Thanks to everyone who helped this year’s Maker Faire Bay Area be so special! We are looking forward to seeing everyone next year and are already improving our show. Below is a photo our booth before the event started. It is hard to believe over one thousand people visited us over the course three days!
Want to see how our autonomous robots experienced Maker Faire Bay Area? Check out the video below, generated based on the stimuli, emotions, and actions of HipMonsters’ two robots over the course of three days at the Maker Faire.
The robots recorded the following sensory data:
💙 Noise: A sudden, loud noise. Represented by the color Blue.
💚 Distance: Motion within 1 foot. Represented by the color Green.
🧡 Movement: Motion within 6 feet. Represented by the color Orange.
💛 Speech: The spoken word “robotics”. Represented by the color Gold.
💗 Touch: Contact on the touch sensor. Represented by the color Pink.
🤖 Frequency of Stimuli: How often or rarely the robots received stimuli. Captured by the Movement of the cube.
🔉 Mood: Happy or overstimulated. Reflected in the choice of Sound.
Turn up the volume of the video! It’s not music you’re hearing, but the robots’ moods given the stimuli.
Since we engaged the Touch sensor at the end of each demo, this means we ran 420 complete demos over 3 days. Our robots have been well socialized!
Originally, we set up this site to focus on woodcrafting and painting but as our interests grew, we have increasingly used Raspberry Pis to add motion and life into our work. This post will get you started using Raspberry Pi’s in your creations.
Please note, this material is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guide on how to create the designs. Please take a look at our disclaimer.
Why Raspberry Pi?
Powerful computing platform with easy-to-use languages.
Low energy consumption and runs quietly and cooly.
Rich online support and user base.
Has 26 pins built in enabling rapid integration with Internet of Things (IoT) technology.
Peripherals
Today, most people developed on a laptop or tablet, but Raspberry Pi’s require old fashion peripherals: power cables, screen, keyboard and mouse. You need to setup a physical development environment and make sure you have all the necessary peripherals. Newer Raspberry Pi uses a Micro HDMI port so you will need a converter. We do a lot of coding on the couch so built a makeshift laptop as seen below.
A side view of our Raspberry Pi laptop.
A front view of our laptop.
A mouse can get some to get use to so we recommend a wireless keyboard (seen above) with a built-in trackpad. One plus is the keyboard + trackpad only uses up one USB port.
The Hard Drive
A Raspberry Pi’s OS is stored on a Micro SD. To start we recommend getting two with at least 64 GB. If you do any images or sound the drive fills up fast. You will also need at least two readers. One USB A for the Raspberry Pi when you transfer code and one for your other machine to build the OS image from.
Building the OS Image
You can buy Micro SD cards with built in OS. If you do not have a laptop or desktop that is you only real option. You can also build your own OS image using tool provided by Raspberry Pi. You dan download it here: raspberrypi.com/software.
We recommend modifying the advance setting to pre-configure your login and Wi-Fi password.
Booting the Device
Make sure to use the appropriate power supply as specified by RaspBerryPi. Depending on the version, booting can take a while. Once it has completed booting you should see a screen that looks like most standard desktop environments.
Raspberry Pi’s OS is ARM version of Linux. If you have used Linux most of the standard tools will be available. If you have only used Windows or OSX the environment should seem very familiar. All the desktop environments follow the same basic principles. If you have never used a desktop environment this is a great place to start!
Configuring Your Environment
The keyboard defaults to UK. If you are not in the UK many of the keys will not work as expected. In Preferences, open up the Mouse and Keyboard Setting then click the Keyboard layout button at the bottom. In the combo box choose the appropriate country.
We also recommend a smaller or not image for the background to use less memory.
Developing Your Next Big Thing!
We started using Scratch as a development tool. If that works for you and makes sense keep using it! Here is a link on how to install it on a Raspberry PI.
We have migrated to mow using Python and C++. To write code we use the Geany Programmer’s Editor. It lacks some features of Visual Studio Code (what we develop on in Windows and OSX) but has a light foot print.
Typically, we write code for a Raspberry Pi on both a MacBook and the Raspberry Pi itself. We do find the MacBook is similar enough environment we do not need to change our code too much. If you look at our code in GitHub we you we often have different logic based on which environment the code is run on. Note: there are some packages that only work on Raspberry Pi such as interfaces to sensors. In these sections of the code, we have non-functioning stub if the platform is OSX.
We transfer code using the SD reader. Both OSX and Linux auto-detect SD cards when attacked but with Linux it can take a bit so be patient. Also, sometimes Linux cannot write to large SD card so try a small on first.
Our next post will dive deeper into the basic of programming Python on a Raspberry Pi. For now, if you have never used Linux or a desktop environment we recommend just browsing the Web using Chromium (the open source base to Chrome) to familiarize yourself.
For our upcoming Maker Faire presentation we wanted to make robotics more approachable. One barrier to robotics is, by its very nature, it lacks a human element. To bridge this robot-human divide, the bell hopper design requires two humans working together to power and control it. This only one goal, ring the bell.
Please note, this material is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guide on how to create the designs. Please take a look at our disclaimer.
The bell hopper ended up very similar to the first drawing of the concept, which is rare for us. For the base board we used one of our small robot rig platforms. We use it to create supports for testing robot movements. It ended up looking so good we kept it for the final design. We always wanted ringing a bell to be the goal of the contraption, but originally did not think of using it as the head. Once we saw the bell with the body we changed the design to have it as the head because they fit so well together.
Here is a top view with the bell attached. The head’s weight caused a few engineering issues for us. The body was made of super light aluminum and the bell was heavy brass. To solve this we create a swinging counter balance inspired by the counter balance in Taipei 101.
For the switch to redirect the air we used a standard manual pneumatic lever. It is the same one we use for testing our robots.
The power supply is a bicycle air pump painted bronze to look more steampunk.
Here is the final design of the bell hopper.
It take two people working together to get the bells to ring. Cooperation is key! Come see it and more at this year’s Bay Area Maker Faire.
For the upcoming Maker Faire the Hip Monster’s sisters team wanted a challenge. Something that required precision and also aligned well with our theme of education and steampunk artistry. What they choose to do was a true mechanical mind, a computer built with gears, the Leibniz Calculator.
Please note, this material is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guide on how to create the designs. Please take a look at our disclaimer.
This proved to be our hardest project to date. While videos online had it look simple the precision proved difficult. We first designed a rig composed of separate segments of wood so we could explore different layouts for the gears and rods quickly. Arguable the most critical part, the step drum (the wheel like gear) was completed by the sister team in a few hours which gave us false hope the whole project would be easy.
The step drum shown above is in the center of the device. It was made from a circular piece of wood with nine evenly spaced holes along its edge. In each hole we put screws of different lengths that could be adjusted with bolts to “tune” the device on the fly. At first, we thought this would be a temporary solution but in the end we did not modify it. The device proved to be finicky and our step drum’s ability to be tuned was essential to get it to work.
Over months of trial and error and rewatching youtube videos endlessly we finally had the Ah-Ha! moment. The rig stayed in the exact same position on our workbench as a parade of other projects were started then finished as it rested, in complete. Then everything just clicked, one sister released that we were thinking two dimensional when the problem was in the third dimension. The the other sister fixed the rig and then the Leibniz Calculator worked like a charm.
Here is the final design with some added steampunk flourishes. See it in person at this year Bay Area Maker’s Faire. This project only succeed by everyone working together, listening to everyone’s ideas and refusing to get frustrated. In the end it feel more like a piece of art than calculator.
The above video shows the user adding. You use the Leibniz Calculator by first positioning the step drum to the value you want to add, subtract or multiply. Then you rotate the drum. As it spins it engages the counting gear which keeps track of the current value of the computation. The key is, since the step drums spokes are of different lengths when the drum is rotated the counting gear only is turned based on the length of the spokes. You add by rotating the drum clockwise, subtract by counter clockwise and multiply by doing a full rotating the number of time you want to multiply a value by. For example, if you want to multiply 5 by 4 you set the step drum to 5 and rotate it 4 times.
Above you see the tens dial to the left, showing 2 which is twenty (5X4).
Number One looks very simple, it’s just a burnt out hair drier with wheels. As out first design we opted for a wheeled robot that followed a more traditional form, but it has been repeatedly updated over the years and now is completely autonomous with a mind of its own, making it one of our most complex robots. Powered by a RaspberryPi, our new Number One is now a Edge AI mobile sensor.
Please note, this material is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guide on how to create the designs. Please take a look at our disclaimer.
The handle of the blow drier servers as a functional hub for the electronic component. The two batteries (one for the RaspberryPi and one for the motors) are attached to the back to allow for quick replacement. The camera is mounted at the top to provide a good overall view. The display, which is mostly for show, is forward facing. We added “bumpers” to the screen on each counter to help protect it in from falling or bumping in to something. The first screen hit a end table and developed a crack, which convinced us that it needed some armor.
To protect the range finder, we added wooden bumper. Originally the range sensor had no protection, but after a few good hits we decided a bumper was a good idea. The range finder has proven to be sturdy but the wires to tend to fall off.
Above is a back view. When we first built Number One it the components were completely attached using electrical tape. While this worked surprisingly well, it did not look good. Most components are now bolted on or attached using leather to help the robot look more aesthetic.
The RaspberryPi is attached in front for easy access. The USB and other access ports are easily accessed allowing for quick repairs. We use a wireless keyboard to control the RaspberryPi. While the robot is autonomous (it makes decisions on its own) when it first gets power the AI part of the robot does not turn on. The robot can only become active after we execute a command. The original model turned on automatically, but that proved to be a bit of a headache when something went wrong.
The above image is the layout design using software from Fritzing.org. This is a far simpler layout that what we made for Number Two and Number Three. We may add more sensors over time, but to enable a fast response and to reduce power needs we decided to keep the number of sensors to a minimum. Another difference is we are not using an Arduino to control the movement. For beginners this is a better design to learn with.
The HipMonster’s team was quiet online over the summer but working hard in our workshop finishing up our educational presentation on robotics, Robot Freedom. Here is a quick preview of our Robot Freedom which you can see in person at this year’s Bay Area Maker Faire.
Please note, this material is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guide on how to create the designs. Please take a look at our disclaimer.
Here is our pneumatic robot designed to put a ring into robotics! Learn how to power a robot by just using your own strength and coordinating with a friend. See how many times you can ring the bell!
Our DIY robotic car is completely controlled by our emotional AI platform. It uses sensors to learn from its surroundings and go in the right direction. See it navigate the world with emotions and learn how you can build one too.
Add, subtract, multiply, and divide using our DIY Leibniz calculator. A steampunk computer that you can build at your home. This calculator can do amazing math with a relatively simple design. Before there was electronics, there was gears!
See the updated Number Three, now a fully autonomous android with emotions. It takes in information from a variety of sensors and processes the information to change its mood. Help it learn to not be afraid of humans!
And Number Two (our centaur robot) has gotten updated as well. The AI platform will soon be available on GitHub so you can build your own emotional AI.
Number Three and Number Two also have a hidden feature when you activate a certain sensor.
We are looking forward to seeing all of you at this year’s Maker Faire!
The HipMonster’s sister team decided to push our robotics to the next level. They were dissatisfied with remote controlled robots with no personality or pre-programmed robots who were predictable. What they wanted was a more independent android which could interact with and learn from its environment. While AI would drive this vision, just as important would be sensors and mechanics to enable the robots to come to life.
To start upgrading Number Two and Number Three, we explored different wiring layouts using Fritzing. Fritzing is an open source software program that lets you design and prototype component layouts virtually. This is a great tool for experts and beginners alike and can save you time and money in developing your next electronic project. The images below are exported from Fritzing and show layouts for our improved robots.
Please note, this material is provided for informational purposes only and is not a guide on how to create the designs. Please take a look at our disclaimer.
The above image is the layout for the Arduino and motors that allow the robots to move, as well as a decorative LED light. The linear actuators are controlled by H-Bridges and the motors by relays. We use a 12 volt battery for power. The Arduino receives commands from a RaspberryPi, which controls the LED light and brings everything together. Written in C++, the code for the Arduino is based off of our Walker code.
The above image is the layout for the RaspberryPi and the sensors. The signal processing and AI that is written in Python would live on the RaspberryPi. After much experimenting, we found it was best to have most sensors connected directly to the RaspberryPi and dedicate the Arduino completely to movement. Here is a good tutorial on using a motion sensor with a RaspberryPi.
While we wanted a robot with modern AI and technology, we still wanted a steampunk feel. So we decided to use wood for the baseboard, use vintage wiring techniques, and use leather to secure components and wires.
Once the layouts were finalized and the components acquired for our design, we started exploring different layouts for the baseboard. The baseboard is the most critical piece for our robot’s design. Not only does it secure all the electronics, but also provides structural support for the arm movements. While wiring the board, finding the right layout proved to be more of an art than science. The electronics, power, wiring and the robot’s skeleton all needed to fit together seamlessly, but often one or two components would refuse to play well with the others. The biggest issue was arranging the cabling to minimize stress on the connectors. For example, the HDMI slot needs to point downward or the stress would bend it over time. Number Two and Number Three also needed slightly different boards to work well with their different designs.
Above is the final form of the baseboard with the mounting screws attached. Remember to test the sizing on the mounting screws on each component before attaching them to the board. Also make sure to double check your measuring before drilling holes.
Here we are wiring the board for Number Two. We found it was good to test each connection after it was attached to make sure the wires had a clean connection and would not come off. While wiring two or three wires is easy, but after wiring a larger amount, mistakes can be made. If just one wire was in the wrong place or was stripped incorrectly, you could spend hours tracking it down. Thankfully both the Arduino and RaspberryPi are forgiving, but the sensors are not. If you wire a sensor incorrectly it will overheat and burn out.
Here is another view of us wiring the board. Before attaching it to the robots, we tested everyone repeatedly. Even our cat helped in the testing by batting the wires as the motors kicked in.
And here is the Number Three with its new board in action! The color circle indicates which sensor is receiving input. When the robot receives stimuli, it responds by either moving or speaking to try and encourage more stimuli.
Come see Number Three, Number Two, and more at this year’s Bay Area Maker Faire.
When designing Robot Freedom, our educational presentation on robotics, the HipMonsters team wanted to make robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) approachable to a mass audience in hopes of inspiring the creators within all of us. To achieve this, the core principles for our AI design were defined by the Hip Monster’s sister team (ages 9 and 12 at the time), namely, robots should have distinct personalities, emotions, curiosity and be first and foremost pieces of art.
Given these principles, the foundation of our artificial intelligence framework (show above) is based on Stimulus Organism Response (S-O-R) Theory. S-O-R theory is a psychological framework that enables researchers to explore how stimuli (such as a bell) can impact an organism’s responses, (a dog salivating). Like Pavlov’s dog salivating at the sound of a bell, our robots learn and adapt as they experience outside stimuli and are always eager for more. The robot’s AI is driven by five personality traits that govern how they interpret and respond to stimuli. Below is how a signal from a sensor (stimuli) flows through our AI (organism) and results in an action (response).
Central to the robot’s stimuli exploration is a sensor array of ten sensors ranging from sound to touch. When a robot receives a stimulus, it first processes the information based on its preset personality, then uses past experiences to choose a response based on its personality. Below is a color key to the robot’s sensor display panel.
These experiences are weighted based on the outcome of the robot’s actions allowing the robot to adapt responses to new stimuli. The robots can move, change visual effects, or talk using a chatbot. Below is the full software stack used in our robots.
We are delighted to say the Hip Monsters will present Robot Freedom at the this year Bay Area Maker Faire!
Robot Freedom is a celebration of robotics and steampunk designed to teach kids of all ages the basics of robotic design with fun hands-on demonstrations presented by an autonomous android powered by feelings. See how a mechanical mind works, power a music robot with your own strength, and watch how a robot sees a world filled with stimuli!
The HipMonster.com’s team was invited to do a middle school robotics presentation last month to show kids the fun side of robotics and technology. The audience was so awesome and engaged making it a fun experience for everyone.
The theme was how to take over the world using robots, making it fun to keep the students engaged. We used a steampunk template for our slides to match our robot designs and channeled Girl Genius when presenting.
Testing the controllers
The robots got banged up a bit in transport, but nothing got completely broken. The biggest issue was the wires getting pulled out from the Arduinos. Luckily, it was only the breadboard jumper wires which are easy to put back in place. None of the soldered wires were broken which could have been very hard to fix. Breadboard jumpers are designed to be repeatedly taken on and off. They are like tiny colorful USB cables which helps see how what each cable is connected to (this is important because sometimes you can have dozens of wires). When you solder a wire to a controller, it can only be broken to be removed. You solder wires by using melted metal called solder and a really hot device to melt the metal. When a solder connection breaks you need to melt the metal again to reattach.
Fixing the wiring
Here we are putting the finishing touches on Number Two and Number Three. All the robots traveled well and were up in running in thirty minutes except for one whose battery was faulty. When transporting batteries, we take extra care not to damage them and use a special carrying case.
We wrote a quick intro for the robots to perform to set the mood. After the intro, we dove right into robotics.
Here are three robot bodies. The first is Number Three. She can move her arms and hands, and talk. The middle is called Number Five. He can walk forward on his own using his four legs. The last is Number Two. He can’t do much, but he can still talk and move part of his arms.
All the robots lined up in the gym
For each robot body, you need to do several things. There needs to be a skeleton, a power source, and something that makes the robot move. When we are thinking of designs for our robots we often think of animals that already exist. We also take inspiration from robots in different books and webcomics.
Presenting to the school
Number Four is the most complicated one. It took us over one year to build her, and she is still being modified. Many other robots were also not built all at once but were gradually assembled as we got new ideas.
After you build the body, you have to give the robot a brain. in our robots, we use something called an Arduino.
It is basically a tiny computer that you can program to do different things. For our robots, we use Arduino to make the robot walk on its own, so we don’t have to use a remote control. For one robot, the Arduino can also choose the direction that it walks in, and how fast it walks. You can find a simple example here.
We code the Arduino from our computer, then the Arduino sends messages to the robot to control it. We edit the code based on our observations and new ideas.
We have many different types of robots that can move their whole body, each type demonstrates a different way of moving. We have the 4-legged walkers, which are our first moving robot design. They are made of metal pipes and have four legs and wheels for feet. We put wheels on their feet because we wanted less resistance and friction, but we didn’t want the robots to just be like a remote-controlled car. We wanted them to walk. The design of the legs and the “knee” has made a big difference.
Another design is our Seal robot. This one is very different, as it only has two legs and no wheels. The legs pull themselves forward, powered by linear actuators. To make sure that the legs don’t just go backwards and stay in place, we put wedge-shaped bits of foam at the bottom of the seal’s legs. When the seal moves forward, the wedges give no resistance, but when the legs pull back, the wedges stop them.
The next robot is our Bunny robot. The bunny robot is also unique because it was originally designed to hop. The two back legs push it forward, thanks to the springs. This one is powered by air and pistons, so you can get the sudden jolt that is harder to achieve with linear actuators. This robot is also one of the only robots made mostly out of wood. We took the idea for the legs from our wooden toys.
This is the Kangaroo. The kangaroo’s main difference besides the number of legs is the feet. The feet are small animal toys, designed to only go in one direction so they can move forward more efficiently. The back leg powers the whole robot, and we used linear actuators.
The last robot is the Mouse. The mouse is just a broken blow-dryer attached to wheels from some old toys. It is very simple, so we decided to make it walk on its own, completely uncontrolled and completely randomly, controlled by the Arduino. You can see the code here.
The mouse in action
Sorry, this photo was blurry, but the mouse was super fast that day-well charged batteries.
We want to give a big thanks to all who came to our robotics presentation, and everyone who helped and supported us! this was our first big presentation, and we couldn’t be more happy with how it turned out!
Here is the final design of the bell hopper.
