Controlling the NAO: The Humanoid Robot MET 435W By: Mister Higgins [email protected] Chris Zachary [email protected] Adviser: Dr. Vukica Jovanovic Submitted: April 22, 2020 Letter of Transmittal April 22, 2020 Dr. Vukica Jovanovic Associate Professor Engineering Technology Department 214 Kaufman Hall, Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA 23529 Dear Dr. Jovanovic: In compliance with the Senior Design Project requirements of MET 435, the technical report is attached for your review and approval. Mister Higgins and Chris Zachary are formally presenting a project named: “Controlling the NAO: The Humanoid Robot” as a final product for the Senior Design Project. Please consider the project for submission to the Department of Engineering Technology at Old Dominion University, Mechanical Engineering Technology Program. The main purpose of the document is to present an “Controlling the NAO: The Humanoid Robot” to learn how to operate this autonomous robot. The project team plans on doing a presentation that can be future used by middle schoolers to learn what is NAO robot and what it can do. Sincerely, Mister Higgins ____________________________ Chris Zachary ____________________________ APPROVAL: DATE: 04/22/2020 1 Abstract NAO is a humanoid robot that is designed to work with humans in a variety of different ways and environments. NAO can be used to: -assess emotional changes in children, process those changes using facial recognition software, and give proper responses through various commands. The main purpose of this project is to learn how to operate this autonomous robot. It costs almost $10,000 (USD). The project team plans on doing a presentation that can be future used by middle schoolers to learn what is NAO robot and what it can do. 2 Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Equipment List ................................................................................................................................ 4 Project Objective ............................................................................................................................. 6 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 9 Discussion ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Why use the NAO Robot .......................................................................................................... 10 Choregraphe .............................................................................................................................. 10 Challenges ..................................................................................................................................... 14 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 16 Presentation ............................................................................................................................... 16 Applications .................................................................................................................................. 17 References ..................................................................................................................................... 18 Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 19 3 Equipment List Figure 1 NAO Robot (Softbank Robotics, 2020) This is NAO. Humanoid robots borrow inspiration from bipedal locomotion found in humans. Various developments of humanoid robots transpired in the previous century. These artificial helpers would be based on the electro-mechanical (mechatronics system), embedded with artificial intelligence that would work reliably and repetitively without injuring human beings. Having robots be “human-like” would make them more socially adaptable (Kanda, 2004). Various biped robots have been created in previous decades. Some of them were designed to showcase advanced capabilities of research departments from companies like Honda or Sony. Figure 2: Different humanoid robots in history: a) Maschinenmensch "Robot; b) ASIMO at a Honda factory; c) Sony Qrio Robot; d) NAO Evolution 4 The NAO robot was developed by Aldebaran Robotics in 2006, later rebranded as SoftBank Robotics, and became one of the first humanoid robots placed on the mass market (Shamsuddin, 2011 SoftBank, 2016). It has seven senses integrated for natural interaction: moving, feeling, hearing and speaking, seeing, connecting, and thinking (SoftBank, 2016), and is a dynamically stable, bipedal robot that has controls based on the hybrid zero dynamics (Ames, 2012; Kofinas, 2012; Vukobatrovic, 2004; Vukobratvic, 2007). It is an autonomous robot with twenty-five degrees of freedom that can interact with the environment and adapt to events, such as falling to the ground, responding to someone talking to it, and alike. It has four directional microphones and loudspeakers, various sensors placed at its head, hands, and feet. It also has wireless connectivity with mobile devices. Its structure can be seen in Fig.2. Figure 3. NAO Robot schematics 5 Project Objective The main purpose of this project is to learn how to operate this autonomous robot. It costs almost $10,000 (USD). The project team plans on doing a presentation to middle schoolers by programming NAO to perform various functions like facial recognition, mathematical problems, and various dances. Figure 4: Choregraphe will be used to program NAO. Figure 5: NAO Charger (Softbank Robotics, 2019) 6 The charger for NAO is from the company SoftBank Robotics. The charger has an input of 100- 240 volts and has a current of 1.0 amperes with a frequency of 50-60 Hertz. The charger has an output of 24.8 volts and current of 2.0 amperes. Figure 6: Mister’s MacBook Air This is Mister Higgins’ laptop, a 2015 edition of the MacBook Air used primarily for schoolwork and to program NAO using Choregraphe software. Figure 7: This is Chris Zachary’s laptop, a Lenovo IdeaPad S340. This laptop uses a Windows 10 processor and has Choregraphe software downloaded to work with the NAO robot. 7 Figure 8: Ethernet port and ethernet cable This approximately 15 feet long ethernet cable will connect with the pictured ethernet port, so that NAO will have a more stable connection and IP address. The purple port is used exclusively for this project and to connect to NAO. Thus, this cable will be connected to the internet so that programming can happen. When The pink port was used, they ran into problems because NAO was not connecting effectively to their laptops. 8 Introduction NAO is an autonomous, programmable humanoid robot developed by a French company called Aldebaran Robotics. This robot design is based on a human body with two arms and legs, a head and torso: hence, the name humanoid robot. Some features a humanoid robot may also have are a face with eyes and a mouth. Since NAO is autonomous, it can have cognitive and social experiences of a human as well. An example of NAO’s cognitive skill-set is the ability to identify its current environment, learn from the surroundings, then process whatever changes are needed. Figure 9: NAO Robot kinematics Our NAO is primarily white with grey joints and red trims. He also has 25 degrees of freedom, 2 cameras, 4 microphones, LED lights, 2 IR emitters and receivers, 2 speakers, 1 interior board, 9 tactile sensors, 8 pressure sensors , 1 GB RAM, 2 GB flash memory, a voice synthesizer and sonar rangefinder. NAO got has Ethernet and/or wireless networking capabilities that can be used for programming. There are two ways to program NAO: 1) Choregraphe and 2) NAOqi SDK, which allows usage of C++, C#, Java, Python, and MATLAB The decision was made to learn how to use Choregraphe since no one in the group has extensive programming knowledge. Choregraphe is a visual-based programming tool that has options and commands drag and drop actions from the library (pre-programmed and customized boxes) and using wires to mutually connect commands. 9 Discussion Why use the NAO Robot The NAO robot will be used to help introduce children to the STEM field in a fun and stimulating way. Many young, minority children do not get the affirming and pragmatic chance to positively experience the excitement of the STEM field at an early age, so they do not shy away from majors such as engineering or computer science if they decide to go to college. By introducing children to the NAO robot, it will give them insight into the robotics field and also show them a fulfilling time by having them interact with NAO. With these constructive interactions some of the children may take a liking to NAO and will hopefully expand their interest in the STEM field. Choregraphe Choregraphe is a programming software used to create and control the behaviors of the NAO robot. Choregraphe has a vast array of actions that can be used and combined to recreate dances and totally unique movements. For example, Choregraphe allows NAO to move, walk, talk, ask questions, and respond to questions. It is also capable of playing uploaded music or sounds through its speakers. Figure 10: This is what Choregraphe looks like when it is first opened. At the top left of the screen is where files can be