Big Foot, Biba, Cricket, CartBranko Zupan (SI)

Robots, 2002

Zupan's robots, made at home, do not belong to a category of robots intended for competitions in construction or racing in labyrinths or robot fights. They are a product of the author's interest in studying basic operations which robots are capable of performing on their own. His robots are a simple specimen of zoomorphic forms (Biba, Cricket), two-legged robot (Big Foot) and experimental robot (Cart) which he uses to test electronics and programs of possible robot upgrading. They have not a capacity of performing complex functions while servomechanism enables them to autonomously move within space. With a help of inbuilt electronics – IR sensors, they are capable of recognizing the obstacles (a man, a wall...) and avoid them by changing a direction of movement.

Zupan's robots, whose reaction manner an appearance resemble insects, remind of the refined ‘mechantrones’ (combination of mechanics and electronic) by German Onno Onnen. They are simple artificial entities, incapable of interacting with the audience in this phase. However, such a development is foreshadowed.

Branko Zupan (SI)

Branko Zupan is an electrical engineer by vocation. During the last few years he has been spending his spare time making robots. Since his primary activity concerns maintenance of industrial electronics and electric devices, he is familiar with machine logic and do it yourself (DIY) principle.