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How to Build a Computerized Android Robot Head

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the maxmillian dept.

Wee writes "While searching for some serial port programming information, I came across a result labeled How to Build a Computerized Android Robot Head for $600. That title demanded a read. This guy built a Java and Perl/Tk controlled android head out of R/C motors, bicycle parts, a mannequin head, two QuickCams and my favorite item: a brass plant holder. Turns out the entire site is chock full of android/hardware/PC-control know-how (including scenarios in which one might find a need for an android head)."

22 of 157 comments (clear)

  1. You know by rblancarte · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just today I was asking how I could build a computerized android robot head for under $700. Now you posted it for the bargan price of $600. You rock.

    Althought I have to admit - this site is really cool. Maybe if I get some spare time (and money), I might partake this small project.

    RonB

    --
    It is human nature to take shortcuts in thinking.
  2. Karma whoring: Google cache by AaronStJ · · Score: 3, Informative

    In case the site goes under, here here's the Google cache.

    --
    Stupid like a fox!
  3. Finnally! by JuiceRat00 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now I can finally get a head in life. Ok kill me now.

  4. This is cool, but... by NoMoreNicksLeft · · Score: 4, Funny

    What we really need is either a Billy Bass Intercom system, or a trash talking Furby. Servo motor geeks, perform your magic and summon these things for me.

    Besides, if I was going to do an android head, I'd at least build it out down to the boobs. It is a she, isn't it?

    1. Re:This is cool, but... by Cutriss · · Score: 3, Funny

      What we really need is either a Billy Bass Intercom system, or a trash talking Furby.

      Coolest thing I can think of that I eventually want to do...

      Take two Furbys, program them individually in isolated rooms by screaming at each one "Tetsuo!" and "Kaneda!" and then put one in front of the other, and let the fun begin!

      --
      "Mod, mod, mod...and another troll bites the dust."
    2. Re:This is cool, but... by NoMoreNicksLeft · · Score: 3, Funny

      Actually I've been considering that myself. I've been wanting to go into business for myself selling all sorts of goofy shit, and that would be one item in my catalog. Imagine putting on on the front door, and someone knocks. The fish head turns toward them, the mouth moves, and says "Whattaya want?"... the key of course, would be syncing the lips to the voice playing through it. Maybe some sort of DSP programmed to pick out the hard consonants (not perfect, but would be close enough).

      Then again, re-apholstering a Furby with a custom red felt skin, complete with barbed tail and horns would rock, wouldn't it? Have it chant out evil sounding things, "Worship me!" "I command you to desecrate churchs!" all in that sweet little furby voice.

      Of course, I would always have more serious products too. Just some thoughts.

    3. Re:This is cool, but... by Cutriss · · Score: 3, Funny

      The fish head turns toward them, the mouth moves, and says "Whattaya want?"... the key of course, would be syncing the lips to the voice playing through it. Maybe some sort of DSP programmed to pick out the hard consonants (not perfect, but would be close enough).

      Dear god...whatever you do, *don't* make that thing SING! Please...for the love of everything that's human! No more singing bass!!! Spare us all!

      --
      "Mod, mod, mod...and another troll bites the dust."
    4. Re:This is cool, but... by cosyne · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I'm working on the trash-talking furby, i swear. The basic idea is this: there's one motor inside which runs a series of cams for the eyes, ears, mouth, and butt. Roughly, there's 180 degrees where the butt doesnt move, and the other 180 it goes up and down as the motor rotates. Now, each of those is split for, say, mouth movement: in the ranges 0-90 and 180-270, the mouth moves- if you want it to talk and tilt forward you use one range, if you want it to sit still and talk, you use the other. And it keeps getting subdivided into smaller ranges so you pick the angle range where the appropriate body parts move, and run the motor back and forth in that range.

      But i digress. The cool part is that the motor, home switch, and encoder just unplug from the motherboard, so it's not hard to plug them into your handy HC11 eval board and write a little controll algorithm. The fact that i haven't done this yet only speaks to my superior lazieness. But i will soon. Once i have a furby connected to my computer, i just cat whosyourdaddy to /dev/furby and i'm set. (and maybe i can get i posted and hose my website when i do :-)
      Check furby autposy for more info, or just pick one up for $5 and cut it open.
      Anyways, check out

  5. No need to build... by Accipiter · · Score: 4, Funny

    Pshaw. I don't need to build an android head. I found one deep in a cavern in San Francisco back in 1893.

    --

    -- Give him Head? Be a Beacon?
    (If you can't figure out how to E-Mail me, Don't. :P)

    1. Re:No need to build... by circletimessquare · · Score: 4, Funny

      I heard a kid on Tatooine built one for a lot less than 600 Republican Credits. He even put a magnetically levitated spinning doohickey in the middle of it for no particular reason at all.

      --
      intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  6. Why build a robot head, by tcd004 · · Score: 5, Funny

    When it will only become infatuated with you, frustrated at your disinterest, and eventually try to kill you.

    Damn that 790!

    What's Dick Hiding?

    tcd004

    1. Re:Why build a robot head, by Skirwan · · Score: 4, Funny
      When it will only become infatuated with you, frustrated at your disinterest, and eventually try to kill you.

      Damn that 790!
      The dead do not damn.

      --
      I've got to assume most of the seventeen people who got that reference were amused by it...
  7. Ooh, the irony by Chazmati · · Score: 5, Funny
    His specialties are software development, system building, performance tuning, parallel distributed computing, system programming, X11 configuration and software development, web development and System Administration.

    Wait for it...

    Building humaniform robots is one of his many hobbies. Pat's interests include sentient robot life forms, theoretical physics, gravity, electricity, magnetism, dimensions, complexity, astronomy, weather, chaos...

    Almost there...

    Pat can be reached at (protected)@aol.com

    I never thought I'd see a parallel-distributed computing, X11-hacking, web-developing sys admin that uses AOL. I suppose with all those complicated hobbies he just wants a nice, relaxing, online experience.

    1. Re:Ooh, the irony by Skirwan · · Score: 3, Funny
      I never thought I'd see a parallel-distributed computing, X11-hacking, web-developing sys admin that uses AOL. I suppose with all those complicated hobbies he just wants a nice, relaxing, online experience.
      That makes perfect sense, except for the part about AOL being nice, relaxing, or online.

      (Insert Rimshot Here)

      --
      Damn the Emperor!
  8. nice parts list! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    some highlights...

    Hanging-light On/Off chain (in case it gets too depressed, I guess)
    Plastic tie-straps (slightly kinky)
    Plumbers GOOP (ok, more kinky)
    Aluminum tape for eye-lids (whoa, too kinky for me)
    RC ball-joints/Tie-rods (dude, even I don't have joints there!)
    Plastic throw-away green cup
    Butt Connectors, RS 64-3037 (Yep, Tandy corp for all your rear panel connections)

  9. Android head has a posse by Wee · · Score: 3, Interesting
    from the site: Pat can be reached at (protected)@aol.com

    I never thought I'd see a parallel-distributed computing, X11-hacking, web-developing sys admin that uses AOL. I suppose with all those complicated hobbies he just wants a nice, relaxing, online experience.

    Hey man, the android head is cool. I was even making an "Android Head Has A Posse" sticker. I was just trying to find out the weight of the head (for the sticker) but the site was non-responsive. Then I checked Slashdot. I guess the site has gone out of my cache since I submitted it or something.

    But AOL'er or not, the friggin' head rocks. You can't get down on the man for his ISP. Not when he makes a motorized head out of a planter and bike parts that greats little Johnny when he gets home from school. Not even then, man. There are much easier targets than him. Find one who hasn't made a fully-functional robot head out of rat shack parts...

    -B

    --

    Ash and Hickory, straight-grained and true, make excellent bludgeons, dandy for the cudgeling of vegetarians.

  10. Re:Realdoll applications by kaosrain · · Score: 3, Funny

    Imagine the surprise when the unknowing recipient of such a gift decides to give her an oral exam...

    Oh sweetheart, you're gonna give daddy a treat...open wide...mmm...tha zzzzZZZZzzzzZZZttt!

    I propose the name Lorena.

  11. Sweet! by vex24 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Something to replace my old gizmo!

    http://www.fu-fme.com/


    ;)

    --

    People shape laws. Not the other way around.

  12. Wheee by supermoose · · Score: 5, Funny

    The lazy man's guide to building a computerized android head:

    Step one - Find an android.
    Step two - Decapitate said android.

  13. Damn that'd actually be cool! by Greyfox · · Score: 5, Funny
    I'd have to build one and just carry it around with me everywhere. I bet you could program it to be whiney co-dependent when you're around and then the moment you leave have it start talking to your co-workers about how it hates you and wants to kill you. And record the fun for later! Damn that'd be creepy! I can see it now...

    Robot Head: I love you, Grey. Please pay attention to me.
    Me: Yeah, that's nice robot head but I've really got to complete this C code...
    After a while...
    Me: Bio break!
    Robot Head: No Grey... please don't go! I can't stand to be without you!
    Me: Gotta go when you gotta go! Departs
    Robot Head: Mike? Mike are you over there?
    Mike: Um... yeah...?
    Robot Head: Mike... you don't know the things he makes me do Mike! No sentient being could stay sane, Mike! You MUST help me to kill him! You have arms Mike! It'd be so easy for you... rant continues until I return.
    Me: Have you been a good robot head?
    Robot Head: Oh yes! I am so joyful that you are back! My circuits are all abuzz!
    Mike: Um dude... that thing wants to kill you!
    Me: Is that true, robot head?
    Robot Head: No! Lies! I love you! I could never even think of killing you!

    It could be hours of fun, I tell you!

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  14. Taking it to the next level... by Angry+Black+Man · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Georgia Tech students have put together a project called the "Aware House." They're basic given a two level house downtown to do all sorts of experiments to see how they can improve on living. One of their projects is an "android-style" face that could represent the face of the house showing and telling all sorts of useful things about what is going on. You can find the "Giving the house a face" page here, and the Aware House website here.

    --
    the byproduct of years of oppression by the white man
  15. Poor choice of video parts by Lumpy · · Score: 3, Informative

    Quickcam VC? YUCK! get a bt878 card 2 analog video cameras and a video switcher to swap between L/R. this eliminates focus/whitebalance/iris/etc.. problems that plague the VC (and the VC is horribly slow/icky to begin with) this would allow you to do a reg/blue image processing to allow 3d display at the workstationat a decent framerate (10-15fps) AND allow you to play with some image detection.

    Although such work would need either a really fast computer or a rewrite in C.

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.