Robots with locomotion based off eight-legged creatures aren’t new. Dress that same automaton in a realistic-looking tarantula body, though, and things take a turn for what nightmares are made of. That’s exactly what they did with the T8 Robot Tarantula.
Made by Robugtix, it’s a little robot made out to look disturbingly like a real tarantula. You know, for amusing yourself during bored Saturday nights, bonding with your kids over creepy objects, or freaking out people at the steam room in the gym so you can have it all to yourself. Yeah, it’s awesome.
The T8 uses the Bigfoot Inverse Kinematics Engine to handle all the calculations needed for its movements, so there’s no technical skills needed on your part to operate the thing. Instead, you merely send it short commands (e.g. walk to a specific direction at a specific speed) using either the company’s Robugtix Controller/Xbee module system or your own serial communication system (if you enjoy doing those technical things yourself). It can walk forwards and backwards, as well as wiggle its stomach and menacingly move its body even while the legs remain still, so the creepy factor is definitely high with this one.
Hidden under the 3D-printed tarantula exoskeleton shell are 26 Hitec HS-35HD servo motors powering the robot, with three controlling each leg and the other two controlling the body. It requires a single 4xAA 4.8V NiMH rechargeable battery pack to run.
Now available for preorder, you can reserve a T8 Robot Tarantula for the discounted price of $1,350. Actual units ship out September 30th.