Introduction: Furry Elephant
Step 1: Plan Your Robot
Brainstorm and sketch out the look you would like to have for your robot; finalize the types of interaction that your robot will have
Here are the list of materials you will need for the elephant:
Wood or cardboard: 40cm (width) x 20 cm (height) X 0.5cm (thickness)
2 Servo motors
3 Popsicle sticks
Wires of various thickness
1 photo resistor
1 reed switch
Step 2: Building the Body
• Using this template, laser-cut the body using either wood or cardboard
• Press-fit all the side pieces together, if you do not have the indicated thickness of wood or cardboard, you can reinforce the connections using a hot glue gun.
• The top and bottom pieces will be attached using magnets to allow easy attachment and removal.
• Glue magnets both to top and sides of the pieces according to where the top and sides will attach. Repeat for the bottom piece.
• Glue 3 popsicle sticks on the third slot within the body, this is where the servos will be attached.
• Cut out felt based on this template. Glue the felt onto the wood body that you just created
• Trim the felt on the top and bottom of the box
Step 3: Creating the Ears, Nose, Tail, Eyes, Cheeks
Ears - cut out 4 ear pieces using felt, you can find the template here. Glue 1 Popsicle stick between two felt pieces.
Nose - cut out 2 nose pieces using felt, sew the sides together but leave both ends open
Tail - cut out 2 tail pieces using felt, sew the sides together but leave both ends open
Eyes - cut out 2 eye pieces using felt, glue the eyes onto the body
Eyes - cut out 2 cheek pieces using felt, glue the cheeks onto the body
Step 4: Interaction I - Tongue Pressure Sensor
• Create a pressure sensor using Scotch tape, 2 wires, and 4 layers of Velostat.
• Tear out two pieces of tape, place the conductive part of the wire on each tape, place the four layers of velostat between the two pieces, and tape the piece together. (More information is available here on how to make a sticky tape pressure sensor)
• Cut out two tongue shapes out of red felt; glue the edge of the two pieces together so the felt forms a pocket.
• Place the pressure sensor you just made inside the "tongue" enclosure
Use this code here in Arduino to test the output of the pressure sensor. (To be completed)
Step 5: Interaction I - Speaker Output
When you squeeze the elephant's tongue, he will start to sing a song. Attach the speaker output to the Arduino. Use this code to test whether the output works. You will need to adjust the pressure value for the output.
Step 6: Interaction II - Capactive Sensor
• Create a capacitive sensor by tape a piece of copper tape on the top to the elephant.
• Solder a piece of wire onto the copper
• Attach the sensor to the Arduino as pictured. Here is the documentation on capacitive sensors in Arduino playground
Step 7: Interaction II - LEDs / Eyes
When the hand touches the capacitive sensors, the eyes of the elephant will light up
Step 8: Interaction II - Servo Motor / Ears
When the hand touches the capacitive sensors, it will activate the motor that will "wiggle" the elephants' ears.
Step 9: Interaction III - Photoresistors
Step 10: Interaction III - Servo Motor / Nose
10 k resistor http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Learning/PhotoResistor
Step 11: Interaction III - DC Motor / Tail
Step 12: Interaction IV - LEDs / Reed Switch
Step 13: Coding - All
The entire coding are written based on