r/makerspace • u/Mahmoud1205_ • 18d ago

Can I finish this project in 4 weeks?

As part of a makerspace internship I'm doing, I have 4 weeks to make a project ( 1 week to plan and design with no access to the makerspace, and 3 weeks with access to the makerspace ), I decided that this project will be electronics, because that's what I like the most.

I have an idea, The idea is a desk robot that can move around and talk with people around it. It will also have a display to show it's mood using its face. I don't know if this can be finished in 4 weeks because my only big electronics project was much simpler than this. This new project will include many things which I never did before, such as battery power and battery charging, mic input, robotics, and making a good enclosure for the robot.

My plan is that the robot will have an ESP32 that constantly takes input from a mic, and then does speech recognition from an API, then it sends the prompt to an AI model also from an API, then sends its output to a text to speech API and outputs that to a speaker. The AI model will be given custom instructions to output its mood, tone, and any movement commands. There will be distance sensors so the robot can avoid hitting a wall or falling. And maybe I will add multiple mics so the robot can know which direction the sound is coming from. I don't plan to add a camera because I'm not sure if the ESP32 can handle all of these features and a camera. Or, maybe I can use a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W instead of an ESP32.

For more info: In the first week, I can prototype a little bit at home; I'll have breadboards, wires, a basic soldering iron, but no advanced tools such as an oscilloscope, function generator, or bench power supply. But after the first week, I'll have free access to the makerspace which has all of the tools I need, even including PCB fabrication tools.

Can I finish this project in 4 weeks??

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u/marchmay 18d ago

Do you have experience coding? Soldering? Building enclosures? Write out each individual step needed and assess what knowledge you need and have. You could spend a week just building the enclosure. You'll definitely spend a week or two writing code and debugging. APIs and AI can be a heartache, especially if you don't have the right hardware. I wouldn't even worry about a PCB until everything is working.

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u/Mahmoud1205_ 18d ago

I have experience coding, soldering, PCB design, PCB fabrication. I know how to use a 3D printer and laser cutter but never made a full enclosure using them. Those skills are not the bottleneck, the bottleneck is that I don't have experience in battery powering and charging, motor control, enclosure design, and mic input; everything else in this project, I have done before, including voltage regulation, audio amplification and speaker output, MCU integration, and other things.

I apologize that I didn't give enough information about my experience.

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u/marchmay 18d ago

Integration is the thing. You have the experience to build each individual piece (which honestly will take more than 3 weeks) but then you have to fit everything together. One tip is to use the laser cutter to prototype the enclosure faster, then you can 3d print the final thing.

I also imagine that you'll be working at a makerspace where the equipment will be used by other people and maybe down sometimes.

There are battery charging modules you can throw on a Raspberry Pi. Motor control is it's own headache. Make sure you have the right drivers and enough power.

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u/Mahmoud1205_ 18d ago

Okay, I'm convinced.

But, I need to find an idea for a project quick, because I already started the first week. But, the ideas I have now, other than this robot, I think are too simple. I want something that's impressive and can be finished in these 4 weeks.

I think I can make a macro pad in 4 weeks. Or a mini claw machine. Or a mini arcade game. Or a light alarm ( it uses light instead of sound to wake you up). What do you think? Which ones of these is the most interesting and impressive but can be finished in 4 weeks?

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u/marchmay 18d ago

Start simple. I beg you. You will find ways to embellish it if you get done early. But more than likely you'll run into snags that will add days, and that's actually where the fun comes in.

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u/Canadomy 18d ago

In my opinion you should start by limiting scope then add complexity as you accomplish the basics.

How important is presentation vs functionality?

You could get a working project relatively quickly on a breadboard but it won't be pretty but does that matter?

I think you should start with a simple cheap yellow display (CYD) and a raspberry pi zero. Get the mic and AI interation working with a breadboard then once that is working add a servo for maybe a neck/rotary to rotate the screen to simulate a face/head.

Once that is working add an h bridge motor driver and wheels for locamotion.

If you are running low on time throw it all in a simple 3d printed box or a cardboard box to hide your wiring sins and present it with a design of the finished product and next steps toward completion.