Biomechanics & Locomotion
Walking Robot
Build a battery-powered 3D-printed robot that walks across any flat surface on its own using a four-bar linkage mechanism.
Photos coming soon
About This Kit
What makes this kit special.
A four-bar linkage converts the DC motor's circular rotation into a repeating walking stride with no code and no remote control required. Two swappable leg configurations let children test the speed-versus-stability tradeoff with real measured data.
Designed, 3D-printed, and assembled by 9th-grade students at West Shore Jr/Sr High School, Melbourne, FL — a student-led nonprofit serving Brevard County.
Support this kit
KitCraft Collective
Help us put the Walking Robot in a child's hands.
Every donation goes directly toward materials, 3D printing, assembly, and delivery to pediatric wards and shelters across Brevard County.
Cost to sponsor
You fund
1 full kit
- 100% to kit production — zero overhead
- Delivered by students to verified orgs
- Handwritten letter in every kit
- Tax-deductible contribution
What they'll learn
Learning Objectives
- Four-bar linkages convert rotary to walking motion01
- Gait depends on stride length and phase offset02
- Friction enables forward locomotion03
- Robot joints mirror animal leg structures04
- Staged sub-assembly prevents integration failures05
- Added load changes motor cadence and gait06
Hands-on exploration
Activities
Build both leg pairs as separate sub-assemblies and manually rotate each
Attach the motor and test drive shaft rotation before adding legs
Complete full assembly and observe the first walk on a smooth surface
Test on tile, carpet, paper, and wood, record 30-second distance on each
Swap to Configuration B legs and compare speed and stability to Configuration A
Add clay to the chassis in 5-gram increments until the gait degrades
Record a slow-motion video and identify the 4 phases of each step
Where Kits Go
Built here. Delivered with love.
Every kit is hand-delivered by the students who built it to verified partner organizations.
Pediatric Wards
Delivered directly to children in hospitals across Brevard County who need a moment of joy and wonder.
Partner Schools
Distributed to title-I schools and after-school programs serving underserved communities.
Community Centers
Sent to shelters, family resource centers, and nonprofit organizations across Melbourne, FL.
Behind the Kit
From first sketch to final delivery.
CAD Design
Students model every component in Fusion 360, optimizing geometry for FDM quality, structural integrity, and child-safe tolerances.
3D Printing
Parts printed layer by layer on school printers using BPA-free, food-safe PLA at precisely calibrated settings.
QA Inspection
Every piece hand-inspected — edges deburred, tolerances verified with calipers, dry-run assembled.
Kit Assembly
Parts sorted in build order, bagged, and paired with instructions and a handwritten letter from the builder.
Delivery
Hand-delivered by students to partner schools, pediatric wards, and shelters across Brevard County.
What's inside
Materials Included
- 3D-printed main chassis, 14 cm by 6 cm, motor mount integrated
- 3V DC motor, pre-wired, toggle switch on lead harness
- Hardened steel drive shaft with 4 brass cotter pins
- 4 3D-printed leg crank arms, 90-degree phase offset pairs
- 8 3D-printed linkage rods, 4 Configuration A and 4 Configuration B
- 4 TPU rubber foot pads, Shore A 40, press-fit
- 4 brass pivot pins
- Battery holder, 2 AA batteries included
- Configuration A and B leg assembly template cards
- 16-page illustrated assembly guide with troubleshooting section
- Hard carry case with labeled foam insert
Child-safe by design
All components are BPA-free, burr-free, and verified safe for the target age group. Engineered for repeated assembly and disassembly.
Every kit includes
Bonus Extras
Beyond the build materials, every kit includes thoughtful extras — chosen to delight and make each child feel genuinely seen.
- Handwritten letter from the student who designed and built your kit
- Biomechanics Builder certificate, Intermediate difficulty noted
- Walking distance challenge card, 3 surfaces by 2 configurations
- Four-bar linkage explainer card with robot, bicycle, and prosthetic examples
- How Animals Walk mini-poster, 20 cm by 15 cm
- Blank engineering notebook page for sketches and results
Help us deliver the Walking Robot to children who need it most.
Every kit starts with a generous sponsor. Your $24 covers materials, 3D printing, assembly, and hand-delivery to pediatric wards and shelters across Brevard County.
100% toward production · Zero overhead · Tax-deductible
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