Week 17 — Applications and Implications

Overview

This week's topic was Applications and Implications. The assignment was to plan a final project using several Fab Academy skills. This page explains Loco Pik's use case, fabrication process, cost, parts, and test plan.

My final project is called Loco Pik. It is a small desktop emotional companion robot. It is designed for people who work or study alone. It does not use a screen face. Instead, it responds through light, sound, movement, and simple interaction.

Loco Pik is not an industrial robot or powerful machine. It is a small emotional object. The project uses digital fabrication, embedded electronics, a web interface, and system integration. These elements support a compact object that feels alive.

Final Presentation Files

Summary slide

Assignment

The assignment was to plan the final project and answer these questions:

• What will it do?
• Who has done what beforehand?
• What sources will I use?
• What will I design?
• What materials and components will be used?
• Where will they come from?
• How much will they cost?
• What parts and systems will be made?
• What processes will be used?
• What questions need to be answered?
• How will it be evaluated?

The project should combine design, fabrication, electronics, programming, integration, and packaging. I should fabricate custom parts when possible. I should buy only standard components.

Project Position

Loco Pik is related to consumer electronics, robots, toys, art, and interaction design. It is a small companion object for a desk. The goal is not to build a general robot. Instead, Loco Pik provides gentle feedback and a modest sense of company.

What will it do?

Loco Pik will be a small desktop emotional companion robot. It will stay on a desk. It will respond through light, sound, movement, voice, and a phone web interface.

The robot is designed for people who work or study alone. It will not display complex information. Instead, it will provide small emotional signals. It can glow, play short sounds, move its legs, and respond to webpage commands.

Who has done what beforehand?

I reviewed companion robots, robot pets, desktop AI devices, and maker robot kits before planning Loco Pik. These examples informed my decisions about shape, movement, sound, touch, light, and voice.

I did not use these projects as models to copy. I used them as references. They showed existing approaches and clarified how my project should differ.

What sources will I use?

I will use my Fab Academy weekly work as the main project source. Each week tested a different part of Loco Pik. These areas include PCB design, milling, sensors, servo movement, networking, interfaces, and system integration.

Technical and component sources

I will also use official documents, open-source projects, and component guides. These sources support ESP32-S3 programming and connect the web interface to the robot.

What will I design?

I will design the main shape, shell, internal structure, leg layout, electronics layout, interaction logic, and documentation. The design work includes both appearance and system behavior.

What materials and components will be used?

The main parts include the microcontroller, servo motors, servo driver, LED, audio amplifier, speaker, and distance sensor. They also include the battery, wires, connectors, and 3D printing material. I added Taobao links as purchase references.

The total cost will be about 274.82 RMB.

Where will they come from?

Most electronic parts will come from Taobao or FabLab stock. I will make the shell, internal structure, and custom PCB in the lab. Taobao search links clarify the purchase sources.

What parts and systems will be made?

Loco Pik will include several systems. I will test each system first. Then I will integrate them into the final body.

System map

User
  ↓
Phone webpage interface
  ↓
HTML + CSS + JavaScript
  ↓
HTTP command over local Wi-Fi
  ↓
ESP32-S3
  ↓
Servo movement / LED light / sound output / sensor feedback
  ↓
Loco Pik physical emotional behavior

What processes will be used?

This project will use several digital fabrication and programming processes. I will connect them into one working system.

What questions need to be answered?

During final development, I need to answer these technical and design questions.

How will it be evaluated?

I will evaluate the project technically and through user interaction. Each module should work alone. All modules should also work together in the final body.

Applications and Implications

Loco Pik can be used as a small desktop companion for people who study or work alone. It can provide small feedback during work time. This makes the desk feel less empty.

It can also serve as an educational example. It shows how interaction design, embedded systems, electronics, programming, and digital fabrication can work together.

The project also asks a design question: does emotional interaction always need a screen face or a human-like robot? Through Loco Pik, I test whether a small object can create presence through light, sound, and movement.

Individual Mastery

This project shows my work across several Fab Academy units. I will design the object, fabricate parts, build electronics, program the microcontroller, and create the interface. I will then integrate these systems into one independent final project.

AI Use Statement

I used ChatGPT to help organize, rewrite, and simplify this Week 17 documentation. It helped clarify the English and prepare the HTML structure.

The project idea, design decisions, parts, fabrication plan, and test plan are my own. I reviewed and edited the AI-assisted content before publishing it on my Fab Academy website.