What will it do?

Since i was always wanted an assistant that could ease my work i thought of making a personal assistant with google assistant API that could listen to my commands act accordingly. I am planning to include features like lcd touch display,speakers,neopixel rings,motor movements etc. One day a silver owl flew to our office, it seemed very cute, so i thought of making the assistant with the shape of an owl.

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Real silver owl

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Started Modeling in fusion 360

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Who's done what beforehand?

When i googled the same, i had seen many similar projects. My actual intention for the final project was not to make a complete unique product but to study various processes involved for building a similar thing. I was inspired by the design of archimedes owl by Alex Glow

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Alex Glow's Archimedes

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Ulo, an interactive home monitoring owl

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Also Jacob Jose ,previous fabacademy 2018 student from Fablab Kochi had worked on a similar project as below

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What will you design

I am planning to have an owl assistant by integrating google assistant/ALEXA with rapserry pi/Amazon alexa. Amazon alexa voice service SDK can be added to rasperry pi with this link hereI will be using the same. On first stage i could use ALEXA echo dot for setting up with iftt commands. On the next stage i could use rasperry pi indepedent of alexa. The rasperry pi will be processing all the audio commands. I am also planning to put a custom made neo pixel ring in two eyes of the eagle which was made in Week 12-Output devices weekend. I will be accomodating a miniature board

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There will be output speakers, neopixel rings,LCD touch displays, servomotors,Li-Po battery for standalone working. If i get time i am planning to control some appliances using the same. So i will be designing a board for controlling the whole components

What materials and components will be used? Where will come from? How much will they cost?

Component & Source List

Components	From where	Price
Amazon Echo Dot	Amazon	0 $
Servo motors	Fab lab kochi	0$
Controller boards & electronics	Fablab kochi	0$
Custom Neopixel ring	Fablab Kochi	5$ for single neopixel
3D printed body parts	Fablab kochi	0$
WIFI Modules	Fablab kochi/amazon	ESP 8266 chip for 6$ and rest parts from lab

What parts and systems will be made?

The body will be entirely designed and 3D printed and is under design stage. The electronics for controlling servomotor,Custom neopixel rings,wifi modules using esp8266 will be made by me.ALEXA/Rasperry pi will also be used

What processes will be used?

• 3D Modelling and printing: The whole structure will be designed including body,wings
• PCB Designing and making : The circuit boards for controlling the servos,neopixels will be designed and made
• Interfacing IFTT and Alexa: I always wanted to try iftt. I liked th idea of giving random commands to trigger a motion. The arduino program could be explored for with

What questions to be answered?

1. How can i interface ALEXA and the PCB controller boards?

I think i could use ESP wifi modules for interfacing with internet and IFTT.ESP wifi

2. How can i change the commands given to alexa for different actions

Different applets can be added

3. How to make a design that could give proper wing movements for the owl

The servo motors can be used to have a proper wing movement and the same design for a robotic arm could be used in here

How will it be evaluated

For me, the motive of the project is not to make a complete new product but to study the process of making every single components and finally arriving at a finished product. The things involved in the process of making each parts were unknown to me and even i could skip alexa and use rapserry pi to study python ,arduino , C programming and i find this project to be something that gives me a tour on these subjects