Created November 10, 2019 © MIT

Voice Controlled Robot for kids

A small robot for kids to learn, play and discover the world of robotics.

IntermediateFull instructions provided20 hours72

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Raspberry Pi 3 Model B

BBC micro:bit board

MATRIX Labs MATRIX Creator

KEYESTUDIO Micro:bit Mini Smart Robot Car V2.0

RFID Tag

Software apps and online services

Microsoft MakeCode

Snips AIR

Story

The goal of my project was to use the power of Matrix Creator board in conjunction of Snips AI platform to build an interactive robot for children to play, learn and discover the world of robotics.
For this project, I used a robot chassis from KeyeStudio. It comes with motor drivers to control both motors and is powered by Micro Bit board.

The Micro Bit (also referred to as BBC Micro Bit, stylized as micro:bit) is an open source hardware ARM-based embedded system designed by the BBC for use in computer education in the UK.

The device is half the size of a credit card and has an ARM Cortex-M0 processor, accelerometer and magnetometer sensors, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, a display consisting of 25 LEDs, two programmable buttons, and can be powered by either USB or an external battery pack. The device inputs and outputs are through five ring connectors that form part of a larger 25-pin edge connector. There are two official developing environments on the micro:bit foundation web site: Microsoft MakeCode and MicroPython.

MATRIX Creator (with Raspberry) are stacker on the top of the robot with an USB link to micro:bit board establishing a serial connection allowing raspberry to communicate with Micro Bit microcontroller.

Matrix Creator acts as:

- Voice AI recognition to communicate with the robot
- Visual interface through the 35 LEDs
- Input Device through the use of RFID tags

Coupling Matrix Creator with Raspberry and Micro:bit offers a great platform to make this robot alive. I will demonstrate the concept by exploring 4 use-cases:

- A voice controlled game : I have implemented a voice controlled version of the famous game : Simon Says (color based). This game aims at developing memory capacity for children. The gameplay is simple : a round in the game consists of the device lighting up LEDs with one out of for colors (red, blue, green and yellow) in a random order, after which the player must reproduce that order by saying the colors. As the game progresses, the number of colors to be reproduced increases.

Simons Says Game

https://console.snips.ai/store/en/skill_pbkBz34zVZ1 (Link to the Skill in Snips AI platform)

- RFID controlled game : I have implemented a game (from my own creation) called Color Mix. It aims at easing learning of primary colors ( red, yellow and blue) and the colors we obtain when mixing them together. it is based on the 35 LEDs of Matrix Creator. On each turn, a color shows on LED0 ( blinking), the player can choose two options (moving to the left or to the right) by approaching a double sided RFID tag . The color 'advances' in the direction chosen by the player with respect to the different rules below:

- If a given color touchs the same color, they will mix together freeing one place
- A white color is transparent so every other color can mix with it
- if a red color touchs a yellow color , they mix to an orange color
- if a red color touchs a blue color , they mix to a purple color
- if a blue color touchs a yellow color , they mix to a green color
- if you have a golden color, you can free all places on the chosen direction
- The goal is to place the maximum number of colors

Unfortunately, I haven't found a way to decrease the brightness of LEDS thus the video is blurred but the game has a beautiful effect when you look at the board directly

Playing Color Mix Game

- Home automation: By installing Smart Light - Hue, we can control Philips Hue light by voice : Turning on, turning off, set color, brightness...

Smart Hue Lamp control

- Robot Control:

A child can control the robot by voice. It is a good way to learn directions (forward, backward, left, right) , distances in centimetres and angles in degrees. to move a robot just say in which direction you want it to move (right, left, forward, ahead, back, reverse...) and the distance or the angle. You can also choose the speed (fast, slow, moderate....). A funny game could be an obstacle avoidance game where the child drives the robot to reach a destination in a limited number of commands and avoiding obstacles.

https://console.snips.ai/store/en/skill_pYp42Bl3x64 (link to Snips AI platform skill).

Code

serial.onDataReceived(serial.delimiters(Delimiters.NewLine), function () {
    command = serial.readLine()
    distance = parseFloat(command.substr(7, command.length))
    direction = command.substr(0, 4)
    Speed_Char = command.substr(5, 1)
    if (Speed_Char == "S") {
        Speed = Slow_Speed
        Coeff = Slow_Speed_Coeff
    } else if (Speed_Char == "M") {
        Speed = Medium_Speed
        Coeff = Medium_Speed_Coeff
    } else {
        Speed = Fast_Speed
        Coeff = Fast_Speed_Coeff
    }
    if (direction == "LEFT") {
        left(distance * Angle_Duration_Left_90 / 90)
        stop(1)
    } else if (direction == "RGHT") {
        right(distance * Angle_Duration_Right_90 / 90)
        stop(1)
    } else if (direction == "FRWD") {
        forward(distance * Coeff, Speed)
        stop(1)
    } else if (direction == "BKWD") {
        backward(distance * Coeff, Speed)
        stop(1)
    } else {
        stop(1)
    }
})
function forward(distance: number, speed: number) {
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED1, 0, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED2, speed, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED3, 0, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED4, speed, 67)
    basic.pause(distance)
}
function backward(distance: number, speed: number) {
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED1, 100, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED2, speed, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED3, 100, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED4, speed, 67)
    basic.pause(distance)
}
maqueen.IR_callbackUser(function ({ myparam: message }) {
    val = message
    if (val == 70) {
        forward(2, Fast_Speed)
    }
    if (val == 68) {
        left(90)
    }
    if (val == 67) {
        right(90)
    }
    if (val == 21) {
        backward(2, Fast_Speed)
    }
    if (val == 64) {
        stop(1)
    }
})
function left(angle: number) {
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED1, 0, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED2, 0, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED3, 0, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED4, 60, 67)
    basic.pause(angle)
}
function right(angle: number) {
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED1, 0, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED2, 60, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED3, 0, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED4, 0, 67)
    basic.pause(angle)
}
function stop(duration: number) {
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED1, 0, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED2, 0, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED3, 0, 67)
    PCA9685.setLedDutyCycle(PCA9685.LEDNum.LED4, 0, 67)
    basic.pause(duration)
}
let direction = ""
let distance = 0
let command = ""
let Coeff = 0
let Speed = 0
let Speed_Char = ""
let Slow_Speed_Coeff = 0
let Slow_Speed = 0
let Medium_Speed_Coeff = 0
let Medium_Speed = 0
let Fast_Speed_Coeff = 0
let Fast_Speed = 0
let Angle_Duration_Right_90 = 0
let Angle_Duration_Left_90 = 0
let val = 0
val = 0
Angle_Duration_Left_90 = 400
Angle_Duration_Right_90 = 520
Fast_Speed = 100
Fast_Speed_Coeff = 13.5
Medium_Speed = 75
Medium_Speed_Coeff = 20
Slow_Speed = 50
Slow_Speed_Coeff = 27
Speed_Char = "S"
Speed = Slow_Speed
Coeff = Slow_Speed_Coeff
serial.redirectToUSB()
PCA9685.init(67, 0)
basic.forever(function () {

})

from matrix_lite import led
from time import sleep
from math import pi, sin
from random import randint
import matrix_lite_nfc as nfc


everloop = ['black'] * led.length
counter = 0.0
tick = len(everloop) - 1
isChanged = False
nextPosCounterClockWise = 34
nextPosClockWise = 1
debug = False
direction = 0


def gameOver():
    everloop = ['black'] * led.length

    ledAdjust = 0.0
    if len(everloop) == 35:
        ledAdjust = 0.51 # MATRIX Creator
    else:
        ledAdjust = 1.01 # MATRIX Voice

    frequency = 0.375
    counter = 0.0
    tick = len(everloop) - 1
    
    count = 0
    while count < 70:
        # Create rainbow
        for i in range(len(everloop)):
            r = round(max(0, (sin(frequency*counter+(pi/180*240))*155+100)/10))
            g = round(max(0, (sin(frequency*counter+(pi/180*120))*155+100)/10))
            b = round(max(0, (sin(frequency*counter)*155+100)/10))

            counter += ledAdjust

            everloop[i] = {'r':r, 'g':g, 'b':b}

        # Slowly show rainbow
        if tick != 0:
            for i in reversed(range(tick)):
                everloop[i] = {}
            tick -= 1

        led.set(everloop)
        sleep(.035)
        count += 1
        
        
        
def colorPick():
    # Pick a random number representing one of four colors (yellow, blue, red and white) and there is a 1/40 chance to pick a golden ball
    x =  randint(0,40)

    # Return the color matching that random number
    if x <= 10:
        color = 'yellow'
    elif x <= 20:
        color = 'blue'
    elif x <= 30:
        color = 'red'
    elif x <= 39:
        color = 'white'
    else:
        color = 'darkgoldenrod'
    return color

	
def debugEverloop(): #a debug function to print all the leds color's
    if (not debug):
        return
    message=''
    if direction == 1:
        for i in range(0,35):
            if everloop[i] == 'red':
   	           message += 'Red-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'blue':
               message += 'Blue-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'green':
               message += 'Green-'   
            elif everloop[i] == 'white':
               message += 'White-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'black':
               message += 'Empty-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'orange':
               message += 'Orange-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'purple':
               message += 'Purple-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'darkgoldenrod':
               message += 'Golden-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'yellow':
               message += 'Yellow-'
        print(message + '\n')
        print('NextPosClockwise = ' , nextPosClockWise,'\n')
    elif direction == -1:
        for i in reversed(range(0,35)):
            if everloop[i] == 'red':
   	           message += 'Red-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'blue':
               message += 'Blue-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'green':
               message += 'Green-'   
            elif everloop[i] == 'white':
               message += 'White-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'black':
               message += 'Empty-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'orange':
               message += 'Orange-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'purple':
               message += 'Purple-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'darkgoldenrod':
               message += 'Golden-'
            elif everloop[i] == 'yellow':
               message += 'Yellow-'
        print(message + '\n')
        print('NextPosCounterClockWise = ' , nextPosCounterClockWise,'\n')
		
        
def RecursiveMixClockWise():
    global isChanged, nextPosClockWise, debug
    if not isChanged:
        return
    isChanged = False
    for i in reversed(range (2, nextPosClockWise)):
        if everloop[i-1] == everloop[i]:
            if debug:
                print('Mergin two balles ', i, i-1, '\n')
            everloop[nextPosClockWise] = 'black'
            for j in range (i,nextPosClockWise):
                everloop[j] = everloop[j+1]
            nextPosClockWise -= 1
            debugEverloop()
            isChanged = True
            renderSlow()
            break
    if everloop[2] == 'white':
        if debug:
            print('White Ball ahead')
        for i in range(2,nextPosClockWise):
            everloop[i] = everloop[i+1]
        everloop[nextPosClockWise] = 'black'
        nextPosClockWise -= 1
        debugEverloop()
        isChanged=True
        renderSlow()
    for i in reversed(range(2,nextPosClockWise + 1)):
        if {everloop[i],everloop[i-1]} == {'yellow','blue'}:
            if debug:
                print('Mixing two colors ', i,' and ',i-1, '\n')
            everloop[nextPosClockWise] = 'black'
            everloop[i-1] = 'green'
            for j in range(i,nextPosClockWise):
                everloop[j] = everloop[j+1]
            nextPosClockWise -= 1
            debugEverloop()
            isChanged = True
            renderSlow()
            break
    for i in reversed(range(2,nextPosClockWise + 1)):
        if {everloop[i],everloop[i-1]} == {'red','blue'}:
            if debug:
                print('Mixing two colors ', i,' and ',i-1, '\n')
            everloop[nextPosClockWise] = 'black'
            everloop[i-1] = 'purple'
            for j in range(i,nextPosClockWise):
                everloop[j] = everloop[j+1]
            nextPosClockWise -= 1
            debugEverloop()
            isChanged = True
            renderSlow()
            break
    for i in reversed(range(2,nextPosClockWise + 1)):
        if {everloop[i],everloop[i-1]} == {'red','yellow'}:
            if debug:
                print('Mixing two colors ', i,' and ',i-1, '\n')
            everloop[nextPosClockWise] = 'black'
            everloop[i-1] = 'orange'
            for j in range(i,nextPosClockWise):
                everloop[j] = everloop[j+1]
            nextPosClockWise -= 1
            debugEverloop()
            isChanged = True
            renderSlow()
            break
    RecursiveMixClockWise()



def RecursiveMixCounterClockWise():
    global isChanged, nextPosCounterClockWise, debug
    if not isChanged:
        return
    isChanged = False
    for i in reversed(range (nextPosCounterClockWise + 1,35)):
        if everloop[i] == everloop[i-1]:
            if debug:
                print('Mergin two balles ', i, i-1, '\n')
            everloop[nextPosCounterClockWise] = 'black'
            for j in reversed(range (nextPosCounterClockWise + 1,i+1)):
                everloop[j] = everloop[j-1]
            nextPosCounterClockWise += 1
            debugEverloop()
            isChanged = True
            renderSlow()
            break
    if everloop[33] == 'white':
        if debug:
            print('White Ball ahead')
        for i in reversed(range(nextPosCounterClockWise + 1,34)):
            everloop[i] = everloop[i-1]
        everloop[nextPosCounterClockWise] = 'black'
        nextPosCounterClockWise += 1
        debugEverloop()
        isChanged=True
        renderSlow()
    for i in reversed(range (nextPosCounterClockWise + 1,35)):
        if {everloop[i],everloop[i-1]} == {'yellow','blue'}:
            if debug:
                print('Mixing two colors ', i,' and ',i-1, '\n')
            everloop[nextPosCounterClockWise] = 'black'
            everloop[i] = 'green'
            for j in reversed(range (nextPosCounterClockWise + 1,i)):
                everloop[j] = everloop[j-1]
            nextPosCounterClockWise += 1
            debugEverloop()
            isChanged = True
            renderSlow()
            break
    for i in reversed(range (nextPosCounterClockWise + 1,35)):
        if {everloop[i],everloop[i-1]}=={'red','blue'}:
            if debug:
                print('Mixing two colors ', i,' and ',i-1, '\n')
            everloop[nextPosCounterClockWise] = 'black'
            everloop[i] = 'purple'
            for j in reversed(range (nextPosCounterClockWise+1,i)):
                everloop[j] = everloop[j-1]
            nextPosCounterClockWise += 1
            debugEverloop()
            isChanged = True
            renderSlow()
            break
    for i in reversed(range (nextPosCounterClockWise + 1,35)):
        if {everloop[i],everloop[i-1]} == {'red','yellow'}:
            if debug:
                print('Mixing two colors ', i,' and ',i-1, '\n')
            everloop[nextPosCounterClockWise] = 'black'
            everloop[i] = 'orange'
            for j in reversed(range (nextPosCounterClockWise + 1,i)):
                everloop[j] = everloop[j-1]
            nextPosCounterClockWise += 1
            debugEverloop()
            isChanged = True
            renderSlow()
            break

    RecursiveMixCounterClockWise()

	
def renderSlow():
	led.set(everloop)
	sleep(0.3)
def renderFast():
	led.set(everloop)
	sleep(.15)

	


		
while True:

    everloop[0] = colorPick()
    led0 = everloop[0]
    #make a blink animation of led 0 and wait for a direction
    while direction == 0:
        everloop[0] = led0
        renderFast()
        everloop[0] = 'black'
        renderFast()
        tag = nfc.read.scan({"info": True, "pages": False, "ndef": False,"page": 0})
        if(tag.status == 256):
            if tag.info.UID == '0A24E83C': #Clockwise direction	Change the ID with your RFID Tag ID	
                direction = 1
            elif tag.info.UID != '':
                direction = -1
    everloop[0] = led0
    renderSlow()
    if debug:
        print('Next Ball :' , everloop[0])
    debugEverloop()
    foundplace = False
    isChanged = False
    if direction == 1: #clockwise
        if everloop[0] == 'darkgoldenrod': # lucky man
            for i in range (1,nextPosClockWise):
                everloop[i] = 'black'
                renderFast()
            everloop[0] = 'black'			
            nextPosClockWise = 1
		#find place for the new ball
        for i in range(1,nextPosClockWise+1):
            if everloop[i] ==  'black':
                if debug:
                    print('Found empty space n°' , i , ', shifting balls\n')
                for j in reversed(range(1,i+1)):
                    everloop[j] = everloop[j-1]
                everloop[0] = 'black'
                foundplace= True
                nextPosClockWise += 1
                debugEverloop()
                renderSlow()
                break
        if foundplace:
            isChanged = True
            RecursiveMixClockWise()
            direction = 0
        else:
            print('Game Over')
            break
    elif direction == -1: #counterclockwise
        if everloop[0] == 'darkgoldenrod': # lucky man
            for i in  reversed(range(nextPosCounterClockWise,35)):
                everloop[i] = 'black'
                renderFast()
            everloop[0] = 'black'			
            nextPosCounterClockWise = 34
		#find place for the new ball
        for i in reversed(range(nextPosCounterClockWise,35)):
            if everloop[i] ==  'black':
                if debug:
                    print('Found empty space n°' , i , ', shifting balls\n')
                for j in range(i,35):
                    everloop[j] = everloop[ (j+1) % 35]
                everloop[0] = 'black'
                foundplace = True
                nextPosCounterClockWise -= 1
                debugEverloop()
                renderSlow()
                break
        if foundplace:
            isChanged = True
            RecursiveMixCounterClockWise()
            direction = 0
        else:
            print('Game Over')
            gameOver()
            break

Credits

Amine Amri

10 projects • 19 followers

I’m a financial risk engineer in Paris, France with a passion for computer science, electrical engineering, robotics and embedded systems.

Voice Controlled Robot for kids

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

Schematics

RIght view

Back view

Side View

Front view

Left view

Code

Micro:bit code to control the robot

Code for playing Color Mix Game (RFID based controls)

Snips Skill to control the robot

Snips skill to play Simon Says Game

Credits

Amine Amri

Comments

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Voice Controlled Robot for kids

Voice Controlled Robot for kids

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

Schematics

RIght view

Back view

Side View

Front view

Left view

Code

Micro:bit code to control the robot

Code for playing Color Mix Game (RFID based controls)

Snips Skill to control the robot

Snips skill to play Simon Says Game

Credits

Amine Amri

Comments

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