High Five Robot

Ever been left hanging? I too have felt the sting of high five rejection. However, I showed them all by building my own High Fiving machine! Using a chipKit WF32, a PmodLS1, and a few craft supplies, I can now tap into an unlimited supply of high fives.

My first step was to gather some materials. I used a chipKit WF32, but any Microcontroller should work.

Tech stuff:

• Digilent ChipKit WF32
• Digilent PmodLS1
• GWS Servo motor
• IR Proximity Sensor
• Several electrical wires

Arts and Crafts stuff:

• Two different color markers
• Lots of tape
• Scissors
• 2 Popsicle sticks

My first step was wiring my electronics together! Above you will see my setup, connecting the PmodLS1 and the Servo to the chipKit. I designed the code around this particular setup, so if you want to change the connecting pins, you may need to alter the code a bit too.

I cut a flab into the hand so I could insert the sensor. Then with some tape, I fixed it together. After that, connect the sensor to the PmodLS1.

These hands are looking great, but they are a bit short. Tape some popsicle sticks to them. Now your HANDS have HANDles!

Tape the hand with the IR sensor to the Servo. Make sure the hand is facing the same direction as in the picture, or the arm won't turn properly.

I used masking tape but you can use whatever you can get your hands on (haha).

If you have not already, download MPIDE so you can upload code to the chipKit. You will also need to install the PmodLS1 library to MPIDE. To do this, extract the contents of "LS1 Library + Example Code.zip" to C:\Users\username\Documents\mpide\libraries. Then, open "High_Five_Robot.pde" using MPIDE, and click upload.

Here is how the project works. When the program starts up, the motor turns the hand to the "high five angle". It stays in this position, until the other hand touches the other hand, activating the IR Proximity sensor. The PmodLS1 that controls this sensor tells the Servo to rotate backwards, wait a bit, then rotate forwards. It is then ready for another high five!

This project calls for a lot more features. I was disappointed that the IR Proximity Sensor couldn't sense my own hand, so I had to use a paper hand instead. A more accurate sensor, such as the PmodALS, would be a welcome addition to this project. I would also like to see some 3D printed hands used in this project.

If you liked this project, check out some other chipKit projects! Such as the Racer Ruler, or the Line Following Robot.