Description
EX Series
Meet the ‘EX” droid line, a cutting-edge, gyroscopically stabilized exfiltration droid designed to assist with asset recovery after the Battle of Hoth. The single point of contact with the ground and low center of gravity allows EX1’s predecessors to carve through the snow and ice at astonishing speeds in search of valuable electronics from downed imperial aircraft and AT-ATs. These droids sacrifice carrying capacity for speed, though their rear-mounted winch system allowed them to drag high-priority targets back to rebel bases. Their sophisticated sensor array enabled them to create 3D dimensional map with waypoints for rebel salvage ship collection.
Key Features
- central gyroscopic stabilization
- rotating sensor array for immediate 180-degree turns
- automated suspension and belt/chain tensioning system
- launchable rear tow winch
EX1
EX droids became highly sought after amongst scavengers as their availability spread from rebel outposts. These bots spread across the galaxy quickly due to the ease of modification for a myriad of terrains. EX1 was heavily modified by a Pasaanian salvage trader to rip through the desert sand with a custom-made tread and sprocket. Its new mission is to search everything from abandoned moisture farms to broken-down speeders in search of electronics able to be sold at salvage markets. EX1 is fearless and “gutsy” outrunning local wildlife, investigating ship corridors buried and forgotten in the sand, and even stealing tech right from underneath surviving imperial forces. A real speed demon, EX1 loves to show off especially when it takes a victory lap around its opponents.
Design of EX1
EX1 is grounded in today’s technology drawing inspiration from motorcycle powertrains and tank suspensions. I started with the side profile and shaped out the “swingarm” shaped piece that connects to the center of the chassis. I originally planned to use two treads/belts for EX1 but after iterating on the design both in sketch form and in Fusion360 I landed on the idea of making a droid that could balance on just one giving it a greater potential for speed and maneuverability. It was at that point that I modeled in the large gyroscope housing that is a focus point of the design. After refinement of the main parts of the chassis, I began to tell the story of each component and add features that would further ground EX1 in practicality. The thought behind the winch for example was: what if there is a part that is critical for EX1 to retrieve immediately? I didn’t want to sacrifice aerodynamics or speed. The solution became a micro winch that could be deployed from the rear and attached to a draggable component. However, EX1’s primary purpose is meant to be fast-paced salvage reconnaissance. To let EX1 maneuver in tight spaces I came up with the idea of having the entire sensor array pivot 180 degrees so that EX1 can turn completely backward on a dime.
*** The contest rules were slightly unclear on the definition of “unique components”. I took this to mean that there could be more than the maximum of 20 components used so long as it was a repeated body. The language changes on the submission page to "15-20 parts".
This design uses less than 20 unique pieces, however it’s significantly more with the repeated tread links. I have also submitted the “Hoth Edition” of EX droids as a Fusion file for consideration. The belt that replaces the thread links significantly reduces the total part count.