Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is SAM?
SAM is an open-source 3D printed robot, forked from Inmoov created by French artist and sculptor Gael Langevin. The robot is designed to be easily built and customized by individuals with access to a 3D printer and basic electronic components.
SAM is an articulated humanoid robot, which means it can move its arms, hands, legs, and head, and it can also interact with its environment using sensors and other electronic components.
SAM is made up of many individual parts, which can be printed using a 3D printer and assembled using basic tools. The robot's design is modular, which means that different components can be swapped out or upgraded as needed. SAM is designed to be controlled using a computer or mobile device, and it can be programmed to perform a wide range of tasks.
What is SAM's goal?
- To provoke interest in mind's of young people to pursue the field of robotics
- Make robotics more understandable and accessable rather than making it complex
- To increase practical knowledge and having fun doing it
What can SAM do?
SAM can move its arms, hands, legs, and head, allowing it to interact with its environment.
SAM can be programmed to recognize and respond to voice commands, allowing it to be controlled by a human operator.
SAM can be equipped with sensors, such as cameras and microphones, that allow it to perceive its environment and respond accordingly.
SAM can be programmed to perform tasks such as grasping and moving objects, manipulating tools, and even playing games like chess.
SAM can be used as a research platform for robotics and artificial intelligence, allowing researchers to explore new approaches to robotics and machine learning
SAM has how many degrees of freedom?
SAM has around 29-32 degrees of freedom and depends upon each individual's build
What software is used to run the robot??
Right now, SAM only supports MyRobotLab.
But in future SAM will have its own software with much more features (Project Control - Currently work in progress)
What platforms can I run MyRobotLab on?
You can run MyRobotLab on any Platform be it Windows, MacOS, linux
What do I need to build SAM?
It is very much recommended you have a 3D printer (will pretty much help in saving cost), Two Arduino's (Uno or Mega) to control the Servo's, A powerful Tablet or a PC or miniPC is must to control the robot.
You can find more info about it in [Hardware Map + BOM][HardwareMap+BOM]
How long does it take to build SAM?
Depending upon your skillset, time available it may take around 3-9 months to build the complete robot.
How much would it cost to build SAM?
It would cost you around 35-50k if you are building in India. Refer Hardware Map + BOM
(Building from a different country help us in making a list of localised bill of material)
Can sam learn and adopt over time?
At present SAM does use some form of AI & ML through myrobotlab but we are developing methods to make SAM a true sentient being over time.
Can we use sam for commercial purposes?
No, SAM is covered under CC-by-NC License and would request that you refrain from using it for commercial purpose as it beats the motto
What skills are needed to build sam?
Even a beginner with zero skills can start building SAM, but it is recommended to have some basic knowledge on electronics and software even if you dont you will learn it over tiime while building your own
What is Inmoov?
Inmoov is a 3D printed humanoid robot desined and developed by Gael Langevin, SAM is forked from Inmoov to bring out the best of it, Although SAM and Inmoov might look similar, SAM intends to build upon the limitaion of Inmoov
What are the limitations of SAM?
Todo
I have an issue setting up SAM, how can I get in touch with you?
First you should look at the documentation and the [troubleshooting / common issues][common-issues] page. If you still have problems, you can open an issue on the related project. Still unsure? You can visit us on our discord server.
Why is it so long to get support?
We are a small community of developers who are trying to make the world a better place. We are not doing this for the money and no one is being paid for the support. This is all a community effort to eso that more people can try out their hands in robotics ;). Don't hold your breath and be nice with people helping you. ❤️
Do you offer premium support?
We don't offer premium support. We do offer free support for the community as a best-effort.
I have too much money, and I like your projects, how can I help?
We have an opencollective page where you can donate. The donations are used to pay for the costs of the infrastructure, domains and the servers (which we kept to a very reasonable price, thanks to all the free services for open source projects). We might also use the money to pay for improving our visuals or anything that could help us become a better community. It is also possible that we send gifts to major contributors, who knows? ❤️
Do you have a roadmap?
Yes, see our Roadmap.
Who made SAM?
SAM is a collaborative effort. We are a community of engineers and developers who are passionate about robotics.
The core maintainers of GameCI are: