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Carpentopod: A Walking Table Project

steveridout
7 replies
1d

Even if you don't feel like reading the whole article, do yourself a favor and skip down to the video of the final product at the very end. It's delightful and put a big smile on my face. The fact that all the modern technology is hidden inside leaving only the wooden structure visible makes it magical, like something from Harry Potter.

tomcam
2 replies
19h1m

Insane! Bluetooth powered walking tables were admittedly not part of my 2024 bingo card. Love that thing.

usrusr
1 replies
7h21m

In defense of your bingo skills, that table isn't exactly running on PoBT

tomcam
0 replies
4h24m

Ha! I meant to write powered Bluetooth but I can’t edit it now

gwern
1 replies
20h1m

You mean Discworld!

ajb
0 replies
18h58m

Exactly! So reminiscent of "the luggage". Albeit with the legs facing sideways

bigiain
0 replies
18h19m

Even if you don't feel like reading the whole article, do yourself a favor and skip down to the video

No. Don't.

Read the whole damned article. It's _great!_

NotAnOtter
6 replies
16h8m

This sounded very stupid and just a rip off of other projects at first.

By the end of the article I was impressed.

imp0cat
5 replies
12h29m

It's a great article, also the table itself is very expertly done.

When is this thing coming to a nearby IKEA? Can't wait!

kwhitefoot
4 replies
9h0m

Seriously, I wonder if anyone at IKEA is aware of it? And if not how can we get the message to the right person. I'm sure IKEA could do this and integrate it into the TRÅDFRI system.

robin_reala
3 replies
8h36m

We are now.

kwhitefoot
0 replies
30m

But are you the right person? :-)

imp0cat
0 replies
6h24m

While you're taking notes, make those walking tables follow me around and carry my food for me at the IKEA restaurant.

gdecarpentier
0 replies
7h46m

Good to know! ;)

iseanstevens
5 replies
18h59m

Absolutely wonderful to see in motion. Things like this brought to life are one of the Most exciting uses of AI to me.

nis0s
4 replies
18h44m

Where’s the AI, did I misread the post?

To select which ones were best, each variation got assigned a ‘fitness’ score based on its walking speed, clearance and material use. I also rewarded extra points to variants that had leg tips which moved more horizontally and more smoothly during the lowest third of their cycle to make it favor solutions in which a group of three legs would work together to minimize bobbing and foot slip.

I am not sure what approach was used here, it sounds like RL or maybe just simulations. I am not sure I’d say this is AI.

firtoz
1 replies
10h40m

RL is AI

nis0s
0 replies
17m

There’s no clear definition currently, but based on my work in IEEE standards and my own research, I always define AI as an autonomous system which determines paths to its desired outcomes using multimodal inputs.

While I think the computation system described in this post is very cool and sophisticated, I liken it more to a computation engine. It seems to me that computation engines follow an algorithm to determine optimal paths to a previously determined and fixed desired outcome, but they don’t update the outcome goal based on new information.

If the computation engine described in this post could use existing information to form its own goal or idea of a desired outcome, then I’d say it’s AI.

I’d love to do a blog post on this idea because I am sure many might have good reasons to disagree with it. It would be cool if someone else does it, I’d love to provide feedback as I don’t have the time for longform writing.

jimjimjim
0 replies
15h18m

I guess it depends on your definition of AI. I personally don't consider the LLMs AI. Very useful, but to me not AI.

ianandrich
0 replies
18h15m

I think it was just a genetic algorithm.

abraae
4 replies
13h53m

No need for the classic HN "but why" question.

The video of the table obediently delivering a beer and bowl of snacks to the owner says it all.

rob74
2 replies
8h18m

Ok, he could have done the same thing more easily using wheels, but where's the fun in that?

joseda-hg
1 replies
6h45m

Half the fun of homemade engineering is to overcomplicate stuff to test your boundaries

As opposed to work related engineering, where you shall KISS as posible to keep your sanity (And more often than not fail in the process)

tway_GdBRwW
0 replies
5h25m

I think the full acronym would be

Keep It Simple Stupid, Active Sanity Saver

yojo
0 replies
1h45m

Now I want the version with a hidden camera and machine vision so it can follow me around like an obedient puppy.

“Be back in a few hun, just taking the table for a walk.”

ziofill
1 replies
7h31m

Is there a place where one can buy pre-built leg parts or even pre-assembled legs? That seems like the most difficult part, then attaching them onto stuff I can do too.

timdiggerm
0 replies
4h15m

From the post:

"Since this post has gone public, many people have asked me if they could get one as well. I’m currently not making these on demand. However, I’ve decided to release the Carpentopod linkage itself as public domain. So if you have the skills, feel free to use the details below to build your own set of legs!"

pugio
1 replies
17h57m

This reminds me of "The Luggage" from the Discworld (Rincewind) books by Terry Pratchett. I never expected to see a real-world version. Way cool!

Vrondi
0 replies
4h49m

My first thought was of The Luggage! GNU, Sir Terry.

ipsum2
1 replies
14h7m

Someone named de Carpentier doing a neat wood-working project. How fitting.

tway_GdBRwW
0 replies
5h25m

Maybe it was a joint project?

wonderwonder
0 replies
15h45m

This brought a legitimate smile to my face. Well done on this. Gives off a real bio-mechanism vibe.

uranium
0 replies
2h20m

This is beautiful; the motion of the legs reminds me of some giant scuttling insect. I'd love to have a coffee table like that. I wouldn't even want the motor, actually. It looks like you can just push it and have it walk smoothly, as if pushing a table with fixed-orientation wheels.

throwthrowuknow
0 replies
7h27m

I need to make this but as a chest and glue little fake feet to the legs.

stronglikedan
0 replies
4h3m

Oh, cool! A remote controlled strandbeest!

prmph
0 replies
8h38m

What's wrong with just having a table that rolls? Why does it have to walk? Cool project though, but it sounds like a solution in search of a problem.

liendolucas
0 replies
5h20m

Some people are just so creative... It stole me a good laugh seeing the Carpentopod facilitating beer and chips to its master only to park politely (but not silently!) side to its less capable static fellow. I want to see more of these fantastic creations!

entropicdrifter
0 replies
1h36m

I can't wait for someone to make a 3d-printable version of this. I would totally print out a 20cm tall version of this to use as a food serving platform on my dinner table!

bubblebeard
0 replies
2h51m

Holy crap, this guy made the future

Svoka
0 replies
3h42m

I believe I just added first item to my new "retirement hobby projects" list