Animating a segmented/non-deforming robot

Support Basics & Interface
1

I’ve got a robot that is segmented (each segment is a different object) and I want to animate it, since it walks, I would like to use the IK solver.

  1. Are there any tutorials that cover this kind of thing?

  2. I’ve thought that making an armature, and then adding constraints or python to the segments so they follow the armature appropriately might be a good way to approach this. Any comments or suggestions?

-Andy

2

You can parent each part to the individual bones by selecting the Bones option when parenting the mesh to the armature. The whole object is then parented to the bone, so you don’t even have to create vertex groups.

AFAIK, there’s no tutorial to cover this actual case, but any tutorial that covers walk cycles would be equally good, since the only thing that changes is how you parent your mesh(es) to the armature.

Martin

3

Sweet! Thanks so much for the speedy reply.

-Andy

4

One more (at least) question. Any thoughts on how to model a universal joint in this kind of rig?

Basically, I have two parts, one rotates around one axis, the other rotates around an axis perpendicular to the first. I am rigging this with two bone segments, but I don’t know how to constraina bone in the IK solving to be rotation only or hinge only. Those two would give me all I need.

-Andy

5

There is a tut on this

http://www.selleri.org/Blender/tuts/Pistons2.zip

And the new documentation will cover it too.

Stefano

6

I took a quick glance, and I think it is what I need. Thanks so much.
-Andy