Project · Active since Aug 2024
Dalek
A full-size Dalek on a repurposed electric wheelchair, driven by joystick, by Node-RED, and by an EEG headset reading the operator's brain signals.
Overview
We started the Dalek in August 2024 with one goal: give a fibreglass Dalek shell a base that could actually move. An electric wheelchair gave us motors and batteries, but no joystick. So we built our own controller: a 4-axis joystick feeding an Arduino, which talks to the wheelchair through its DB9 port.
Since then it has gained relay-switched lights, a fresh coat of paint for Freshers Fair, and a mind-control mode that turns EEG signals into movement. It has been to the Top 100 Leaders event in Beverley and to Varsity 2026.
Build log
- Making the Dalek mind-controlled Reading brain signals with an Emotiv Insight headset to drive the Dalek.
- A fresh look for Freshers Fair The Dalek got a fresh coat of paint, ready to shine at the Freshers Fair.
- Challenges with the head mechanism Our attempt to make the Dalek's head spin faced challenges due to its mass and inertia.
- Upgrading the electronics Enhancing joystick control with a relay module for smooth movement and lighting control.
- Giving the Dalek its wheels How we gave the Dalek mobility by repurposing an electric wheelchair and a custom joystick controller.
Documentation
Explore the CAD
Parts straight from our GitHub repository. Drag to turn a part around and pick another from the row below.
New parts appear here automatically when their STL files are added to the repository.
Photos and video
