Comment by sho_hn
5 days ago
It's not that hard to get started! I make robots like this (that one's just to enter the wiring stage) using alu extrusion beams, some 3D printing, off-the-shelf servos and SBCs:
https://i.imgur.com/9YIHT9P.jpeg
Modern SBCs are decently powerful and run for long enough off a standard drone LiPo pack that you can fairly easily build yourself a solid little platform to learn and experiment with different controller approaches. Stereo cams, LiDAR modules, etc. are also readily available at a quality level that is decent enough.
You'll quickly realize the amount of work needed to bring any of the more advanced approaches to a productization level, but a "I implemented enough of this to get the principle" mini-Boston-Dynamics is in reach of the hobbyist.
In fact, the programming craft aspect of all of this is relatively simple. Basic implementations are typically not architecturally complex or a lot of sloc. You'll find that it's more about learning some control theory, and it'll also get you into machine learning.
Your workbench is so much cleaner than mine!
It's a small inner-city apartment and it's my little corner in the shared office room with the better half, that motivates me to keep it tidy :)
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