Doctor Who’s robot dog K9 has been brought back to life by a Scots student.
Gary Taylor – a keen fan of the sci-fi series – came across the damaged, clapped-out shell of the robot in a university lab last September.
The computing science student rebuilt it into an “autonomous obstacle-avoiding mapping robot” controlled from his smartphone.
Gary, 25, who is a student at Abertay University in Dundee, said: “I love robotics, I love programming, I love dogs and I love Doctor Who.
“It’s a good mix of everything – it kept me really invested in the whole thing throughout the whole project.
“He had a lot of water damage from a roof leak so all the electrics in him had just fried. He was just a shell.”
K9 made its first appearance in Doctor Who in 1977, travelling across time and space in the Tardis. It was a companion to several Doctor Who’s, including Scot David Tennant.
The K9 model that Gary restored is believed to be an original from the show which the university bought during the 2011-2 academic year when around a dozen were sold off.
To rebuild it, the student wrote almost 15,000 lines of computing code and fitted out the robot with a gyroscope, ultrasound sensors and new boards, motors, shields and drives.
Gary added: “It all started just as an honours idea. It was pitched to me by a bunch of supervisors. As soon as I heard the idea, I was so keen to get on to it. I emailed the supervisor that day. saying, ‘I have got to do this’.|
The student, who is originally from Kirriemuir, said: “It was a lot of work. If it wasn’t for the university lecturers helping me and guiding me along the way, I’d be nowhere near finished.”
The restored K9 will be unveiled by Gary at Abertay’s Digital Graduate Show tomorrow.
Thank you very much for your response Meg, we would most certainly love to hear your stories and any illustrations you may have would be fascinating!
We await to hear from you with great interest!
Kind Regards,
Editor – Gallifreyan Newsroom
Hi, sorry, I’ve just seen your reply. Maybe, yes!
Hi Meg,
Thank you very much for your feedback, which sounds fascinating! Perhaps you might like to write a piece for us about your memories of your Grandpa’s involvement with Doctor Who?
Kind Regards,
Editor – Gallifreyan Newsroom
No WAY!!! My grandpa worked on Dr Who & many other BBC shows (did the entire Dr Who run until it got cancelled) & used his home workshop for running repairs.
Many weekends spent playing with K-9, the TARDIS consoles & sharing a spare room with Daleks/Cybermen.