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Trossen Robotics has annouced the winners in its February robotics comptition. The winner is a unique hexapod robot called “Phoenix,” created by Kåre Halvorsen

Phoenix is one the creepier robots I have seen lately. Creepy in the, can’t look away sense. It is amazing what is possible with off the shelf hardware and some ingenuity. Congratulations to Halvorsen. For pictures and information on the runners up, check out TRC’s winners page. [Note: the TRC Winners Page is currently down. Hopefully this will change soon]

From the Trossen Robotics Site:

“Phoenix” by Kåre Halvorsen took the win in the TRC February run. Phoenix is a six legged walking robot. Wait, we know some of you out there may be thinking that hexapod robots are old hat. Well, you’re wrong. So very wrong. Wait until you see it move. Phoenix’s real beauty lies in her graceful motion, which is some of the most convincing and eerily lifelike that we’ve seen in a robot that uses standard hobby servos and a common off-the-shelf servo controller. The kinematics are computed by an intricately programmed spreadsheet, which we highly recommend you check out if you’re a fan of trigonometry.”