Variations Too -- (semi-final) assembly

Semi-final, in theory, as I might get around to integrating a rasPi with video detection to run some smarter pattern development and to be able to communicate amongst a group of these guys in order to pass steps around the dance circle. Thus implementing Variations 3.20. Someday.

But for now....

I went for a weighty base made of a 20" long piece of 6x2x1/4" steel U-channel that I had lying around in another of my massively parallel storage areas and drilled mounting holes (or mis-drilled in some cases) for everything I could think of:

top of the heavy steel base

Here's all the sensor and controller wiring before the motor assembly was mounted:

wiring underneath

The controller is an Arduino Pro-Mini mounted on a carrier board of my own design that provides powered connectors for most I/O and some other accessory features. If you're wondering, here are the files (the design is done using the ExpressPCB.com proprietary software because I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE to use the popular Program Which Shall Not Be Named):

RoboAssist files

Wiring the motors around the arm rotation points is ad-hoc, and a Royal PITA. I left enough slack at each junction to allow rotation without dragging the wires into the gears. It would have been easier if I had just bitten the bullet and bought servo extension cords. Maybe.

So here's the final:

Variations Too

And a little demo run:

Now on to the software....