Chapter 4: Building a Mechanical Bird

Biomimicry is the study and application of products, systems, mechanisms, and solutions to problems based on biological processes and functions found in nature. It is incredible what you can learn from plants and animals to find solutions to your own problems.

One of the many fascinating animals on our planet is the bird. It is a creature that has some features that are perfect for robot building and creating mechanisms. In this chapter, you are going to build a mechanical bird robot designed around the major features of this creature. You will be building wings and a body to look like a bird flying looking for prey.

Here is what your bird will look like by the end of this chapter:

Figure 4.1 – This is what your build will look like by the end of this chapter

In this chapter, we will break down the building and programming as follows:

• Building the body frame of the mechanical bird
• Building the...