You have to respect a proper scientist and engineer. Making this open source rather than trying to monetize it for all it's worth. You're absolutely phenomenal James. I could see this being used instead of a camera on a track.
Beautiful! (I'd put rotate on a non-latching toggle switch by the thumb were you currently have the one toggle switch. I don't know if you'll revisit this it just kind of feels like it could be a product, like there's a market for this)
For future builds you intend to ride, I strongly recommend adding a dead-man style safety, not just the push button, think jet-ski where it's a cord around your wrist in case you fall off.
Wow, fantastic job. This thing is just amazing. The circles and sideways are great and all, but I'd love to see you give it the beans in a straight line forward.
He goes in a straight line several times, probably close to a dozen, but with the rotating wheels it doesn’t look like it. Maybe its not a perfectly straight line, but its close.
i'd change the controls to use both twist grips to control turning, twisting one twist grip turns the bike in that direction and twisting both moves the bike forward/backward depending on the direction switch, this would make it easier to steer at speed since you can just slightly let off one of the twist grips to steer
That sounds a lot easier. 2 grips with 2-way control would allow for tank-like controls. Turn both the same direction for forward/backward motion and twisting in 2 separate directions controls steering. But like James said, he couldn't find grips like this. Still, doesn't sound like something he couldn't build himself.
I was just thinking the same lol. Still using his same controls, he can mix the input of two twist grips, and just flip the switch for reverse. It would be way more intuitive as the user, but maybe not as the person trying to figure out how to implement lol
@@Drakoman07 it doesn't seem too difficult to implement, just have 2 numbers in software, one for turning that is controlled by the difference between the 2 throttles and one for forward/backward that is controlled by the sum of the throttles minus the difference between the throttles, then just mix those results into the motor throttles the same way he does currently for the movement and the balancing
I'd suggest this control method, but pod-racer/speeder-bike style, with two nautical throttle levers instead of twist-grips - that way you can pull back, too. Pull back on both to go backwards, or pull back on one and forward on the other for *very* sharp turns.
This would be damn interesting. Especially considering I've once made something like this, but soon discovered it works pretty poor on uneven surfaces...
It would have nice to see the bike just go forward in a straight line just like a regular bike. Sort of in the vein of showing all its modes of motion. What a project!! Great work!!!
Not just that but maybe showing it actually doing bike stuff. I'm really curious how it works off road, but mostly I just want to see it actually drive straight.
Trouble is, mecanum wheels don't bear heavy weights very well due to all the moving parts. For a forklift, it'd either only be good for light duty, or you'd need a lot of wheels. Then again, I have found some videos with mecanum wheeled forklifts, so people ARE doing it.
@@harrietjameson They are expensive because of the moving parts, yes. The more bits on something that move, the more bits on it that can break. We agree with each other.
@@SkippertheBart not rlly, the moving bits you are talking about are ball bearings, which can take a lot of load. Frame is unknown but could be built strong enough
As someone who has watched Forklift Operator Klaus, I'm not entirely sold on spinning on a dime. It just seems like it would increase the risks of stuff sliding off of the forks if you spin too much while the stuff isn't properly secured.
Utmost respect for keeping everything open source, although i have yet to build any of your projects, it is a joy to watch your strange creations. Thank you.
@@nagualdesign Without even trying, i can find at least 20 things he can patent. Are you aware that double clicking is patented by microshaft, any type of spacer in a 3d printer hot end is patented by some evil company, etc, etc, down to some absurd stuff that should have never made it to the patent office, let alone actually granted a patent.
@@tomapc I'm not a proponent of patent law. However, I do know a little about it and I'd be amazed if you can find 20 patentable elements in this design. As you say, most things are the intellectual property of some corporation.
Lots of spinning and sideways demos, but very little going forward video. It is amazing and you did a fantastic job on the design and build. Thank you for sharing with us.
Exactly. Spinning and sideways motion is something that could be acheived with 4 wheels withount the little rollers. I wanted to see the straight line run.
If you can find forward and backward handles, I suggest building a VCS (Vehicle Control System) program that translates the two different handlebar actions into different effects: - both full forward: full speed ahead - one full forward, one neutral: slight forward engine power, but turn in the direction of neutral - one full forward, one full backward: full rotation in direction of full backward - one full backward, one neutral: slight backward engine power, but turn in direction of full backward - both full backward: full speed backward - both neutral: full stop This would be much more intuitive of a driving experience. Combine that with the yaw from leaning, and I think Disney will be hitting you up for on-set speederbikes!
Yeah, also, obvious question: why was handle rotation not implemented and used for bike rotation, you know, one of the only control mechanisms implemented in all current bikes?
Ah, there is a reason for that. Mecanum drives actually have another movement plane. They can straight up just go sideways. So how would you account for strafing with that schema?
@@KitaBFawkes It looks like it is currently using leaning for that. I might lean toward just using a thumbstick for that, maybe one of those little ones on flightsticks.
@@KitaBFawkes With this control scheme, you could maybe change the operation of the existing switches to cause them to alternate between forward-backward and left-right controls. Would be a bit bizarre to get used to (just rotate the above controls 90 degrees left, basically), but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Given that he couldn't even find forward and backward handles in the first place, though, I imagine that might be harder to implement than I'd expect; just sticking with leaning for lateral movement might be more fluid anyway
@@Aburaishi our issue with leaning is that you need to do so at speed to maintain balance. So it naturally kicks into an inward drift at speed in a turn? No, thank you. As someone familiar with mecanum drive... we recommend you think of it the same way you would a vehicle with these same wheels on 4 corners.
Any other channel would turn this into 20 build videos. This one is informed by all the omni bikes that came before. It looks like you had an idea, you executed it and it worked beyond your expectations with very little adjusting. Great work!
I really wanted to see it go forward, as if it was going to transport a person or load. Its super cool looking but it doesn't actually travel ,just going in circles. What kind of turn speed and radius would it have if it was traveling to a place outside the parking lot???
@jamesbruton I've just found this video. This thing is awesome, you've done an amazing job! I had a thought regarding the controls, what about something like an expanded game controller. You could have fixed hand grips, angled back towards you for comfort, and thumbsticks positioned where your thumbs would naturally rest on them. This gives you 8 different directional controls, of which you could use 1-4 at a time.
I can't imagine how obnoxious it was to attach the top wedges to the top plate. You pt so much effort into the little things in your videos and then gloss over them. Your patience and determination is inspiring.
OK...up until about 10 minutes ago, I really felt like I was on top of my game. Watching this video made me feel like a first day apprentice. Extremely well done. Great project and video. New sub here.
This is probably one of the most successful projects you've done, in that it works basically exactly as you planned it to with almost no secondary iteration necessary. I mean, it kind of is itself an iteration on many of your previous project, but basically what I'm trying to say is, you totally nailed it with this one!!!
The number of entire categories of knowledge required for this: programming, autocad, electronics, motors, 3D printing, welding, math & physics... and then all the tools, materials and space. This is a MIND-BOGGLING project for one person 😮🤯😵💫. Just wow! 👏👏👏
"Tank drive" controls could reduce two direction switches down to one! Awesome project! It literally looks like it shouldn't work, and that's the best kind of project.
I am continuously amazed by the patience of this man to wait 100s of hours for his parts to print and then assemble them by hand cranking a hydraulic press!!
That's an amazing build! Personally, I think it might be more intuitive if turning the left handle would turn you clockwise, turning the right handle would turn you counter-clockwise, and turning both at once would make you go forward. This would allow you to rotate both ways without a reverse turning switch, so you only need one reverse switch, not two. Mathematically, the difference between left and right handle positions would represent the rotation velocity, and the minimum of the two handle rotations would represent forward velocity. Since the way I understand it, you move the robot sideways by leaning sideways, you would be able to move all directions except in reverse without having to constantly toggle switches.
@@dandymcgee well you wouldnt have to be exact. It's all computational so he can factor in a tolerance of difference between handles and then you'd just have to be relatively close to the same position which is much more realistic.
literally what i was thinking. we all know a wheel can go in its intended direction but the cool part was the screw feature he... didnt really showcase at all. just performed like a hoverboard you sit on at an angle...
If you used an axial torsion load cell on the handlebar shaft you could control rotation by twisting the handlebars while still having stationary handlebars for stability. Maybe you could steal one out of an old X-65F joystick?
I think it is a cool idea, but i think the difficulty with that would be unintentional input. Maybe the cells could be in the pedals and the handlebars could remain the same support point?
@Teiz83 Something like what you suggested has actually been done before for the joystick of the F16 (I think). But is was actually quickly reverted back to a normal joystick that actually moves because the human brain works better when it gets that feedback of the position of the hand. So I guess a similar thing could happen hear where you “forget” what input you are making and thus go on to make a wrong input (a bit like the other guy said)
I can imagine one where you sit between the sets of wheels and hunch forward to the controls just over the front wheels and put batman on it , all black and some side guns hanging off the sides of the front. Over the rear set put some bat wings. Honestly this could be the next bat mobile if designed that way. Super cool.
I am amazed at the way the bike balances itself when near still or motionless and when you move either to the left or right with no forward or reverse it just looks so awesome... I mean its just absolutely solid and not making any micro movements that I can see.. It is almost like its got 4 wheels with one being in each corner... that is amazing...
Yes, there might be very small points in the big wheels' rotational position of natural, mechanical stoppage, points when 2 mecanums from each wheel both contact the ground at equidistant but counter-body positions, which allows the big wheel to come to "rest" on a surface, like a sort of saw-tooth gap of lateral space where the wheel best rests vertically. Or maybe he's just a great, 3-axis, spatial coder 👍👍!
"Look ma, I made an insanely complex self stabilizing people transporting machine. Combining highly sophisticated knowledge of mechanical engineering, 3d-crafting, electronics and software engineering. Producing a fully functional prototype, that would have taken a well founded and staffed company a few dozen man-years to complete. And I did it in my DIY-shop in a few months, and made it look easy!" "Stop that nonsense James, and eat your porridge! "
Dude amazing build, absolutely awesome. The thing that had me though was the cinematography in the parking lot scene. The way the whole video took a different feel when the camera angle and music changed had me dying laughing seeing your goofy smile lol. Nicely done!
I am astonished by how well your designs work out. Most other 3D printing guys go through a dozen versions before they come up with something that doesn't break immediately.
iterative design, he has made dozens, if not hundreds of other things using balancing systems on the channel and the earlier ones had issues that could be looked at and learned from to make this, the pinnacle of a good engineer is not making the same mistake twice if you can help it.
There is total reliance on electronics, but it's brilliant, and it's only a prototype: it looks very stable now you have to figure out shock absorbing, handling on rough(er) terrains and careful with curbs. Maybe you could design those wheels to protrude beyond the rim, make them chunkier, like those buoys design that protect the rope, the problem is that you have the belt exposed as "crumple zone". (Just a feedback, no prejudice for the absolutely great job.)
I was thinking the same thing, but it specifically moves in the direction you're tilting, so it'll look weird because he'll be tilting *away* from the direction of the camera
For a two-way throttle, you might want to look at pallet trucks. We called them butterfly switches, but I think they're just called thumbwheels. Effectively, the handles curve around to meet near the switch which can be tilted either way with your thumb. On the smaller trucks, they're usually attached to each other so you can use your left/right hand, but on larger trucks with more controls, one might do the forward and back while the other controls the forks. Just search electric picking truck throttle control. You'll see what I'm talking about. Runntech have a header you can buy. But it looks like the important switches are attached through the middle, so it wouldn't be appropriate for this project out of the box
This is a huge and incredible project that must have taken hundreds if hours, all for a single 20 minute video. Thank you for all the time and dedication, you’re amazing!
As far as practical application, the only drive-testing I noticed that really matters is 12:40 - 12:46, where you go forward, spin, and go backward. Most of the rest is going sideways, on sideways wheels, so of course it works. Also, it appears to go faster sideways, because of the wheel-omniwheel size difference. I'd suggest facing the full wheels forwards as usual, and it'd make a highly-maneuverable motorcycle, with comparable speeds to a regular one. That said, awesome build, and it looks like you had a lot of fun riding it around.
I thought the same. James builds have become so much better now he's incorporated metal and wood. The change I've seen in his design process over the years really inspires 😊
Is this your best project ever?!? YES, it is!! What a fantastic build, James. It's probably not legal but I'd love to see you using this in a public space to see the reactions of the crowd. No doubt you'll cause quite a sensation.
Put blinkers, headlights and break lights on it... it's legal in Florida after a short trip to the DMV... do .. easy to make it legal in at least one state.
Controls are nada! 😭 You need two dual six axis, one in each hand. Twisting operates grips, moving up and down raise lower and six-axis the arms. Youve got a balancing exosketon base here! Anyone watch Avatar? Minus the legs, itsa tank!
This is amazing. I 3D-printed my own small mecanum wheel car with heat shrink tubing as tyres for more grip. But a bike in real size, that's two levels ahead.
I'd love to see a crossover with Adam Savage, mostly to see what Adam would do on the "finished" product. James is super practical and Adam is very looks orientated.. these project would look so future
I have a feeling this would work even better as a chair and not a bike, and since it's sideways motion is better than forward sit on the side and have the steering on the side as well. It would make a nice chair with a great degree of moving freedom.
This is super impressive James!!! If I may make one suggestion, and that's a little guard to keep your shoes from accidentally coming in contact with the wheels. I would love to see a race around a track with 4 or 5 of these!
I was thinking, why not have twist controls for the handlebars themselves. Grip twist to go forward/reverse as it is now, but turn the handlebars like you would on a standard bike to engage rotation. Also when moving at speed, you probably want to rotate from the direction of travel rather than from the centre of balance for the bike. If the bike suddenly began turning to face the direction of travel side on, it would have to over correct for the sideways force. Turning the front faster would give you, the rider, ample time to adjust your balance. Otherwise, great stuff. Looks like fun.
Could you make one with smaller wheels and a shroud so it looks even more like it shouldn’t be able to balance! Brilliant as always! So much hard work! Well done and thanks for taking the time to create and share it.
8:00 Protip, whenever you deal with rod ends, just pop them on first, then bolt them on to whatever you're bolting them on to, because rod ends have this bad habbit of locking the shaft in place whenever they get misaligned.
another amazing build! I'm so glad this one actually works as designed 🤔though I would've liked to see at least a bit of you driving forward & back along the length of the parking lot since that's visually counter intuitive to how the wheels are oriented. 🥳that said, it's still an amazing build though I'd be curious about how fast it can go forward... cheers James & looking forward to your next creation!
I agree, this IS the coolest thing you've built. It's cool to see the last 12 months or so of projects all culminate in this project which both looks really cool and works really well!
I think you’re probably experiencing integral windup. A potential solution is a leaky integrator. But there are several methods to dealing with the integral windup. I think there’s probably some off the shelf options available in the controller to help manage that. It’s a very common issue with PID and often employed to improve the basic PID
My dude, that was incredible, amazing job! I was actually just talking with a friend about using this style of wheel on cars, as it would change the dynamics on the road significantly! The applications of this are so cool though! Keep refining this, and it will be something truly groundbreaking!
***Incredible! This is my first video from you, and I am hooked. Thank you for such beautiful content! I'm not a scientist, engineer, or mechanic, so I apologize if this is a silly question. Why wasn't grease applied to the silver rod that threads between all the wheels? I thought grease or oil prevents excessive heat from friction. I'd appreciate an answer. Thank you.
love this, super industrial, the headlight was a great addition. I could see something like this zipping around on a factory floor or something in some kind of dystopian sci-fi setting.
As an enginerd and lover of everything two-wheeled I have to say that this is one of the most awesome things I've seen in a long time, definitely take my hat off to you. Love the headlight you put on it :'D
Enjoy your content but your editing gives me flicker vertigo. Maybe not so many snaps back and forth with fast motion? A little is fine but too much is a turn off.
Yeah, now that you mentioned it, I don’t get vertigo or seasickness but, it was even a bit much for me too. Still incredible content though. Hope you’re not feeling unwell because of it.
why do i feel all that intro about how it came about could have been spared by just telling us you saw the watson video and wanted to make a bike like that?😂 this is genius by the way
i felt amazed by how much one can do with 21st century technology. 3d printing and cnc are just so amazing
dont forget laser cutting too! :D
@@indaansel9558 sincere apologies to everyone who uses laser cutting🤣
You have to respect a proper scientist and engineer. Making this open source rather than trying to monetize it for all it's worth.
You're absolutely phenomenal James.
I could see this being used instead of a camera on a track.
Ooo yeah that’s a great idea. It would only work in flat areas though, good for parking lot scenes or even building interiors if there’s enough space
Beautiful! (I'd put rotate on a non-latching toggle switch by the thumb were you currently have the one toggle switch. I don't know if you'll revisit this it just kind of feels like it could be a product, like there's a market for this)
@@akindaanimations there are ways around that issue such as bilateral screw wheels about the COG.
no business is gonna sell this, nobody is going to buy it anyway as it ain't practical
You would need camera applications in which this is cheaper and more practical than two guys on a chair with casters.
For future builds you intend to ride, I strongly recommend adding a dead-man style safety, not just the push button, think jet-ski where it's a cord around your wrist in case you fall off.
do you know how much cost a cord will add to the project?!?! and the logistical nightmare of having to source one?
@@somerandomdragon4655 Im sure hes smart enough to make one himself instead of buying one
@@HelviussCue Teaching Tech’s 3d-printed rope lol
He can’t be that concerned about safety, he didn’t even wear a helmet..😊
Screw a helmet what about a safety tie?!
Wow, fantastic job. This thing is just amazing. The circles and sideways are great and all, but I'd love to see you give it the beans in a straight line forward.
yeah that's what I'm thinking, the thing is basically constantly drifting
He goes in a straight line several times, probably close to a dozen, but with the rotating wheels it doesn’t look like it. Maybe its not a perfectly straight line, but its close.
I thought the same
i'd change the controls to use both twist grips to control turning, twisting one twist grip turns the bike in that direction and twisting both moves the bike forward/backward depending on the direction switch, this would make it easier to steer at speed since you can just slightly let off one of the twist grips to steer
That sounds a lot easier. 2 grips with 2-way control would allow for tank-like controls.
Turn both the same direction for forward/backward motion and twisting in 2 separate directions controls steering.
But like James said, he couldn't find grips like this.
Still, doesn't sound like something he couldn't build himself.
This is actually a smart idea! I believe this would actually be great to use + no additional significant parts/upgrades needed!
I was just thinking the same lol. Still using his same controls, he can mix the input of two twist grips, and just flip the switch for reverse. It would be way more intuitive as the user, but maybe not as the person trying to figure out how to implement lol
@@Drakoman07 it doesn't seem too difficult to implement, just have 2 numbers in software, one for turning that is controlled by the difference between the 2 throttles and one for forward/backward that is controlled by the sum of the throttles minus the difference between the throttles, then just mix those results into the motor throttles the same way he does currently for the movement and the balancing
I'd suggest this control method, but pod-racer/speeder-bike style, with two nautical throttle levers instead of twist-grips - that way you can pull back, too. Pull back on both to go backwards, or pull back on one and forward on the other for *very* sharp turns.
this deserves a followup video with passing a silly obstacle course
came to the comments to say this, also I wanna see how fast it goes
Even just a slalom would help to show how it responds to the drivers intentions
Or going to a biker meeting...
oh man invite colin furze
This would be damn interesting. Especially considering I've once made something like this, but soon discovered it works pretty poor on uneven surfaces...
It would have nice to see the bike just go forward in a straight line just like a regular bike. Sort of in the vein of showing all its modes of motion.
What a project!! Great work!!!
Not just that but maybe showing it actually doing bike stuff. I'm really curious how it works off road, but mostly I just want to see it actually drive straight.
It would have nice indeed
Going straight is surely what it's worst at. Sideways oriented wheels make that the priority. But agreed.
It would have been nice indeed!
22:01 here
It is possible that these design ideas are suitable for automatic forklifts in warehouses. Great job.
Trouble is, mecanum wheels don't bear heavy weights very well due to all the moving parts. For a forklift, it'd either only be good for light duty, or you'd need a lot of wheels.
Then again, I have found some videos with mecanum wheeled forklifts, so people ARE doing it.
@@SkippertheBartthey are expensive, thats the problem, and its not just the rubber that wears down
@@harrietjameson They are expensive because of the moving parts, yes. The more bits on something that move, the more bits on it that can break. We agree with each other.
@@SkippertheBart not rlly, the moving bits you are talking about are ball bearings, which can take a lot of load. Frame is unknown but could be built strong enough
As someone who has watched Forklift Operator Klaus, I'm not entirely sold on spinning on a dime.
It just seems like it would increase the risks of stuff sliding off of the forks if you spin too much while the stuff isn't properly secured.
Utmost respect for keeping everything open source, although i have yet to build any of your projects, it is a joy to watch your strange creations.
Thank you.
There's nothing here that could be patented. The visual design could be protected but why bother? It's not like he's planning on selling these bikes.
@@nagualdesign you can leave a design unprotected without it being open source. The CAD and code are in the description for anyone to download.
It's the only true way to progress in humanity! :)
@@nagualdesign Without even trying, i can find at least 20 things he can patent.
Are you aware that double clicking is patented by microshaft, any type of spacer in a 3d printer hot end is patented by some evil company, etc, etc, down to some absurd stuff that should have never made it to the patent office, let alone actually granted a patent.
@@tomapc I'm not a proponent of patent law. However, I do know a little about it and I'd be amazed if you can find 20 patentable elements in this design. As you say, most things are the intellectual property of some corporation.
“Screw bike mecanum wheel omnidirectional colinear drive bike project” really rolls off the tongue!
Rolls off the tongue and sounds like you're disparaging it 😆
Ah, the SBMWOCDBP!
Mecan-O-liner
Omniquake! 'Cause ya know, BI=2 and QUAd=4 😁😁
SwerveCycle
Lots of spinning and sideways demos, but very little going forward video. It is amazing and you did a fantastic job on the design and build. Thank you for sharing with us.
Same.
Indeed. I wanted to see how stable and fast it was in a straight line.
Exactly. Spinning and sideways motion is something that could be acheived with 4 wheels withount the little rollers. I wanted to see the straight line run.
1:02 I would like to see it ride like this little robot.
The controls are unfinished, impossible.
Open source, so who can add a Bluetooth dual axis controller to this?! 😊
If you can find forward and backward handles, I suggest building a VCS (Vehicle Control System) program that translates the two different handlebar actions into different effects:
- both full forward: full speed ahead
- one full forward, one neutral: slight forward engine power, but turn in the direction of neutral
- one full forward, one full backward: full rotation in direction of full backward
- one full backward, one neutral: slight backward engine power, but turn in direction of full backward
- both full backward: full speed backward
- both neutral: full stop
This would be much more intuitive of a driving experience.
Combine that with the yaw from leaning, and I think Disney will be hitting you up for on-set speederbikes!
Yeah, also, obvious question: why was handle rotation not implemented and used for bike rotation, you know, one of the only control mechanisms implemented in all current bikes?
Ah, there is a reason for that. Mecanum drives actually have another movement plane. They can straight up just go sideways. So how would you account for strafing with that schema?
@@KitaBFawkes It looks like it is currently using leaning for that.
I might lean toward just using a thumbstick for that, maybe one of those little ones on flightsticks.
@@KitaBFawkes With this control scheme, you could maybe change the operation of the existing switches to cause them to alternate between forward-backward and left-right controls. Would be a bit bizarre to get used to (just rotate the above controls 90 degrees left, basically), but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Given that he couldn't even find forward and backward handles in the first place, though, I imagine that might be harder to implement than I'd expect; just sticking with leaning for lateral movement might be more fluid anyway
@@Aburaishi our issue with leaning is that you need to do so at speed to maintain balance. So it naturally kicks into an inward drift at speed in a turn? No, thank you. As someone familiar with mecanum drive... we recommend you think of it the same way you would a vehicle with these same wheels on 4 corners.
People: That's like reinventing the Wheel
James Burton: Yes
Yes but what if more dimesions
The casual vibe of James' videos nearly shades the absolute genius behind them.
@@MrRandomSuperhero "But what if more dimensions"
James: moves through time
James Burton was Elvis' guitarist. This man is James Bruton. It's written right there!!! See?
But what if the wheel had more wheels on it?
Any other channel would turn this into 20 build videos. This one is informed by all the omni bikes that came before. It looks like you had an idea, you executed it and it worked beyond your expectations with very little adjusting.
Great work!
Mostly the new IMU and the 6KW of motors made this possible!
underrated comment
@@jamesbruton Are you going to EMF this year mate?
I really wanted to see it go forward, as if it was going to transport a person or load. Its super cool looking but it doesn't actually travel ,just going in circles. What kind of turn speed and radius would it have if it was traveling to a place outside the parking lot???
@jamesbruton I've just found this video. This thing is awesome, you've done an amazing job! I had a thought regarding the controls, what about something like an expanded game controller. You could have fixed hand grips, angled back towards you for comfort, and thumbsticks positioned where your thumbs would naturally rest on them. This gives you 8 different directional controls, of which you could use 1-4 at a time.
I can't imagine how obnoxious it was to attach the top wedges to the top plate. You pt so much effort into the little things in your videos and then gloss over them. Your patience and determination is inspiring.
I was thinking the same thing!
especially if he also glued those on.
OK...up until about 10 minutes ago, I really felt like I was on top of my game. Watching this video made me feel like a first day apprentice. Extremely well done. Great project and video. New sub here.
Well that does it, James has finally made a fully screwed bike. Nice job!
Agreed. He thoroughly shafted this one, if you ask me.
You guys are really driving this point home HA😂.
I love watching him ride this this croctch rocket as it twists under him
This is probably one of the most successful projects you've done, in that it works basically exactly as you planned it to with almost no secondary iteration necessary. I mean, it kind of is itself an iteration on many of your previous project, but basically what I'm trying to say is, you totally nailed it with this one!!!
Only thing is that it doesn't seem to be able to drive too straight.
The number of entire categories of knowledge required for this: programming, autocad, electronics, motors, 3D printing, welding, math & physics... and then all the tools, materials and space. This is a MIND-BOGGLING project for one person 😮🤯😵💫. Just wow! 👏👏👏
For a mind with few boggles I guess…
@@carlsjr7975 rude
Some just don’t have the money for all the toys.
I wonder how many hrs he has in this buildd
welcome to the world of engineering
"Tank drive" controls could reduce two direction switches down to one! Awesome project! It literally looks like it shouldn't work, and that's the best kind of project.
Just needs a joystick with yaw
I am continuously amazed by the patience of this man to wait 100s of hours for his parts to print and then assemble them by hand cranking a hydraulic press!!
i will bet you he is not standing around WAITING. plenty of inventing and building to be done.
Patience is definitely something many could stand to work on, and things like this are a good exercise in that
It's mind blowing the variance in human productivity
And screwing in those screws by hand! 😄
Кто верит, что изобретатель работает в одиночку?
You should totally build some bi directional grips for it, i bet it would feel 10x better to drive than it does already
Blutooth controller.
A dual six axis either under thumb, or in hand upright!
That's an amazing build!
Personally, I think it might be more intuitive if turning the left handle would turn you clockwise, turning the right handle would turn you counter-clockwise, and turning both at once would make you go forward. This would allow you to rotate both ways without a reverse turning switch, so you only need one reverse switch, not two.
Mathematically, the difference between left and right handle positions would represent the rotation velocity, and the minimum of the two handle rotations would represent forward velocity. Since the way I understand it, you move the robot sideways by leaning sideways, you would be able to move all directions except in reverse without having to constantly toggle switches.
Would be way too hard to go straight, having to hold two different throttles at exactly the same positions constantly.
Like a tank
@@dandymcgee what about just turning the handlebars like a regular bike??
@@dandymcgee well you wouldnt have to be exact. It's all computational so he can factor in a tolerance of difference between handles and then you'd just have to be relatively close to the same position which is much more realistic.
@@kinnikunky He already answered that question in the video.
I feel like there might be some awesome applications for those that are wheelchair bound. Truly talented person.
Amazing stuff.
Really waited for a demo seeing it go straight forward in its top speed though...
Yeah.... I was disappointed that he just spun around in circles for nearly 8 minutes
literally what i was thinking. we all know a wheel can go in its intended direction but the cool part was the screw feature he... didnt really showcase at all. just performed like a hoverboard you sit on at an angle...
Yeah a top speed would be cool and how long do those batteries last?
Imagine cruising along, wind in your hair and joggers be like "on your right"
I dont think it works well going straight. He showed it go straight enough at the start and you can see it leans one way.
If you used an axial torsion load cell on the handlebar shaft you could control rotation by twisting the handlebars while still having stationary handlebars for stability. Maybe you could steal one out of an old X-65F joystick?
I think it is a cool idea, but i think the difficulty with that would be unintentional input. Maybe the cells could be in the pedals and the handlebars could remain the same support point?
@Teiz83 Something like what you suggested has actually been done before for the joystick of the F16 (I think). But is was actually quickly reverted back to a normal joystick that actually moves because the human brain works better when it gets that feedback of the position of the hand. So I guess a similar thing could happen hear where you “forget” what input you are making and thus go on to make a wrong input (a bit like the other guy said)
Mud has entered the chat.
With May the 4th coming up, this would make a great foundation to dress up like a speeder bike from Star Wars
legit
This
I can imagine one where you sit between the sets of wheels and hunch forward to the controls just over the front wheels and put batman on it , all black and some side guns hanging off the sides of the front. Over the rear set put some bat wings. Honestly this could be the next bat mobile if designed that way. Super cool.
Omg yes, also, I could imagine this thing making one helluva sci-fi vehicle in itself, or the base for the next merchandising opportunity Droid, lol.
I believe the original intention was to make this a speeder bike. At least he mentions it in a previous version of this build.
There's nothing quite like powerful tools in the hands of creative and knowledgeable people!
"Screw itself along" Is not a quote I was expecting from James this morning. LOL
I am amazed at the way the bike balances itself when near still or motionless and when you move either to the left or right with no forward or reverse it just looks so awesome... I mean its just absolutely solid and not making any micro movements that I can see.. It is almost like its got 4 wheels with one being in each corner... that is amazing...
Yes, there might be very small points in the big wheels' rotational position of natural, mechanical stoppage, points when 2 mecanums from each wheel both contact the ground at equidistant but counter-body positions, which allows the big wheel to come to "rest" on a surface, like a sort of saw-tooth gap of lateral space where the wheel best rests vertically.
Or maybe he's just a great, 3-axis, spatial coder 👍👍!
"Look ma, I made an insanely complex self stabilizing people transporting machine. Combining highly sophisticated knowledge of mechanical engineering, 3d-crafting, electronics and software engineering. Producing a fully functional prototype, that would have taken a well founded and staffed company a few dozen man-years to complete. And I did it in my DIY-shop in a few months, and made it look easy!"
"Stop that nonsense James, and eat your porridge! "
LOL,, I 100% agree 🙂
And it can only drive sideways 😢
and no hands
Elon Musk would employ you
@@jim-stacyJust don't use Elon Musks " unbreakable " glass anywhere on it...
Dude amazing build, absolutely awesome. The thing that had me though was the cinematography in the parking lot scene. The way the whole video took a different feel when the camera angle and music changed had me dying laughing seeing your goofy smile lol. Nicely done!
I'm impressed that you got it to rotate, while balancing, and moving forward all at the same time.
I am astonished by how well your designs work out. Most other 3D printing guys go through a dozen versions before they come up with something that doesn't break immediately.
iterative design, he has made dozens, if not hundreds of other things using balancing systems on the channel and the earlier ones had issues that could be looked at and learned from to make this, the pinnacle of a good engineer is not making the same mistake twice if you can help it.
This guy is a pro, with years of experience building DIY projects like this
@@dogruler543 That and he could very well just not include the failed versions.
magic of editing
Mr. Bruton, I have made a few things myself and its not lost on me how much work and expertise is required for this type of project. Well done Sir.
Just the sheer man-hours of design , coding, and building! It must have taken ages!
There is total reliance on electronics, but it's brilliant, and it's only a prototype: it looks very stable now you have to figure out shock absorbing, handling on rough(er) terrains and careful with curbs. Maybe you could design those wheels to protrude beyond the rim, make them chunkier, like those buoys design that protect the rope, the problem is that you have the belt exposed as "crumple zone". (Just a feedback, no prejudice for the absolutely great job.)
Seems purpose-built to make doing an Akira slide easy enough for your average Anime nerd :P
*TETSUOOOOOOO!!* slam into a brick wall.
I was thinking the same thing, but it specifically moves in the direction you're tilting, so it'll look weird because he'll be tilting *away* from the direction of the camera
Cant wait for a commercial version with proper molded rubber weels for grip and shocks so a bump at high speed doesnt shatter your tailbone.
For a two-way throttle, you might want to look at pallet trucks.
We called them butterfly switches, but I think they're just called thumbwheels. Effectively, the handles curve around to meet near the switch which can be tilted either way with your thumb.
On the smaller trucks, they're usually attached to each other so you can use your left/right hand, but on larger trucks with more controls, one might do the forward and back while the other controls the forks.
Just search electric picking truck throttle control. You'll see what I'm talking about. Runntech have a header you can buy. But it looks like the important switches are attached through the middle, so it wouldn't be appropriate for this project out of the box
This is one of the coolest builds on TH-cam! Well done James , what an inspiration 👍
Your balancing Bat-Bike doesn't need to go sideways too!
@@Rebar77_real haha , just balancing would be good!
So this machine can't go straight, just goes sideways all day and make you very happy, incredible invention.😢😢😢
This is a huge and incredible project that must have taken hundreds if hours, all for a single 20 minute video. Thank you for all the time and dedication, you’re amazing!
As far as practical application, the only drive-testing I noticed that really matters is 12:40 - 12:46, where you go forward, spin, and go backward. Most of the rest is going sideways, on sideways wheels, so of course it works. Also, it appears to go faster sideways, because of the wheel-omniwheel size difference. I'd suggest facing the full wheels forwards as usual, and it'd make a highly-maneuverable motorcycle, with comparable speeds to a regular one.
That said, awesome build, and it looks like you had a lot of fun riding it around.
I did not expect this to work so well right off the bat. This is definitely one of the most amazing build so far James !!! Amazing !
That's one of the most incredible bicycles ive ever seen, and one the most impractical too😅
James, you are getting better and better with TIG welding!
looks like his welder doesn’t have hf start - looks like he lifts it away to start
I thought the same. James builds have become so much better now he's incorporated metal and wood. The change I've seen in his design process over the years really inspires 😊
Is this your best project ever?!? YES, it is!! What a fantastic build, James. It's probably not legal but I'd love to see you using this in a public space to see the reactions of the crowd. No doubt you'll cause quite a sensation.
Put blinkers, headlights and break lights on it... it's legal in Florida after a short trip to the DMV... do .. easy to make it legal in at least one state.
@@gustymaat7011 But which way do you point the headlight? 😫
Dude!! This is so nuts! I want one! Can't wait for the next rendition! The control blows my mind!
Controls are nada! 😭
You need two dual six axis, one in each hand.
Twisting operates grips, moving up and down raise lower and six-axis the arms.
Youve got a balancing exosketon base here!
Anyone watch Avatar?
Minus the legs, itsa tank!
My mind is blown. I realize all these technologies exist, but it's nuts just how this looks and moves. It goes against everything my mind expects.
This is amazing. I 3D-printed my own small mecanum wheel car with heat shrink tubing as tyres for more grip. But a bike in real size, that's two levels ahead.
You’re not screwing around this time!
No, actually, that's exactly what he's doing.
@@CaedmonOS: Hey, sometimes he's screwed on straight!
You should have said "quit screwing around!" instead :)
HE IS 😂
You're not going to believe this...
I'd love to see a crossover with Adam Savage, mostly to see what Adam would do on the "finished" product. James is super practical and Adam is very looks orientated.. these project would look so future
I have a feeling this would work even better as a chair and not a bike, and since it's sideways motion is better than forward sit on the side and have the steering on the side as well. It would make a nice chair with a great degree of moving freedom.
1:17 people take this for granted. back in my day, you had to make your own! from scratch! and they sucked and we liked it!
Great project! Those TPU wheels could be made using vulcanized rubber in a mold for long time durability.
Can we all acknowledge how insane this guys upload schedule is?
No
"can we all"
shut up im tired of this comment format
Dude, stunning level of thinking, design, engineering and building. You are a legend. The possible uses of this for things like wheelchairs is amazing
This is super impressive James!!! If I may make one suggestion, and that's a little guard to keep your shoes from accidentally coming in contact with the wheels. I would love to see a race around a track with 4 or 5 of these!
You absolute madman! All you need to do now is show up to a biker meet, all kitted up in leather and coming in diagonally backwards.
I was thinking, why not have twist controls for the handlebars themselves. Grip twist to go forward/reverse as it is now, but turn the handlebars like you would on a standard bike to engage rotation.
Also when moving at speed, you probably want to rotate from the direction of travel rather than from the centre of balance for the bike. If the bike suddenly began turning to face the direction of travel side on, it would have to over correct for the sideways force. Turning the front faster would give you, the rider, ample time to adjust your balance.
Otherwise, great stuff. Looks like fun.
he literally explained the issue with having standard handlebars that rotate....IN THE VIDEO.
@@samdillard1824 I thought I heard him say handlebars that TILT with the frame were problematic, not ROTATE while fixed vertically.
It would be dual each side, expensive and from scratch?
No, you need a dual six axis game controller.
Exactly what you need here. 👍
BEAUTIFUL work, all around! And on such an ambitious project, too.
Could you make one with smaller wheels and a shroud so it looks even more like it shouldn’t be able to balance! Brilliant as always! So much hard work! Well done and thanks for taking the time to create and share it.
wow that is way more stable now, great job!
OMG, that is some *serious* engineering! Thank you, James, for taking on such an ambitious project and sharing it so openly with us. Cheers.
Someone: *Shows James a motorcycle*
James: "Screw that"
8:00 Protip, whenever you deal with rod ends, just pop them on first, then bolt them on to whatever you're bolting them on to, because rod ends have this bad habbit of locking the shaft in place whenever they get misaligned.
another amazing build! I'm so glad this one actually works as designed
🤔though I would've liked to see at least a bit of you driving forward & back along the length of the parking lot since that's visually counter intuitive to how the wheels are oriented.
🥳that said, it's still an amazing build though I'd be curious about how fast it can go forward...
cheers James & looking forward to your next creation!
Yeah, looks like it doesn't really do the forward in a straight line thing very well. Nifty idea though.
Something like a "slalom" course would have been nice.
I agree, this IS the coolest thing you've built. It's cool to see the last 12 months or so of projects all culminate in this project which both looks really cool and works really well!
perfect for a steady-cam filming mounted on this
I think you’re probably experiencing integral windup. A potential solution is a leaky integrator. But there are several methods to dealing with the integral windup. I think there’s probably some off the shelf options available in the controller to help manage that. It’s a very common issue with PID and often employed to improve the basic PID
Often got rid of to remove integral windup
Your projects get better each time.
Every kid in your neighborhood should be watching u every time u come out of your garage. Because of all the kool things u build.
My dude, that was incredible, amazing job! I was actually just talking with a friend about using this style of wheel on cars, as it would change the dynamics on the road significantly! The applications of this are so cool though! Keep refining this, and it will be something truly groundbreaking!
The fact that you can just build this at home is why I love the industrial revolution
The Industrial Revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race (sorry it was obligatory)
1:40 seizure alert! 🤣😵💫
James is the Skunkworks of TH-cam.
hahaha the eccentric englishman tinkering in his garage equivalent of skunkworks
@cho4d shut up
Crazy that 3D printed stuff is starting to look super legit. Also cool you are open sourcing the project.
" I"m James Bruton of course I'm going to 3D print an amazing mechanical semi-robotic device that amazes everyone" ...
I just realised this is exactly how the drones in siege work....
BRB HAVE A PROJECT IDEA
ooh, have fun!
OH SHIT NOT A BAD SHOUT
and he never cameback ):
Wireless Bluetooth controller on an amplifier.
Lets run 20-200 at once? 🤩
What was your idea dude, and any progress on it? 👀
Not gonna lie as fun as it was to watch the constant cuts from 1:40 gave me some vertigo
I had to search a while for this comment. Thought I was the only one with "Schwindelgefühl" during that section. 😅
***Incredible! This is my first video from you, and I am hooked. Thank you for such beautiful content!
I'm not a scientist, engineer, or mechanic, so I apologize if this is a silly question. Why wasn't grease applied to the silver rod that threads between all the wheels? I thought grease or oil prevents excessive heat from friction. I'd appreciate an answer. Thank you.
love this, super industrial, the headlight was a great addition. I could see something like this zipping around on a factory floor or something in some kind of dystopian sci-fi setting.
Or utopian..
If the A Team was just one guy
Now build one for each foot and ride them on stilts 😃
You could steer it like a tank with the two throttles
My thought exactly
A Bluetooth dual six-axis controller.
Already exists.
Made for this!
As an enginerd and lover of everything two-wheeled I have to say that this is one of the most awesome things I've seen in a long time, definitely take my hat off to you. Love the headlight you put on it :'D
9:37 AMOGUS
AMOGUS
Enjoy your content but your editing gives me flicker vertigo. Maybe not so many snaps back and forth with fast motion? A little is fine but too much is a turn off.
Now that you said that I too can’t watch anymore
Yeah, now that you mentioned it, I don’t get vertigo or seasickness but, it was even a bit much for me too. Still incredible content though. Hope you’re not feeling unwell because of it.
Yeah that bit was kinda hurting my brain
Cry about it
@@L33tSkE3tIf I hope they are unwell from it, does that cancel yours out?
Doing drifts in your kitchen is a new level of awesome! I'd like to see how well it works for going straight like a regular motorcycle, though.
what about a thumb stick for rotation?
Yee, chop a game controller in half and mount either side on the ends of the handlebars
Laundry hamper!
My brain exactly!👍😁
Dual six axis controllers..
Were invented For This!
🎮
late stage capitalism hits different
Late stage?
It's just getting started.
imagine controlling it with a couple thumbsticks, console FPS style
why do i feel all that intro about how it came about could have been spared by just telling us you saw the watson video and wanted to make a bike like that?😂 this is genius by the way
I can't imagine the time that must have been spent designing and building this machine!! VERY impressive!!
I ADMIRE your tenacity!!! Astonishing amount of complex work!
Your skill growth since the 123D days is insane and inspiring. This bike is awesome.
This is off the scale.
Pure genius.
Amazing amount of DIY work, by just one genius person.
It shocks me how calm his voice can be while making literally the sickest thing I've ever seen 😍😍
Impressive engineering all around.
That looks like the most fun thing to ride on the planet! Awesome job.
I love these videos that show alternate universe inventions.
Imagine if we never used the wheel like did and just put stuff on sideways.
Brilliant.