Archimedes: The Emotion‑Sensing AI Robot Owl

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Featured in Make: Magazine!

Designed to spot enthusiastic visitors, Archimedes scans faces for genuine happiness. When a genuinely happy expression is detected, he opens a small treat box to dispense stickers or other small gifts. The name pays homage to Merlin’s familiar from The Once and Future King and echoes the cybernetic owls seen in Blade Runner and Clash of the Titans.

The core intelligence comes from the Google AIY Vision Kit. Learn more about the kit—the project’s software will be released shortly.

The idea began when I was invited to showcase a project at the Bay Area Maker Faire. After extensive brainstorming, I chose a playful, yet technically challenging design that would work across multiple events such as the CODAME Artobots Festival and the Arm/Hackster Asia Tour. The Raspberry Pi’s ARM architecture makes the robot easily portable and reproducible.

1. Assembling the AIY Vision Kit

The kit includes pre‑loaded demos that provide a solid starting point. Refer to the documentation for a quick setup walkthrough.

2. Servos

A robust pan/tilt gimbal from HackerBox (#0024, “Vision Quest”) delivers smooth motion for the owl’s head. An additional servo from a Seeed Grove kit lifts the treat box lid. For joystick integration, an Arduino handles the servo control to avoid conflicts with the AIY Joy Detection demo.

Connect the servos to pins 9 (pan), 10 (tilt), and 11 (lid). Power the motors from a dedicated 5 V USB supply to ensure reliable performance.

3. Programming

Archimedes continuously scans for a genuinely happy face. Once detected, the LED indicator lights up and the owl ceases motion to open the treat box. The logic combines the AIY LED and Joy Detection demos with custom code to trigger the reward mechanism.

4. 3D‑Printed Carapace

The head, wings, and chest were designed in OnShape and printed on a Lulzbot Taz 6 using Taulman N‑Vent filament. The design balances interior space for electronics with a lightweight exterior. Assembly uses aluminum armature wire and heat‑shrink tubing to secure components without risk of shorting.

Assembly Notes

Head: Aluminum wire braces the head onto the servo bracket; double‑sided insulating foam tape secures the Raspberry Pi. Electrical tape protects exposed connectors.

Body: The owl perches on a repurposed English Breakfast tea tin, which also houses a bendy tripod and insulated Arduino enclosure. The tin is filled with brown paper to create a “nest” and to dampen vibration.

Treat Box: A LEGO baseplate with a hinged lid holds the reward. A servo mounted at the rear opens the lid upon activation.

Power: A powered USB hub supplies 5 V to the Raspberry Pi, servos, and Arduino. A custom USB cable connects directly to the Pi’s 5 V and GND pins.

Process Shots

Progress images are shared on Instagram, offering a visual journey through the build.

Source: Archimedes: The AI Robot Owl