Below you can view more photos of I-Wei’s Steampunk robots. Click on images to enlarge.
Steam Powered Robots
Three of I-Wei’s steam powered robots exhibit various modes of locomotion. Most of the parts are off the shelf, or from a kit, but they’re combined in ways never imagined by the manufacturers.
Steam Powered Robots
A Steam Tank (left) joins three of I-Wei’s other robots. A propane tank provides energy to heat the water, creating steam.
Steam Powered Robots
Another view of the four robots.
Steam Tank
An overhead view of one of I-Wei’s Steam Tanks.
Steam Tank
Steam Tank
A close-up reveals some of the internal components.
Steam Tanks
The larger Steam Tank is joined by one of I-Wei’s earlier versions.
Steam Tank
A soda can provides scale reference for the small tank.
Steam Tank
Steam LocoCentipede
Steam LocoCentipede
These small steam engines don’t put out a lot of horsepower, so mechanisms must be efficient and properly geared.
Steam Powered Rowing Machine
I-Wei was still working on this steam powered rowing machine as one of his next robots.
Steam Turbine Tank
This robot, a Steam Turbine Tank, was I-Wei’s first attempt at using a steam turbine to power a vehicle. The high speed Jensen steam turbine can be geared down through an elaborate set of gears.
Steam Powered Crab
Though unfinished in this photo, I-Wei has since completed the steam powered crab.
SwashBot
With radio control joysticks, I-Wei can manipulate the SwashBot so well that the bug really seems to have a personality of its own. SwashBot can bow, crawl, and the little red eyes look around.
SwashBots
Both of I-Wei’s SwashBots stand together.
I-Wei’s Workshop
At the time of this writing, I-Wei’s shop was confined to a small desktop, with storage shelves to hold his finished robots and work in progress. He hoped to have more room to expand his workshop soon. I-Wei also wants to incorporate machine tools so he can make more of his own parts from scratch.
RoboGames Participants
This photo shows all of the competitors and their robots at the 2006 RoboGames.
Concept Artwork
I-Wei makes his living as an animator, but he often includes Steampunk contraptions in his work that are similar to the ones he builds in miniature.
Concept Artwork
To make a convincing animation of a mechanical object, the details and motions have to be worked out as if the machine actually existed. So, I-Wei has to put the same kind of thought into his drawings as he does with the actual models.
Concept Artwork
