Hi Everyone, I've been lurking on this forum for a while without making a post. I'm a standup comedian based in London and I'm trying to hack a teddy ruxpin much like a few other posters have done here.
I've been doing research but I'm still fairly confused.
A wee bit about me I'm used to working with software but software with a GUI. I can write CSS & HTML but that's about as far as I am with code thus far. That's not to say I couldn't learn; and I was rather looking forward to learning some code in this project but the question is which code!
I'm not amazing with my hands but I'm not averse to soldering, cutting and glueing.
I'm quite good at working through problems.
About the Project.
What I want to achieve is the following:
1. Teddy Ruxpin needs to be able to:
- Move mouth
- Blink
- Move head side to side; ideally, 360.
- Move arms up and down
- Flap arms.
- Move head up and down
Essentially everything that Waldes on this forum managed to do:
2. I need to be able to have a 'script' for Teddy Ruxpin to say and do. I will be able to talk to Teddy Ruxpin and then trigger the sentences with my iPhone or a bluetooth clicker hooked up to my Mac.
3. Teddy Ruxpin needs to blink in every 20 words or 20 seconds (however often the human blinks).
4. I need to be able to program specific blinks and mouth openings too. For instance
i)I click the bluetooth remote Teddy says hello there
- I click the bluetooth remote Teddy blinks twice.
- I wait 20 seconds without doing anything, Teddy blinks twice anyway.
5. Ideally, it would also be great to be able to talk into a microphone and have Teddy Ruxpin speak it, together with some automated movements.
The Current Situation
I bought a Teddy Ruxpin that a guy had already pre-hacked for an art project. www.afrugallery.com/sean/ I hooked it up to an Arduino Uno and some software he provided and have been successful in getting the mouth to move, eyes to blink. That's as far as I got. I bought another Teddy Ruxpin knowing that i was going to have to take on the whole thing myself if I was going to be able to customise it to my liking.
Equipment I have as of December 2014
1 x Bearduino arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/07/bearduino-hacking-teddy-ruxpin-with-arduino/ 1 x Arduino Uno 1 x Regular Teddy Ruxpin (unhacked) A lot of enthusiasm.
So, where do I start guys?
I have a mac but I can run Windows in a virtual environment. I make presentations during my comedy and use keynote for that. It might well be that I would need to run the Teddy Ruxpin separately from a different computer anyway; ideally my iPad I think to be honest.
I know this is a LOT to take in but I would LOVE to get any advice from you guys about where to start. I mean I literally don't know where to begin. The main thing i"m worried about is the software; I mean I know nothing about programming an Arduino. But I'm a fast learner and raring to go.
All best wishes, James
Other robots from Synthiam community
Jphillipsnj's Inmoov Project
Toymaker's My Alexa (Alive)
You won't fry the ezb unless God never meant you to have one....
So yes, your servos usually sacrifice themselves first...
:)
So I'm embroiled in Teddy Ruxpin and I'm having fun!
I have some questions about the best way of affixing servos. To the eyes
and to the mouth.I've had a look at the picture that was posted on here of how someone else did it but I can't quite work out what's going on. Also, should I be using a coat hanger or is there something easier?
Will a glue gun affix it? I expect not since it would need to pivot slightly.
This is the way someone on here did it before
but I can't work out whyGreat work so far.
Your going to have to use linkage. It's called a Pushrod and comes in a few styles. Here's an example of what your trying to do:
The parts above are made from threaded rod and ball and socket linkage. The best and fasted way to get these are at a local hobby store that sells RC cars and such. That way you can see what our putting together. The guy at the store can maybe also help you get what you need.
Another type of pushrod is called a hook rod. It may be a better choice in your application. It's just a peace of rod with a hook on the end that hooks into the servo horn. The Hobby store may have that type also. That's what is used in your picture. A hanger cut and bent in the proper shape may work also.
If you cant find a store around you then servo has what you need (except the hook rod). look here: Servo City / LINKAGE
What happens on the other end of the hookrod though? How would your recommend affixing to the eye?
To be honest, still a bit lost. I'm going to try and order from Amazon.co.uk since I have prime and now that I have the ball rolling, I'm anxious to continue!
Am I right in saying that this should work? http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00MJUBVHA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A50DZI580G3JX
It might be easier if I replace the eyes altogether. Any advice for where I could buy some? I'd quite like them to go left and right too.
I think you can use a simple peace of ridged wire and bend it to fit. Like I mentioned one end would go on the servo horn. It looks like there is already a hole on the side of the eye to place the other end into. This hole may have to be a slotted opening to make up for any spatial anomaly. :-) If there is not a slot or hole already there maybe you can glue a tab onto it with a hole you cut out. Anyway the pushrod needs to be just long enough to reach between this slot and the servo horn. The servo horn needs to be positioned so when it rotates the rod will pull (or push) he eye open. Then when the servo rotates the other way it will reverse the action.
Was there anything moving the eyes already? When I bought this toy for my Daughter years ago i thought it's eye's blinked? If there was already pushrods how were attached to the eye?
Watching your vid again I do see a slot or hole on the right side of the left eye. It's in the white plastic section. Use that hole.