This is Our Robot Mutant Vehicle

We call the robot - SAM

SAM started out as an electric 3-wheel golf cart as the base.  We removed the rear sheet metal and bumpers to convert the rear fenders and cargo area to decks and storage. The rear suspension was lifted by adding an extra leaf to the springs and extensions to the leaf spring shackles and shock mounts to lift and support the extra rear deck length and weight. ¾” inch plywood panels where cut and affixed to the base to provide more seating area in the back that can hold 4-6 passengers.  The construction also allowed for storage bay areas under the back seats.  One of these compartments is where we store a Honda EU1000 generator to allow for charging of the vehicle batteries for long runs.  SAM is a series-hybrid mutant vehicle.

On top of the back seating area, we mounted powder coated square black metal frame panels that create the cage like body of the robot. The frame panels were welded onto rectangle metal plates that are screwed into the plywood seating.  Panels of reflective silver roll insulation have been attached to the body frame in select sections to provide the outline of a solid robot body.  Most of the body frame is open to allow for the rear passengers to view their surroundings.  We re-purposed aluminum radio tower truss material for the legs and arms of the robot.  These truss sections were attached with heavy duty screws and bolts to the robot body.  The truss material is also mostly open with a criss-cross, lattice pattern across the length of the limbs. Inside the leg and arm limbs, we attached panels of reflective silver roll insulation as a backdrop. We mounted our LED strips at the top of each limb facing down towards the reflective backdrop so that the color gradients diffuse in the reflective material when the LED colors cycle.  The head of the robot is also constructed of the same powder coated square metal panels that were cut to form the box shape of the head.  The face of the robot is a recycled electric wheelchair cover that we cut out shapes for the eyes and mouth.  The eyes of the robot are neo-pixel LEDs which allow it to show some expression. The robot head is skinned in corrugated cardboard (CoroPlast).  The CoroPlast panel material is clear around three sides of the head, so that LEDs are visible inside the head.  There is also an infinity mirror heart that is mounted inside the robot chest that color changes in time with the neo-pixel eye patterns in the robot head. The heart material was 3D printed and it is housed in a wooden box.