#k-9 v3

Hello after a long break! We spent the summer outside as much as possible, and now with winter here -and supply routes working better as the world learns to manage Covid- we’re moving back into bot making mode. 

We’ve been working more on K9, continuing our process of updating him.

The updated software is working again with a web based controller that works from an i-phone (larger the better), IPad, or PC. We lost some of the last work that we did a year ago when we shorted out the Pi, but it’s been fast to re-do. We then worked to recalibrate the servos (head, tail, ears) to work properly with the updated software. This is the larger interface set up. It allows more simultaneous control than blynk did on the phone, as you don’t have to stop one control while flipping to a different tab to start another animation.

We confirmed the interface to the motor controller is working and mounted the pi, screen, and motor controller back into K-9. We just need to hook up the LEDs and servos, and clean up the new wiring. Then we need to switch to the Pi driven router so that no internet connecting is needed. We had worked through this last winter and we think it’s straight forward. Once complete K-9 will weigh a good 8 – 10 lbs less which should allow for even better turning and longer battery life.  

By the time spring comes around and it’s warm enough, he should be ready to go out for ‘walks’ again!

New features include:

• PowerSave mode that only runs the hover lights when he moves and dims the eyes
• Camera in nose can be streamed to the I-phone/IPad.
• 3 selectable tail movement patterns in addition to the basic movements and the existing two speed ear movements
• Thinking about adding one button to run a set script, ala Wheatley. For example: Raise head, say ‘I am K-9′ while wagging tail and ears, blink hover lights, lower head.

We switched from the new software to working on updating K-9’s hardware over the weekend.

• Replaced the heavy SLA batteries with LiFe batteries. This reduced K-9’s weight from about 44 lbs down to 38 lbs with the same battery capacity.
• Re-wired the 12v circuit using a 24v to 12v converter as opposed to pulling the 12v off of just one of the batteries. This avoid discharging one battery faster and damaging the battery.
• Started the circuitry for the 24v battery monitor that will provide battery status on the remote. Just need to mount this on the main electronics board.
• Started the circuitry for dimming the hover lights and eyes. We will have to solder in a few more wires to complete this and mount it to the main electronics board.
• Cut a hole in front of the speaker and covered with the a grate to enhance the volume.

Once we get all of the new circuitry wired, we can test the updated software.

We also did some research on AI visual object detection and may order a Google Coral co-processor to play with. The Coral AI processor is designed to run Tensor-flow models for AI tasks like object detection and facial recognition. With K-9’s camera and the Coral board, we could have a game of playing with K-9 where you hold up and object and he recognizes it and speaks its name. The demo object database has about 1,000 objects. This would make K-9 look pretty smart and would be incredible to implement!

On the initial K-9 version we used NodeRed, Python, and Blynk to enable control by an I-phone. This was a fast to implement solution since we had no experience programming in JavaScript / HTML. 

However it had several issues:            

• Time needed at boot to load both the Blynk and NodeRed servers. 
• Challenges to keep the servers in sync through various software releases.      
• User interface limited by Blynk’s options.

On K-9 V3 we are simplifying the architecture using just Python and a Flask server. This allows for a quick load on boot and by using sockets we maintain fast communications between the I-Phone and control.