Zack Harvey

Overview

This project explores the development of a companion robot capable of interacting with people, specifically capable of displaying emotions through the robots “body language” to the user, based on sensor input.  The aim of the of creating a Robot Companion is to offer emotional support to those facing social isolation, such as the elderly, children, and individuals with communication difficulties. The design effectively conveys emotions and complements seamless interaction with the user. To simplify fabrication, techniques like laser cutting and the use of recycled parts were used. The robot was programmed in the C language without the use of Arduino functions and powered by an Arduino Mega microcontroller.

Key Achievements

• Use of CAD software to design parts for laser cutting and 3D printing In Fusion 360
• PCB designed in Altium reduced footprint of electronics and increased manufacturability.
• Successfully conveys a wide variety of emotions to the user through “body language”.
• Designed control systems for the robot’s eye movements and servo control with speed and smoothing controlled for nuanced emotional expressions.