The Evolution of Roboquad: An Alien Arrives on Earth

Posted by Tiffany W on Monday, 27 August 2007

Just after it landed from distant star systems, Wowwee introduced the RoboQuad to the entire planet. With its unique movement based on rotating multi-jointed legs, it’s not quite a crab, not exactly a spider, but a 4-legged alien quad.

He moves in 8-directions using his advanced awareness system enabled by his sound and his light sensors, RoboQuad has crawled off the work desks of our engineers and into your homes.

This little guy has personality: with a push of a button, he changes his awareness, aggression, activity levels to suit your tastes. Go ahead and have him perform some programmable sequences.

And, he has one of the coolest dance demos to come out of Wowwee yet!

Check out the evolution of the rare species of RoboQuad from his prototype beginnings to becoming your inquisitive alien friend.

Let’s take a look at the story from the beginning…

 

The original Tilden Spyrider built in 1981.

original Tilden Spyrider

 

First RoboQuad sketch showing complex jointed legs.

First Roboquad sketch

 

First prototype of his basic frame, March 2006.

First Prototype

 

Isn’t he cute? First head using focused vision.

first focused vision

 

Building the first brains with analog technology.

a robo-brain is born

 

Body and head together.

Body and head together

[[page]]

Part 2 of Roboquad Evolution...

with exclusive photos of design and development.

 

 

 

 

Walking the walk: first steps on test legs.

first steps

 

First prototype together and working. Ready to roll…

first working prototype

 

Here comes the high-stepper…RoboQuad shows that he can step up to anything.

first high steps!

 

Still trying to figure out this walking thing one baby step at a time.

Still figuring the walking thing out

 

Taking a quick snooze. RoboQuad folds himself to sleep.

Snoozing

[[page]]

 

Part 3 of Roboquad Evolution...

with exclusive photos of design and development.

 

 

 

First engineering render.

first rendering

 

A digital prototype.

The Digital prototype

 

Analog and digital types both work, so time to call in the engineers…

When both types work.... call engineers

 

RoboQuad showing off dance moves.
And five quality engineers wishing they’d gone into interpretive dance.

Engineers not dancers?

 

First engineering gumby prototype. Not made of marshmallows.

Gumby not marshmellows

 

Gumby Two in action.

Gumby 2

[[page]]

Part 4 of Roboquad Evolution...

with exclusive photos of design and development.

 

 

 

First head design.

first head design

 

Second head design.

more head trips

 

First body design.

first body design

 

Another initial “spyder” sketch.
He’s a bit of a combination of a “spy” and a “spider.”

spider spy

 

And again after a CAD fine tuning.

fine-tuned

 

Tilden’s sketch for engineering to interpret.

Tilden's sketch

[[page]]

Part 5 of Roboquad Evolution...

with exclusive photos of design and development.

 

 

 

 

 

The first looks-like sample.

getting there

 

More design variation.

head variations

 

Two competing designs.

competing designs

[[page]]

Part 6 of Roboquad Evolution...

with exclusive photos of design and development.

 

 

 

 

Writing assembler code for the RoboQuad to read.
It's how the magic happens…

writing code

 

More CAD adjustments.

 

cad work

 

And close to the finished working sample.

Almost done!

 

Looking sharp in pearl custom paint.

sharply painted

 

The final finished bug-boy with remote.

Fait accompli!

 

Looking sharp in new colours. He’s in red sports car mode.

blazing color

 

RoboQuad— a touch of personality on four legs.

raw personality