Robotic Dog Research Paper

Missing Figures

Abstract

The objective of this project is to build a robotic dog that performs tricks that are determined by the number of times it is petted. The robotic dog would be a perfect toy and friend for a child, especially an only child. It would not require training, since the tricks would already be programmed into the robot. Although the idea of the robot seems simple, the actual construction of this robot is extremely difficult and takes up a lot of time. Three different models of the body structure were constructed until a fully functioning robot was finally discovered.

Background/Purpose

About 10,000 to 15,000 years ago, human beings had developed signs of relationships with wolves, which are believed to be the

As a result, humans lived in harmony with the human-raised wolf companions, utilizing the wolves for hunting, rounding up their flocks, and protecting them when intruders were a threat. After a long period of time, the wolves gradually evolved into the typical household dogs of today.

A household dog would be a perfect companion for an only child of modern times, especially since less people want to have children and since some only want to have one child. An only child with no siblings would sometimes feel lonely or bored and would then resort to begging their parents for dogs. The dog could potentially be their link to attracting some new friends and some extra attention, especially if the dog could perform some tricks to entertain other people. Unfortunately, sometimes parents discover that either they or their children are allergic to the dogs. In addition, some parents dislike all pets and complain that they are too much of a hassle. These conflicts may be solved by a Lego Mindstorm robot that performs tricks like a pet dog.

First of all, the robot has no fur that may trigger allergic reactions and provides entertainment for children. It may still help children attract attention and give

I spent several hours trying to figure out the problem without success and eventually abandoned model #2 and moved on to model #3 with the help of Chang-Ho.

I switched back to using one motor and placed a 40 tooth gear at the center of the lever. The 40 tooth gear was placed in direct contact with the worm gear that was connected to the worm gear (Figure 4). Chang-Ho helped me test the robot for its sturdiness and he used his hand to apply pressure to the lever. There was no weird clicking sound, and it successfully lifted the RCX; however, it did not successfully lower itself to the ground. I proceeded to making the head with a touch sensor so that the dog would be able to do tricks when petted (Figure 5). I then added wheels to the robot, hoping that the robot would still lift the body.

Figure 1 – Inventorbot Figure 2 – Model #1

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5 – Head

Results

Model #3 with a single motor was the only robot strong enough to lift the whole

RCX up in the air. Unfortunately, I wasted a lot of time experimenting with the 3 different body structures. As a result, I did not have enough time to actually complete the programming, since I did not have a computer to work with for a long period of time.