Axon, the partially humanoid open-source robot from the 3D printer

Maker Marcin Płomiński and his colleague, who works under the pseudonym “Minco0”, have developed the semi-humanoid robot Axon, which can be produced by anyone using 3D printing. The robot has artificial intelligence (AI) based on a large language model (Large Language Model – LLM). The development of the robot began at school.

The two makers started the Axon project at the ages of 16 and 17. Neither of them had any experience with CAD at the time. The development of the robot design got off to a correspondingly bumpy start. Axon is now available as “a working prototype”. Although it is fully functional, it is not yet fully developed. The two makers want to improve it so that it is easier to assemble and more user-friendly.

3D-printed

Axon is a partially humanoid robot. It has a humanoid upper body with a head and two arms that can be moved by several servo motors and to which five-fingered, human-like hands are attached. The inside of the body consists of an aluminum frame and metal parts, which still have to be made with some effort. The makers want to change this in the future and replace the metal parts with those from the 3D printer. The outer shell of the robot, the head and the mobile base already come from the 3D printer.

The robot moves forward on wheels that are hidden in a base, making them unobtrusive and giving the robot the necessary mobility. The base also contains the lithium-polymer batteries required for operation, which come from the model-making sector, as well as some electronics.

To control the robot, the two makers use four Espressif ESP32 microcontrollers that work together with a Raspberry Pi single-board computer. A camera in the head of the monitor monitors the robot's surroundings and can respond to visual input. A display on the robot's chest shows additional information.

Robot with AI

Axon can respond to voice input. The two makers used a Python script to implement a connection to an LLM that runs on a powerful remote server. The AI includes a database in which questions and actions are stored. For example, the robot can be instructed to turn its head, move its arms and move around. The LLM is used to answer further questions.

Płomiński and “Minco0” are now looking for help from the maker community to further improve the Axon robot. For example, the structure still needs to be simplified. The project is not yet beginner-friendly, says Płomiński. Advanced knowledge of CAD and 3D printing is required. As he and “Minco0” have no experience with GitHub, but the project is stored there, they are also asking for constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement.

The two makers have placed the source code of the Axon project on GitHub under the “Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International” license. The corresponding CAD files are available under the same license from OnShape. Ready-to-print STL files are available on Printables. The approximate cost of building the robot is said to be around 1300 US dollars.

(olb)