OpenCAT - A Multifunctional Walking Robotic Cat

2022 ELE Engineering Design Project (XF11)

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Faculty Lab Coordinator

Xavier Fernando

Topic Category

Consumer Products/Applications

Preamble

This open-source cat-shaped robot is nothing short of awesome. OpenCat is highly maneuverable; it can pose, crawl, balance, recover from falls, and detect obstacles. It can even stream videos and detect faces. You can also integrate Amazon’s Alexa personal assistant. The programmable and highly maneuverable robotic cat is a great project. An Arduino takes responsibility for controlling detailed limb movements, while the Raspberry Pi 4 works as the cat’s brain.

Objective

To design a programmable and highly maneuverable robotic cat.

Partial Specifications

1. It should be able to walk and move around.
2. It should be able to recover from falls.
3. It should be able to detect and avoid obstacles.
4. You can also integrate Amazon’s Alexa personal assistant.
5. It should be sturdy

Suggested Approach

Visit https://www.hackster.io/petoi/opencat-affordable-quadruped-robot-for-stem-845129 to see a similar proejct. Get the inspiration from there and then design your own robot.

Group Responsibilities

Overall completion of the project, integration and demonstration.

Student A Responsibilities

3D printing of parts

Student B Responsibilities

Raspberry PI

Student C Responsibilities

Arduino controls

Student D Responsibilities

Machine vision

Course Co-requisites

To ALL EDP Students

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, in the event University is not open for in-class/in-lab activities during the Winter term, your EDP topic specifications, requirements, implementations, and assessment methods will be adjusted by your FLCs at their discretion.