Eclipse is a fully custom hexapod robot that I independently designed, simulated, fabricated, and programmed. Its 18 actuated joints enable coordinated walking, posture adjustment, and dynamic body motion.
The robot’s kinematics and dynamics were first evaluated in MATLAB Simscape Multibody, covering planar locomotion, body-height adjustment, body sway, and in-place jumping. The resulting motion strategies were then implemented and validated on the physical robot.
The mechanical platform was 3D printed using lightweight PLA. Its modular construction supports rapid iteration, assembly, and component replacement.
A custom heavy-duty four-layer PCB (7.5V, 15A) distributes power and control signals to all 18 servo motors and supports up to 24 actuators. Separate power supplies isolate the high-current actuation system from the MCU, IMU and sensors.
An onboard MPU6050 IMU estimates the robot’s roll and pitch in real time. This feedback enables active posture adjustment and improves stability while walking over uneven terrain.
Eclipse was my first complete robot, independently developed from concept to working prototype. I designed its mechanical system and PCB, fabricated and assembled the hardware, modeled its kinematics, and implemented its embedded control and gait generation.