Voice Control Robotics Dog

Hello Friends, welcome back in my new Instructables project. Today I'm going to meet you mine all new Robotic Pet, known as Petoi Bittle X From Petoi Camp. Have you ever dreamed of building your own agile, lifelike quadruped robot? With the Bittle X construction kit, that dream becomes a reality. This compact, powerful, and versatile robot dog is not only a fun project but also an incredible way to dive into the world of robotics, coding, and engineering.

In this step-by-step guide, you'll learn how to bring Bittle X to life, from assembling its mechanical frame to programming its movements. Whether you're a seasoned maker or just starting out, this project is designed to be accessible and rewarding. By the end, you'll have a fully functional robot that you can customize and expand, opening the door to endless possibilities.

The Bittle X is a small, four-legged robot that mimics the movements of a real dog. It comes as a DIY kit, allowing users to build and customize the robot. Capable of walking, running, and performing a lot of tricks. Equipped with various sensors for obstacle detection and environmental interaction. Also Supports AI functionalities and can be programmed for various tasks.

Few Months Back, I received a courier from Petoi Camp & you well know what's it. It was the all new Petoi Bittle X construction kit. After Unboxing I got these all parts inside the package;)

1. Head Clip
2. Bittle Tail
3. Cable Cover
4. Screw Driver
5. TYPE-C Cable
6. Powerful Battery
7. Infrared Remote
8. Micro USB Cable
9. Upper leg piece
10. Lower leg piece
11. L-Shape Calibrator
12. Servo with a long cable
13. Servo with a short cable
14. Bodyframe With Cover
15. Postcard With Hints

These parts will be used to make the Dog, so let's understand it & make it step by step.

Let's start with mounting the Motors on there place. We got upto 10 high quality servo motors, 9 Motors will be used and the one is as a scrap. It means if any motor stop working in future, then you can replace it with this one.

1. First Mount the four motors on it's legs (See Image 1 & 2 For Refrence)
2. Now Mount the four motors on the body. (See Image 3,4 & 5 For Refrence)
3. And then mount the last motor to it's head. (See Image 6 & 7 For Refrence)

Since there're two types of motor, the first one is long wires motor and the second one is short wires motor. So while mounting the Motors, the long wires motor will be attached to it's legs & short wire motors will be attached to it's body and head.

Now After Mounting all the Motors to there place. It's time to attaching all of the with the frame.

1. First attach it's all four knees with it's legs. (See Image 1 & 2 For Refrence)
2. Now attach all the knees with it's body. (Uploading it's image soon!)
3. And in the last attach it's head with it's body. (Uploading it's image soon!)

Now it's time to do all the connection between the motors & the ESP32 based microcontroller. You can see the above image for your reference. Just connect all the motors with the microcontroller as shown in the image. Make sure while doing the connection, the servo motor has three wires (Signal, Positive & Negative) check these wires carefully while doing the connection.

Now it's time to upload the code, But first let's talk about it's microcontroller. It comes with ESP32 chip, offering better processing power and wireless capabilities, making Bittle X smarter and more adaptable for projects like voice control and IoT integration. Here are some features;)

1. Dual-core processor: Faster and more powerful for handling complex tasks.
2. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Allows for wireless control and connectivity.
3. 520KB SRAM: Provides more memory for running larger programs and handling data.
4. Multiple GPIO pins: Supports a variety of sensors and motors.
5. Low power consumption: Efficient power use, especially in battery-powered robots.

So let get start with the coding process, there are two methods to Upload the firmware to the robot;)

1. The simplest method is to use the Petoi Desktop App In your PC or Laptop No programming is involved, You can play with some preset modes. (Highly recommended for beginners)
2. If you have some programming experience, you can use the Arduino IDE. And You will be able to modify the open-source codes for your new projects.

Now let get start with Petoi Desktop App, first download it in your laptop by the provided Link. After downloading, launch the app in your laptop. Now connect the ESP32 Microcontroller Board with Type-C and then connect the cable with your laptop. In the app, choose the appropriate firmware or code you want to upload. Click the Upload button, and the app will send the code to the robot. The app will also show a progress bar, and once done, your robot will be updated with the new code.

Now it's time to do the calibration. Do you know what's the reason behind doing the calibration? Let me know you; After assembling the Bittle X robotic dog, calibration is necessary to ensure that the robot’s sensors, servos, and joints work in harmony. Since the servos are responsible for controlling the robot's movement, even slight misalignments in the angles can affect how well the robot walks, runs, or balances. In simple terms, calibration helps the robot understand how to move its legs properly, just like we need to adjust our posture to walk better.

1. Accurate Movements: Calibration aligns the servos so the robot's legs and joints move correctly.
2. Better Performance: Proper calibration helps the robot perform tasks smoothly and without jerky or unnatural motions.
3. Prevents Strain: Misaligned servos can overwork and cause strain on the joints or motors.

So let's start the calibration process;)

1. Turn on the Bittle X: Power up the robot after assembly.
2. Set Servo Angles: Use the provided software (Petoi Desktop App, Arduino IDE or Petoi Smartphone Application) or controller to access the servo calibration settings.
3. Adjust Each Servo: Adjust each servo to its neutral position(See Image For Refrence), which is usually 90 degrees (default). This ensures that the robot's legs and joints are correctly aligned.
4. Test Movements: After calibration, test the robot's movements to ensure it moves smoothly.
5. Save the Calibration: Once everything is properly aligned, save the settings.

With the help of on board voice recognition module, you can control the Petoi robot to do various skills through voice without using wake words. Currently, the module supports 40 fixed voice commands in two languages (English and Chinese) and ten customized commands by recording any sound clips.

After uploading, the firmware is in Voice mode by default. If you need to switch, please open the serial monitor and input the serial command XA to switch to Voice mode.You can refer to the list of available voice commands shown above;) Find More Details Here.

Power on the robot by switching on the power button, Make sure the battery is fully charged. The robot should initialize and stand in a neutral position.

Now Connect it with the Controller;)

1. Infrared (IR) Remote: If you're using the IR remote, point it at Bittle X and press buttons to see if it responds to commands like walking, running, or sitting.
2. Mobile App: If you want to control Bittle X from your phone, you can install the compatible app (like Petoi or similar, depending on your model). Connect via Bluetooth and follow the instructions in the app to control movements and functions.
3. Voice Commands:
4. PC or Serial Command: For more advanced testing, you can connect Bittle X to your computer through USB and send serial commands via software like Arduino IDE.

. Basic Movements

1. Once Bittle X is powered and connected, test basic movements like walking forward, backward, turning left or right, sitting, and standing.
2. You can use the remote or the app to initiate these movements.
3. Observe the servos to ensure they’re functioning correctly without any abnormal sounds or jerks.

Overall, the Petoi Bittle X is a versatile and educational tool for those interested in robotics and AI, offering hands-on experience with building and programming a functional robotic pet. It can be used for educational purposes, research, or as a hobby project to learn more about robotics, programming, and artificial intelligence.