The Offbits robot builder kit from spare parts

Robots are cool and who doesn’t fancy building their very own robot? With the Offbits robot builder kit you can do just this if the Kickstarter project goes to plan.

[Image Source: OFFBITS]

The Offbits are model robots that were originally designed with spare parts and bits and pieces that would otherwise have been thrown away. However they were taken and recycled and transformed into robots. They are build-it-yourself kits that take everyday hardware parts and when these are put together they transform into a robot character. The project is currently raising funds on Kickstarter with a target of $15,000 and with 22 days to go it has so far raised $11, 349.

[Image Source: OFFBITS]

When you have the Offbits starter kit you can then use any odd bits and bobs you have in the house to add onto the robot and personalise it to your liking to make it unique. For instance a bolt or screw could become a leg or arm, a washer could become a rim for a hat or perhaps a necklace for your robot. The Offbits have been designed to be extendable and customisable along with re-designable.

[Image Source: OFFBITS]

The Offbits starter kit comes with hardware components and you can easily put the parts together to make your very own cute little robot character, each come with their own persona. There are four different characters to start with, Carebit, Infobit, Artbit and Bababit.

[Image Source: OFFBITS]

Parts included consist of terminal block row which has been hand cut in ABS plastic and then painted and finished. Cable clamps, nuts, 1mm threaded rods in steel alloy, screws, washers and fastners. There are also custom parts including U connectors, connectable spring legs and arms. The kits also come with a mini magnet with branding, a storybook that is illustrated, and instructions specific to the robot, sticker and community registration code.

[Image Source: OFFBITS]

The Offbits had a great first year of pilot testing and people showed how eager they were to get hold of more parts to customise their Offbit robot and not only can people use their own spare parts that they have lying around, there are two extension packs that work alongside the starter kits. The extensions offer another 20 parts and these include some that you cannot find in the starter kit. These bits and pieces can be used to make your robots look even wackier and unique. There are also Vehicle extension packs with parts for the creation of wheeled robot vehicles and each with a specific character. The designers have also come up with an Offbits custom designed tool which includes a Phillips screwdriver, M4, M6 and M7 wrenches and Slotted screwdriver.

[Image Source: OFFBITS]

The toolkit starter pack includes parts to make one Offbit character along with the tool and you can pledge $28 for it. There is also a complete Offbits package which includes the starter package; both the extension packs, tool and a magnet stand for $55. $150 gets you the Offbits starter kit, vehicle extension, character extension, tool, magnet stand, Offbits Pilot kit and T-Shirt.

[Image Source: OFFBITS]