use the tracks. And there are some little feet in the ship!
There are possibly some illegal building technics, but nothing too forced, it doesn't worry me much.

Stewart Platform:
The platform turned out to be quite functional and stronger than it looks. Since there are so many silicone tubes in the set, I used them as non-slip feet.The TechnicHub IMU performs very well as a joystick.

Stand:
After building the x-wing and the platform, several parts were left over. So I built a static platform (with the possibility of adjusting the vertical angle) to support the x-wing. It works quite nicely.

Software:
The software was entirely developed in Pybricks Python. And it's a showcase of Pybricks' capabilities; @Pybricks is fantastic!:

• Running entirely on both hubs, no connection to a mobile phone or external computer.
• Stewart Platform algorithm computation.
• Motor speed and stall control.
• Use of the hub's IMU sensor as a joystick.
• Bidirectional communication between hubs using BLE Broadcast (well, much more in one direction than the other :-)).
• Use of internal memory to record the operating mode on the next initialization.
• Optional control with Xbox controller.

Instructions will soon be available on rebrickable. Python code already available here.

Feel free to ask anything about it.

Hope you like it!

VascoLP
May the 4th bwy
 

Edited Monday at 08:16 PM by vascolp
Typo

[gyenesvi]

Wow, this is an ingenious idea for an alt build of this set, I never quite came up with a good idea to use those long linear actuators, and the use of the hub as a joystick is even better. Hats off! Looks very fun and playable, and I think the X-wing also turned out to be nice and simple. Great build!

If I understand correctly, the 7th motor is for the wings. What controls that? The button on the hub? And what does the button on the top of the joystick actuate? The other hub's button?

[vascolp]

Thank you!

Well, there are other people who used the LAs this way... But I think I managed to integrate everything in one consistent package... with the help of Pybricks, I must say.

It came out pretty well. I built the ship and then the platform. Without software, of course. Then the program started to grow, and to be able to move the platform bit by bit. The first time the joystick was able to move the platform with the ship on it… what a joy! It was really quite a moment! And with the Xbox it is even better, it is much smother.

The buttons have several functions, they have simple click, double click, triple click and long click! It is the only interface available and there is only one program that does it all.

The wings are controlled by the button in the center hub. The button in the joystick is used to change the mode. These platforms have 6 degrees of freedom but the joystick can handle only two at a time. So, the joystick button changes the move mode: Roll+Pitch, X+Y or Z+Yaw.

The buttons are also used to exit (long click) and to define the working mode, if it is with the joystick or the Xbox controller.

 

[TLCB]

Featured at

The Lego Car Blog

Edited Monday at 06:51 PM by TLCB

[vascolp]

44 minutes ago, TLCB said:

Featured at

The Lego Car Blog

Thank you!

mt4bwy! 

 

[Toastie]

Wow!!!

The moment the X-wing began to move ... 8485 just popped in there!!!

What crazy improvements - OK, yes, 8485 is from a galaxy far, far in the past.

This is so incredibly cool, beautiful, nice, a pleasure to watch, and >technically perfect<. This is what PUp and Pybricks (or any other powerful but not LEGO programming environment) are made for: Make Technic (and System) do things, that weren't possible before.

Everything is so smooth and at the same time radical - it does not get any better. A cool "model", with functions, and an incredible way of moving the "model".

I just don't want to picture, what could be done with less restricted parts availability ...

Fantastic!!!

All the best
Thorsten 

 

[gyenesvi]

1 hour ago, vascolp said:

The wings are controlled by the button in the center hub. The button in the joystick is used to change the mode. These platforms have 6 degrees of freedom but the joystick can handle only two at a time. So, the joystick button changes the move mode: Roll+Pitch, X+Y or Z+Yaw.

Thanks, that is quite some compound movement capability, sounds really great! I agree with @Toastie, one of the best uses of the PU system I have ever seen.

1 hour ago, TLCB said:

Featured at

The Lego Car Blog

How is this a car? :DDDDD I mean I'm happy that it's featured, but the best part is that it's far from yet another car! :)

[vascolp]

8 minutes ago, Toastie said:

Wow!!!

[...]

Fantastic!!!

All the best
Thorsten 

Thank you!

I bet you would prefer an 8bit TTL version!  

[ginger-snapped]

Super fun build! It being a b-model is even more impressive. Got me wishing I owned 42100

[2GodBDGlory]

That's really nice and creative!

[Toastie]

37 minutes ago, vascolp said:

I bet you would prefer an 8bit TTL version!

What? How do you - wait ... but - oh yes, that would be ... a pink moon eclipsed by the sun ...

On the other hand - @Bliss has created a powerful Blockly based programming environment for vintage LEGO interfaces ... including Interface A. Total 8 bit TTL control of multiple Interface As - just go to pages 16 ff ... who knows ...

Just kidding, as I have no skills to build such an amazing mechanism!

Best
Thorsten 

[vascolp]

1 hour ago, ginger-snapped said:

Super fun build! It being a b-model is even more impressive. Got me wishing I owned 42100

 

1 hour ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

That's really nice and creative!

Thank you both!

[jorgeopesi]

Another level of creativity with epic functionality, very good work.

[Davidz90]

Wow, what a cool idea!

[Jundis]

Hexapods are always cool, but with an X-WIng AND as a "B-Model", this is beyond incredible!

[vascolp]

12 hours ago, jorgeopesi said:

Another level of creativity with epic functionality, very good work.

 

12 hours ago, Davidz90 said:

Wow, what a cool idea!

 

10 hours ago, Jundis said:

Hexapods are always cool, but with an X-WIng AND as a "B-Model", this is beyond incredible!

Thank you all!

[Zerobricks]

Amazing idea, implementation of the actuators and of course great jov with the X-Wing with the limited parts.  It's great to see some non-vehicle models and this is such an original idea, I just had to feature it.

[vascolp]

13 minutes ago, Zerobricks said:

Amazing idea, implementation of the actuators and of course great jov with the X-Wing with the limited parts.  It's great to see some non-vehicle models and this is such an original idea, I just had to feature it.

Thank you!