Helen Lawson designed and built a one-sixth scale Mark 1 British Heavy Tank replica that is a functional, radio controlled robot. The replica has been a work in progress for around three years and is now reaching completion. Helen designed the main chassis out of laser-cut wood and made other aspects of the chassis from aluminum and 3D printed parts.

One distinguishing feature of a MK 1 British Heavy Tank is the lack of a central turret. Instead, it has a sponson on each side. This proved challenging for Helen’s build since most electronics made for RC tanks only allow for a single gun and turret. To make the sponsons functional, Helen used a combination of an RC receiver, an RC switch with digital output, an RC switch with relay, a Micro Maestro servo controller, a few servos, and a Taigen gun flash unit. You can find more detailed information about this part of the system (including a wiring diagram and Maestro script) in her post on our forum. The images below show each side of one of the completed sponsons:

She also made a 3D-printed case for the Maestro (shown in the photo on the right) and a few of the other electronic components, which she made available on her Thingiverse page.

You can see a video of the robot in action on this Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team Armoured Division Facebook page, and even more information on her build, including many more pictures, in Helen’s forum thread at landships.net.

Related products

	Micro Maestro 6-Channel USB Servo Controller (Assembled)
	Pololu RC Switch with Digital Output
	Pololu RC Switch with Relay (Assembled)

Our 37D mm metal gearmotors now have fitted plastic end caps over their encoders that neatly protect the assembly and keep stray objects clear of the magnetic disc. The pictures below show the previous version (without end cap) next to one of the new ones:

The end cap is easily removable if you need to access the encoder or want a few more millimeters of clearance for your gearmotor, but there is a little bit of base plastic that will remain (as shown in the picture below), so removing the end cap does not quite make these new ones identical to the previous versions.

37D mm metal gearmotor with 64 CPR encoder (with end cap removed).

These gearmotors are available in six different gear ratios and with or without encoders, and we also carry the motor and encoder assembly by itself with no gearbox. The following table shows all of our 37D mm metal gearmotor options:

Gear Ratio	No-Load Speed @ 12 V	Stall Torque @ 12 V	Stall Current @ 12 V	With Encoder	Without Encoder
1:1	11,000 RPM	5 oz-in	5 A	motor without gearbox
19:1	500 RPM	84 oz-in	5 A	37Dx52L mm	37Dx52L mm
30:1	350 RPM	110 oz-in	5 A	37Dx52L mm	37Dx52L mm
50:1	200 RPM	170 oz-in	5 A	37Dx54L mm	37Dx54L mm
70:1	150 RPM	200 oz-in	5 A	37Dx54L mm	37Dx54L mm
100:1	100 RPM	220 oz-in	5 A	37Dx57L mm	37Dx57L mm
131:1	80 RPM	250 oz-in	5 A	37Dx57L mm	37Dx57L mm

Related products

	19:1 Metal Gearmotor 37Dx68L mm 12V with 64 CPR Encoder (Spur Pinion)
	30:1 Metal Gearmotor 37Dx68L mm 12V with 64 CPR Encoder (Spur Pinion)
	50:1 Metal Gearmotor 37Dx70L mm 12V with 64 CPR Encoder (Spur Pinion)
	70:1 Metal Gearmotor 37Dx70L mm 12V with 64 CPR Encoder (Spur Pinion)
	100:1 Metal Gearmotor 37Dx73L mm 12V with 64 CPR Encoder (Spur Pinion)
	131:1 Metal Gearmotor 37Dx73L mm 12V with 64 CPR Encoder (Spur Pinion)
	12V Motor with 64 CPR Encoder for 37D mm Metal Gearmotors (No Gearbox, Spur Pinion)

We are pumped to announce that we are now carrying Advancer Technologies’ MyoWare Muscle Sensor!

This sensor features a number of improvements over the older Muscle Sensor v3 including single-supply operation (no need for a negative voltage supply) and built-in snap connectors for electrodes. Other new features include a raw EMG output, reverse power protection, a power switch, LED indicators, and two mounting holes.

For a fun example that shows how you could use the muscle sensor, take a look at this blog post, which uses one of our Maestros to monitor a bicep while it is flexing, and command a servo to imitate the motion with a tiny cardstock version of He-Man’s arm. (Note that the project uses the older Muscle Sensor v3, not this new product.) You can also head on over to Advancer Technologies’ website for more project ideas.

The MyoWare Muscle Sensor does not ship with electrodes; they are available separately in packs of six.

Related products

	MyoWare Muscle Sensor
	Electrodes for MyoWare Muscle Sensors (6-Pack)

Before I started designing my entry into this year’s LVBots mini sumo competition, I watched several videos of other competitions. I noticed a majority of the victories came from engaging the opponent from the side or back; a pattern I also noticed during the last LVBots mini sumo competition. For that competition, I made a robot that used a blade and sensors on the front and back of the robot (basically making the robot have two fronts and no back). However, my strategy in that competition was to roam the ring and search for the opponent, which I suspect increased the chances of the opponent engaging from a suboptimal angle. This time, I wanted to try having my robot spin in place looking for the opponent and striking once it was found. This ultimately resulted in my newest mini sumo robot, Black Mamba. For those unfamiliar, a black mamba is a snake with a reputation for being highly aggressive and is one of the longest and fastest-moving snakes in the world. A black mamba’s venom is highly toxic, and it is capable of striking at considerable range, occasionally delivering a series of bites in rapid succession. Black Mamba is also Kobe Bryant’s self-appointed nickname (yes, I am a Lakers fan). Continued…

It has been a few months since we introduced our new high-power micro metal gearmotors with longer life carbon brushes. We now have them available with dual shafts, and we have made a corresponding update to our magnetic encoders to let them work with the larger terminals of the HPCB motors.

Magnetic Encoder Kit for Micro Metal Gearmotors (old version; not compatible with HPCB micro metal gearmotors).

Magnetic Encoder Kit for Micro Metal Gearmotors (HPCB compatible).

You might see similar-looking motors elsewhere, but no one comes close to our offering, from the quality of the gears to the variety of winding options to the selection of gear ratios, all in stock for shipment the day you order. By bringing together Pololu’s exclusive features of high-power windings, long-life carbon brushes, and encoders for closed-loop feedback control into a single package, these latest motors and encoders really demonstrate our continual investment in this popular form factor. With ten gear ratios available, from 10:1 through 1000:1, our total selection of micro metal gearmotors has grown to nearly 70 options:

Motor Type	Stall Current @ 6 V	No-Load Speed @ 6 V	Approximate Stall Torque @ 6 V	Single-Shaft (Gearbox Only)	Dual-Shaft (Gearbox & Motor)
high-power, carbon brushes (HPCB)	1600 mA	3000 RPM	4 oz-in	10:1 HPCB	10:1 HPCB dual-shaft
		1000 RPM	9 oz-in	30:1 HPCB	30:1 HPCB dual-shaft
		625 RPM	15 oz-in	50:1 HPCB	50:1 HPCB dual-shaft
		400 RPM	22 oz-in	75:1 HPCB	75:1 HPCB dual-shaft
		320 RPM	30 oz-in	100:1 HPCB	100:1 HPCB dual-shaft
		200 RPM	40 oz-in	150:1 HPCB	150:1 HPCB dual-shaft
		140 RPM	50 oz-in	210:1 HPCB	210:1 HPCB dual-shaft
		120 RPM	60 oz-in	250:1 HPCB	250:1 HPCB dual-shaft
		100 RPM	70 oz-in	298:1 HPCB	298:1 HPCB dual-shaft
		32 RPM	125 oz-in	1000:1 HPCB	1000:1 HPCB dual-shaft
high-power (HP) (same specs as HPCB above)	1600 mA	6000 RPM	2 oz-in	5:1 HP
		3000 RPM	4 oz-in	10:1 HP	10:1 HP dual-shaft
		1000 RPM	9 oz-in	30:1 HP	30:1 HP dual-shaft
		625 RPM	15 oz-in	50:1 HP	50:1 HP dual-shaft
		400 RPM	22 oz-in	75:1 HP	75:1 HP dual-shaft
		320 RPM	30 oz-in	100:1 HP	100:1 HP dual-shaft
		200 RPM	40 oz-in	150:1 HP	150:1 HP dual-shaft
		140 RPM	50 oz-in	210:1 HP
		120 RPM	60 oz-in	250:1 HP
		100 RPM	70 oz-in	298:1 HP	298:1 HP dual-shaft
		32 RPM	125 oz-in	1000:1 HP	1000:1 HP dual-shaft
medium-power (MP)	700 mA	2200 RPM	3 oz-in	10:1 MP	10:1 MP dual-shaft
		730 RPM	8 oz-in	30:1 MP
		420 RPM	13 oz-in	50:1 MP
		290 RPM	17 oz-in	75:1 MP	75:1 MP dual-shaft
		220 RPM	19 oz-in	100:1 MP	100:1 MP dual-shaft
		150 RPM	24 oz-in	150:1 MP
		75 RPM	46 oz-in	298:1 MP
		25 RPM	80 oz-in	1000:1 MP	1000:1 MP dual-shaft
low-power	360 mA	2500 RPM	1 oz-in	5:1
		1300 RPM	2 oz-in	10:1
		440 RPM	4 oz-in	30:1	30:1 dual-shaft
		250 RPM	7 oz-in	50:1	50:1 dual-shaft
		170 RPM	9 oz-in	75:1
		120 RPM	12 oz-in	100:1	100:1 dual-shaft
		85 RPM	17 oz-in	150:1
		60 RPM	27 oz-in	210:1
		50 RPM	32 oz-in	250:1
		45 RPM	40 oz-in	298:1	298:1 dual-shaft
		14 RPM	70 oz-in	1000:1	1000:1 dual-shaft

You can see all ten of the new versions below, and if there are any versions we do not yet have that you would like to see us carry, let us know in the comments!

Related products

	10:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HPCB 6V with Extended Motor Shaft
	30:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HPCB 6V with Extended Motor Shaft
	50:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HPCB 6V with Extended Motor Shaft
	75:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HPCB 6V with Extended Motor Shaft
	100:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HPCB 6V with Extended Motor Shaft
	150:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HPCB 6V with Extended Motor Shaft
	210:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HPCB 6V with Extended Motor Shaft
	250:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HPCB 6V with Extended Motor Shaft
	298:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HPCB 6V with Extended Motor Shaft
	1000:1 Micro Metal Gearmotor HPCB 6V with Extended Motor Shaft
	Magnetic Encoder Pair Kit for Micro Metal Gearmotors, 12 CPR, 2.7-18V

Chris Barlow posted this interesting write-up about how he is using the USB connection of a Mini Maestro servo controller to prototype motion control for his hexapod robot. He has been going over the build in detail on his blog, so check it out over there, and be sure to take a look at this short video below:

Forum user Ken constructed a spine-chilling Halloween project that is featured at the Cedar Gables Inn Bed and Breakfast in Napa, California. His project is based on Brandon’s Motion Tracking Skull Halloween prop, but instead of just using a head-turning skull, Ken used a full-scale skeleton body to complete the creepy look.

Motion tracking skeleton at the Cedar Gables Inn.

Just like in Brandon’s example, Ken used two Sharp GP2Y0A60SZ analog distance sensors to detect objects (or humans) and a Micro Maestro servo controller to read the output values from the sensors and control the servo that moves the head. Ken improved on Brandon’s code by returning the skeleton’s head to its starting position after a short delay so the skeleton wouldn’t stare rudely at the inn’s guests.

For more information about Ken’s Halloween project, see his forum post, and if you happen to be in the Napa Valley area this Halloween, stop by the Cedar Gables Inn and check it out in person!

In case you missed it, we have Maestros and Sharp distance sensors on sale right now as part of our Polo-BOO! Halloween Sale. The sale ends in less than two days, so if you want to try doing a project like this, now is the time to get started!

Related products

	Micro Maestro 6-Channel USB Servo Controller (Assembled)
	Pololu Carrier with Sharp/Socle GP2Y0A60SZLF Analog Distance Sensor 10-150cm, 5V

My robot from the last LVBots mini-sumo competition has a feature which I think is pretty interesting and sets it apart from a lot of other robots: when it detects the border of the sumo ring, it measures the angle of the border and uses that information to try to get to the center. Continued…

Halloween is just around the corner, but there is still time for you makers out there to build terrifying interactive props and amazing costumes, and we want to help. From now through October 21, we are having a sale on servos and servo controllers, proximity sensors, programmable microcontroller boards, power supplies, and more – all the products you might want to bring your creepy creations to life. See the sale page for more details and the full list of products.

If you need some inspiration, check out our sample Halloween projects, and as always, we would love to hear about anything cool you make with our products; we might feature it on the blog!

We are pleased to introduce our new 12 V, 2.2 A switching regulator, the inaugural member of the D24V22Fx family of step down voltage regulators. We expect to release other voltage versions next month, but we wanted to get a 12 V version out right away since we did not offer a 12 V buck regulator that could do more than 1 A. The compact regulator works with input voltages up to 36 V and can typically deliver up to a continuous 2.2 A. It offers integrated reverse voltage protection along with over-current and over-temperature shutoff, and a power-good output can be used to determine when the regulator cannot maintain its output voltage.

Unlike linear regulators which waste a lot of power and generate a lot of heat in the process, this new regulator is very efficient, which means you can get the most out of your battery life:

Until we release other voltage versions of the D24V22Fx, the closest substitutes are the similar D24V25Fx family of step-down voltage regulators:

• 3.3V D24V25F3
• 5V D24V25F5
• 6V D24V25F6
• 7.5V D24V25F7
• 9V D24V25F9

These regulators are the same size as the D24V22F12 and they have similar current capabilities and input voltage ranges, but they do not have the same pinout and they are based on a different internal design, so there are fundamental differences in operation.

See the D24V22F12 product page for more information on this new regulator, or visit our voltage regulator category to see all of our regulator options.

Related products

Pololu 12V, 2.2A Step-Down Voltage Regulator D24V22F12