Attack of the Panoramic Robots

A nice, cryptic title... ;-)

Last week a colleague pointed me in the direction of an intriguing residency/installation at Plymouth Arts Centre (that's the 'original' Plymouth, not one of the thirty or so places named after it that are dotted around the globe).

A quick update before Berkeley...

Over the last few months I've been grabbing time here and there between work to do work on the 'Frankenhead', making it sleeker and more reliable. Oh, and a bit smaller so that it can be transported...

A couple of weeks ago I visited Luca Vascon in Venice, and fancied doing some panning timelapse movies while I was there. Venice is not a suitable place for carrying around big chunky gear, so I decided to make a minimised 'cut-down' version of the LEGO panohead.

No aluminium extrusion this time, just LEGO beams.

On a table-tripod.

I managed to get out again on Saturday evening. This time the battery didn't run out...


Click to see larger version.

Having played around with the footage from Thursday evening, it occurred to me to wonder "what if I then stitched some of those images together?".


Click to see Zoomify version.

Having had a long interest in timelapse photography, it occurred to me that a motorised panohead could offer interesting possibilities for panning timelapse work...


Click to see video (QT, 8.5MB).

'Ere, anybody wanna see some piccies?

The head works, the mobile phone connects to it and works as a remote control, the camera fires!

Just a quick update to say that a NXT-compatible mobile phone just turned up, hopefully in time for Patrick's get-together tonight...

Ian

It's alive!

The last few months of 2006 were really busy, with a whole series of projects ending at the same time, so although I'd managed to eke out some time to work on the motorised head, I'd not found the time or energy to write it up. :-(

Anyway, the head is semi-finished with all movements working and the programming side coming along. It's not been tested outside as the weather here in SW England has been appalling recently. And I was away on holiday in Madeira the week before Christmas, precisely to get away from the drizzle (insert smug grin).

A few more bits turned up this week, bringing total expenditure up to around £400.

Items coming through the letterbox included: two timing belts and associated pulleys, some more aluminium profile, more t-slot nuts, half a dozen angle brackets for the alu profile, assorted capscrews (screws with hex-driver heads) and a BIG needle-roller thrust bearing for the main mount.

Picture-wise, we've got some photos of the bits, plus the construction for the 'yaw' motor assembly.