What’s that strong attraction to robots? Is it that popular culture has introduced the concept to us in such a manner that we won’t feel like we’ve really arrived in “the future” unless we have a few personal robot devices around? Is it the fact that the devices themselves are so technologically compelling that they excite us on some creative primordial level? Maybe I should stick to one five-year-old boy’s recent explanation of the robot craze when I asked him what he loves about robots: “They are just soooo cool.”
Well, whatever it is that makes us love robots is not fading away and a new device has arrived to remind us of that simple fact.
The people who invented the “Dobot: Robotic Arm for Everyone, Arduino and Open Source” wanted to raise a mere $36,000 by November 4, 2015, and guess what happened? With 15 more days to go they have raised a whopping 982% of their funding goal! That’s $353,599 (and counting) with 14 days still to go… So you can imagine that at this juncture the moon might feel like the limit for this project, but no, they are still thinking of ways to entice more pledges. How does a free 3D printing pen sound if you back the Dobot campaign?
You can check all of the amazing Dobotic features out in your own time, which is highly recommended. Suffice it to say that after looking over the website, Kickstarter campaign, and many videos, the description given on the Dobot website seems more than accurate:
“Dobot is the world’s first high precision robotic arm at consumer grade. It features industrial scale accuracy and stability, intuitive and versatile controls, all at a highly competitive price.”
The idea to give away a 3D printing pen is a great one, since these pens can be used both to demonstrate the Dobot’s abilities and to excite more people about pledging to the campaign. Dobot states:
“With a 3D printer pen mounted on Dobot, the 2D graph or geometry structure can be generated from PC software and print easily and accurately. And mostly, your design can be duplicated easily and given to your friends as a gift. “
So here are the details. If you are a Dobot backer or plan to become one (maybe after reading this?) then you will receive a pen (sent with your Dobot) if you follow these basic steps. First, you must share the Dobot campaign link (https://goo.gl/k6Wh65) three different times on social media platforms of your choosing (Facebook, Twitter, Google +, etc.). Second, make sure you add the hashtags #3dprinting_dobot and @Dobot so your sharing efforts can be recognized and rewarded. The webpage about this campaign also gives you default content to use when you share.
How easy is that? As little as $399 gets people the early bird special — but that’s sold out, along with the $49 pledge level. You can still snag a Dobot robotic arm starting with a $499 pledge, though, so don’t despair. And of course the more you pledge as a backer, the more other bells and whistles become available
That’s the latest from the Dobot Kickstarter phenomenon: I’m sure there will be more news to come about this exciting project that will not settle until there’s “A Robot Arm in Every Home.”
Will you be backing this project on Kickstarter? Let us know in the Dobot forum thread on 3DPB.com.