Butler Dirk

The Not-So-Friendly Butler

By Sanne Dekker, Nikki Rademaker, Yanna Smid, and Daphne Varekamp

Overview

For the course "Hardware & Physical Computing", I teamed up with Sanne Dekker, Yanna Smid, and Daphne Varekamp to create this project. The objective was to develop an autonomous Arduino-based project that functions intuitively, without the need for explanations. The design must incorporate at least one physical input, and at least one physical output. The primary focus of this project is not on practical utility, but rather on the autonomy and interaction of the components.

This butler robot offers a uniquely 'cold' welcome to individuals as they enter the room. It features a distance sensor that enables it to detect when people pass by or stand in front of it. Upon triggering the sensor, the butler uses a speaker to deliver unwelcoming remarks. The butler was crafted using papier-mâché, concealing the hardware within its body. Additionally, we integrated LEDs to serve as the robot's eyes, programmed to illuminate only while audio is being played. This was done to enhance its eerie presence.

Materials

We used the AI text to speech generator Narakeet to generate the voice of the robot, we chose the voice of the English AI named Alfred. Additionally, the following hardware was used for Dirk:

• Powerbank Belkin: power source for Dirk
• Arduino uno
• Breadboard
• Micro SD card (2GB): to store the text that Dirk says
• SPI SD card reader module shield: to read the text that Dirk says
• Ultrasonic distance sensor: to detect people when they pass by or are in front of him
• Speaker (JBL box): to output the text that Dirk says when the distance sensor gets triggered
• Aux cable: to connect the arduino to the speaker, enabling the transmission of audio
• 2x LED lamp: for Dirk's eyes that light up when the ultrasonic distance sensor gets triggered, serving as a visual indicator
• Potmeter: to play the song "Never gonna give you up" by Rick Astley
• Servomotor: moves Dirk’s arm when the distance sensor gets triggered

Final Product

Our final product is an unwelcoming robot called Dirk, as a reference to the folders of the supermarket Dirk that the butler was made of with papier-mâché. Dirk was also equipped with a small potmeter on the back, which when twisted, would play a "Rickroll", surprising users with the classic Rick Astley song, "Never Gonna Give You Up."