
MathProf
USA
Asked
— Edited
Soon, I will need to make a decision about whether the JD head will be the best choice for the user (student) interface for the distribution version of my remedial math tutorial system. If not, I will be considering designing and 3D printing my own design.
My question is whether you have any tips on design so that cleanup is minimal, assembly is straightforward, and required hardware fits as designed?
Ron
Take my advice with a grain of salt though. My wife and I are childless by choice and I don't really get along well with children or teens that are not related to me (and some that are...) so I may not be the best judge of what would work as a teaching aid for that demographic.
Alan
Once you reach the site, scroll down the page and look for the "Robot Head" topic. The URL link cannot go directly to the topic because part of the URL address contains the word "learning" which is smacked by the EZ site as something else.
Thanks for your (childless but helpful) perspective.
Ron
Will check it out. Could be a very useful resource.
Thanks!
Ron
The link didn't work directly, but I did get to the base website. I believe I'll be spending a bunch of time there. For those who might be interested, here's the "About" blurb for adafruit.com:
Adafruit was founded in 2005 by MIT engineer, Limor "Ladyada" Fried. Her goal was to create the best place online for learning electronics and making the best designed products for makers of all ages and skill levels. Adafruit has grown to over 50 employees in the heart of NYC with a 15,000+ sq ft. factory. Adafruit has expanded offerings to include tools, equipment and electronics that Limor personally selects, tests and approves before going in to the Adafruit store. Limor was the first female engineer on the cover of WIRED magazine and was recently awarded Entrepreneur magazine's Entrepreneur of the year. Ladyada is on the NYC Industrial Business Advisory Council. In 2014 Adafruit was ranked #11 in the top 20 USA manufacturing companies and #1 in New York City by Inc. 5000 "fastest growing private companies".
Great tip! Thanks!
Ron
A simple mask with eyes and mouth. the example is eyes only but a servo and a sound /servo board could operate the mouth.
The second one is more complex. use a form with a display inside. the screen would show thru the form as a face or data.
Ron R
Here's more: look at how they get Robothespian to "talk" without moving the jaw . . .
Robo Thespian
No so many servos!
Ron
Ron R
A ready to go unit is only about $14, 780. Of course it has all sorts of bells and whistles and price markups. Should be able to make something like it much cheaper. Using an EZB4 it can still have facial recognition and tracking. Though I would suppose the user would not be moving about while seated at the station.
Those things should not be called robots. They are actually animatronic devices. A robot would have it's own power source and be able to move about on it's own. The Robothespian likely can't even stand on it's own, let alone walk. If it were a true robot, one would expect that it could do both. With these, an air compressor (or an air tank) would have to somehow be on board to boot. Backpack maybe. Looks like the actuators for the air servos and cylinders, at least, are on the figure itself, but I'm not sure.
Is your final project still just the head and shoulders for interaction?
If so, I assume you want a camera installed to allow tracking eyes and maybe the head and neck movement, a moveable jaw for speech, and maybe eyebrows or some other expressive device. This is can be done as you have seen with "Alan".
Or your other option being a projected unit such as a flat screen interaction or a projection within a head (the Disney concept). This "Smoke and mirrors" (LOL) in my opinion becomes to difficult and expensive to build and program.
My opinion would be to build a simple face or head and see how it would work. I tends to build rough versions for proof of concept then build the real thing. Maybe a foam head or mask from a craft store with an EZB and some servos will give you a good easy start. Tape and hot glue rules for the build.
Just an opinion from another Ron,