Homework - Stephanie Hedger

Yukako Shimada · April 2015

nspiration
I've decided to take inspiration from a book called Frontier Incursion, a Sci-Fi book with a species called Starcats. Which are basically large cats that have glowing marks along their bodies.

Goal
Instead of trying to recreate the entire cat (for now) I've decided to focus solely on their ears. So I've created them out of fabric and cardboard while the skull top is paper mache and will focus on the movement of the ears.

I'm using the mechanism ideas from the plastic bag monsters course in creating the movement within the ears themselves allowing me to create different emotions based on position: relaxed, calm, angry and agitated.

(Sorry the photo's are sideways they're right on the computer I can't find a way to change them here)
Calm

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020761/uploads/editor/ja/vvel1iyvpiqk.jpeg

Alert

Angry

I am planning on using 3 servos for each ear but as they have not arrived yet I have also ordered 2 pan and tilt servos that I may be able to use instead. Which may save space.

They will be placed so one servo controls the 'calm/alert' state while, another controls the 'angry' state and the third should make the tip twitch as if the cat is agitated. (This would obviously be duplicated on each ear.)

I have an Arduino Uno that I am going to use for this version though for a later iteration I may require a smaller board. This will allow me the full range of inputs and outputs available on the board though I should not need them.

Electronic Components
-6 Servos or 2 Servos + 2 Pan & Tilt Servos

Mechanical Components
-Cat's Head
-Cat's ears x2
-Pivot Attachments
-Motivators (Likely cotton if strong enough)

Bonus Goal 1: Making the ears light up.
I plan on using black light paint with UV LEDs to illuminate it

Electronic Components
-UV LEDs

Mechanical Components
-UV Paint
-Fibre Optics (Possibly)

Bonus Goal 2: Sound reaction
I would also like to add a small microphone to the ears so the will automatically twitch based on sound. This will depend on component availability and coding difficulty in the time frame.

Electronic Components
-Microphone or speaker

Stephanie Hedger · May 2015

//DAVID: I realise I don't use true Camel case but changing old habits/personal conventions would mess with work.

/*

Code for the operation of a cat's ear.

References

SRP: Servo Right Primary

SLP: Servo Left Primary

SRS: Servo Right Secondary

SLS: Servo Left Secondary

SRT: Servo Right Tip

SLT: Servo Left Tip

The primary servos control the position of the ear

The secondary servos control the shape of the ear

The Tip servos control the top of the ear

*/

//LIBRARIES

#include <Servo.h>

//VARIABLES: HARDWARE IDs

//Primary Servos control ear placement

Servo SRP;//Servo Right Primary

Servo SLP;//ServoLeftPrimary

//Secondary Servos control ear shape

Servo SRS;//ServoRightSecondary

Servo SLS;//ServoLeftSecondary

//Tip Servos control ear twitch

Servo SRT;//ServoRightTip

Servo SLT;//ServoLeftTip

/*

###Consider###

Can/Should I combine these 2?

Possibly but there'd be no independent ear twitch possible.

Does this matter? Consider power requirements?

*/

//VARIABLES: CODE

int SRPPos = 0;

int SLPPos = 0;

int SRSPos = 0;

int SLSPos = 0;

int SRTPos = 0;

int SLTPos = 0;

void setup() {

// put your setup code here, to run once:

//Set ears to 'Relaxed'

SRP.attach(9); //Right Primary Servo Is attached to pin 9

SLP.attach(2); //Left Primary Servo Is attached to pin 2

SRS.attach(10); //Right Secondary Servo Is attached to pin 10

SLS.attach(4); //Left Secondary Servo Is attached to pin 4

SRT.attach(11); //Right Tip Servo Is attached to pin 5

SLT.attach(6); //Left Tip Servo Is attached to pin 6

Serial.begin(9600);

WarmupTest(); //Start Up Testing

}

void loop()

{

/*

DAVID: As I currently don't have an input device to trigger each of these behaviours I'm simply looping

therough them currently. As I get the available components I will be able to add an if statement to call

each of the actions functions.

I'm also planning on using some sort of pot. to directly control the placement of the ears.

*/

Relaxed();

delay(1000);

Alert();

delay(1000);

Angry();

delay(1000);

}

/*

This is the default state of the ears. Ears should be positioned to the rear (Primary Servo position) but not

flattened (Secondary Servo position) in any way.

*/

void Relaxed()

{

int NoSteps = 75;//the number of steps taken to move through

int SRPInitialPos = SRPPos; //Set the initial position of the right ear primary servo

int SLPInitialPos = SLPPos; //Set the initial position of the left ear primary servo

int SRSInitialPos = SRSPos; //Set the initial position of the right ear secondary servo

int SLSInitialPos = SLSPos; //Set the initial position of the left ear secondary servo

/* ### NOTE: Fine tune once servos are installed ###*/

//This section allows you to position the serves as required once they're mounted

int SRPFinalPos = 0; //Set Destination Position of the right ear primary servo

int SLPFinalPos = 0; //Set Destination Position of the left ear primary servo

int SRSFinalPos = 180; //Set Destination Position of the right ear secondary servo

int SLSFinalPos = 180; //Set Destination Position of the left ear secondary servo

for (int x = 0; x < NoSteps; x++)

{

int y = NonLinearMapping(x, NoSteps); //Non Linear Mapping. See Function for details

SRPPos = map(y, 0, 200, SRPInitialPos, SRPFinalPos);

SLPPos = map(y, 0, 200, SLPInitialPos, SLPFinalPos);

SRSPos = map(y, 0, 200, SRSInitialPos, SRSFinalPos);

SLSPos = map(y, 0, 200, SLSInitialPos, SLSFinalPos);

SRP.write(SRPPos);

SLP.write(SLPPos);

SRS.write(SRSPos);

SLS.write(SLSPos);

delay(40);

}

/*

This is the Alert state. The ear should be forward (Primary Servo Position) and not deformed (Secondary Servo

Position) in any way.

*/

void Alert()

{

int NoSteps = 100;//the number of steps taken to move through

int SRPInitialPos = SRPPos; //Set the initial position of the right ear primary servo

int SLPInitialPos = SLPPos; //Set the initial position of the left ear primary servo

int SRSInitialPos = SRSPos; //Set the initial position of the right ear secondary servo

int SLSInitialPos = SLSPos; //Set the initial position of the left ear secondary servo

/* ### NOTE: Fine tune here once servos are installed ### */

//This section allows you to position the serves as required once they're mounted

int SRPFinalPos = 150; //Set Destination Position of the right ear primary servo

int SLPFinalPos = 150; //Set Destination Position of the left ear primary servo

int SRSFinalPos = 180; //Set Destination Position of the right ear secondary servo

int SLSFinalPos = 180; //Set Destination Position of the left ear secondary servo

for (int x = 0; x < NoSteps; x++)

{

int y = NonLinearMapping(x, NoSteps); //Non Linear Mapping. See Function for details

SRPPos = map(y, 0, 200, SRPInitialPos, SRPFinalPos);

SLPPos = map(y, 0, 200, SLPInitialPos, SLPFinalPos);

SRSPos = map(y, 0, 200, SRSInitialPos, SRSFinalPos);

SLSPos = map(y, 0, 200, SLSInitialPos, SLSFinalPos);

SRP.write(SRPPos);

SLP.write(SLPPos);

SRS.write(SRSPos);

SLS.write(SLSPos);

delay(1);

}

/*

This is the Angry state. The ear should be back (Primary Servo Position) and deformed (Secondary Servo

Position).

*/

void Angry()

{

int NoSteps = 200;//the number of steps taken to move through