No, all the projects get paid for out of my own pocket. The only funding is through Google ads on the site which make about $0.20 a day ;-)
I'm not studying anymore, I formally studied electronics and mechanical engineering about 11 years ago, but I've been working in the IT industry since then. I'm currently a 'Solutions Technical Consultant' for a global corpration working with VMware and other enterprise server architecture.
There aren't that many local companies that make androids as I live in the UK, so there's only really
The Shadow Robot Company. I visited them once, but they are on a very tight budget and also way ahead of me in terms of the technology they are using.
I think the reason I've made it the way I have is because it's more intuitive this way. I can quickly make a ball joint for instance and feel how it will move, get hold of some springs or elastic cord and see how much force it takes to stretch them, the same with motors, see how much things weigh... and generally experiment with things in real life.
I might draw some parts with CAD and have them laser cut if I build another android after this one, but that is some time in the future. There are many improvements that could be made, including those around the control system... but then we're looking at more $$$ and less fun messing with Polymorph / more time sitting in front of a PC trying to work the parts out in CAD.
The whole aim is to make it as simple and easy as possible to construct and control, also to inspire other people who don't have specialist equipment...