Final Project Weekly Assignments
W1 | Proposal
Where it all began
This week the task was to plan and sketch a potential final project. After researching and reflecting, the concept took shape: a panda-shaped robot that helps children learn to recognize and manage their emotions through simple and playful interactions. The first sketch was done. 🐼
W2 | Computer-Aided Design
2D Design
For the 2D design, Procreate was used — an illustration app for iPad that allows drawing directly with the Apple Pencil. Before starting the illustrations, the interaction sequences were defined for each emotional state, drawing from emotional regulation techniques used in child psychology:
Happy
Based on positive reinforcement and emotional validation, the robot celebrates with the child, helping them recognize and embrace positive emotions as something worth expressing.
Sad
The sequence begins with a self-hug to calm down naturally. If the child still does not feel better, a humor therapy sequence follows. If neither works, the robot encourages the child to seek adult support.
Angry
The child channels anger through physical movement using the bamboo accessory. Depending on the intensity detected, the robot guides them through breathing, a squeeze technique, or suggests asking an adult for help.
Additional states were also designed: idle, greeting, and farewell. Since the display does not support video, each state was represented as a sequence of illustrated frames — similar to a GIF. A total of 12 animations were created, each consisting of between 3 and 15 frames depending on the complexity of the movement. Each frame was drawn individually in Procreate, adjusting expressions, shapes, and details to create smooth and readable transitions for a child.
3D Design
For the 3D design, Autodesk Fusion 360 was used. The process started with reference images generated in ChatGPT, which were imported into Fusion 360 as canvases and used as visual guides throughout the modelling process.
The modelling relied mainly on the Form tool — similar to working with digital clay — to create the organic and rounded shapes of the panda. Once the overall form was defined, Fusion 360's standard modelling tools were used to refine the geometry and prepare each part for fabrication.
Both the robot body and the bamboo accessory were fully modelled with dedicated internal spaces for their respective electronics, including component mounts and cable routing paths. The assembly was designed using a combination of press-fit features, threaded inserts, and screws, providing a secure and clean integration of all parts.
Microcontroller Selection
This week, the XIAO ESP32S3 was selected as the microcontroller for the final project — for both the robot and the bamboo accessory. After comparing different boards and toolchains, the decision was based on its built-in BLE connectivity, compact size, and compatibility with Arduino IDE and C++ — the toolchain I am most familiar with. As a first exploration, a panda illustration was displayed on an OLED screen — an early test of the display logic that would later evolve into the 12 Nextion animations.
| Board | Component | Pin |
|---|---|---|
| 🐼 Main | Buzzer | D0 |
| 🐼 Main | PIR Sensor | D1 |
| 🐼 Main | Servo 1 | D2 |
| 🐼 Main | Servo 2 | D4 |
| 🐼 Main | LED Ring | D5 |
| 🐼 Main | Display | D6, D7 |
| 🐼 Main | Push Button 1 | D8 |
| 🐼 Main | Push Button 2 | D9 |
| 🐼 Main | Push Button 3 | D10 |
| 🐼 Main | Servomotors, PIR, LED Ring, Display | PWR_5V |
| 🐼 Main | Push Buttons | PWR_3V3 |
| 🌿 Accessory | MPU6050 | D4 (SDA), D5 (SCL) |
| 🌿 Accessory | RGB LED | D7 (R), D8 (G), D9 (B) |
| 🌿 Accessory | MPU6050, RGB LED | PWR_3V3 |