Semi-autonomous mobile phone communication avatar for enhanced interaction

Abstract

In order to take advantage of the present technology in cellular phones and to enhance the presence of phone user in a remote location, the process of designing the MeBot is started. The MeBot is designed to be a semiautonomous robot that is aimed to embody the other side of the phone conversation in a more interactive way. This thesis covers the initial mechanical design of the MeBot. Major goals such as compactness, expressiveness, and manufacturability were attempted in the first two version of the design. The MeBot v1.0, built and tested, was able to prove the feasibility of the concept and generated some consumer response through the implementation of three degrees of freedom. Then MeBot v2.0, with six degrees of freedom, was designed to incorporate some improvements on the mechanical design. The latest mechanical design of the MeBot has capabilities to perform tasks such as traveling on a flat surface, lift and lower the phone, gesture and point with its arms, and rotate its entire upper body independently from the wheels. Overall, the degrees of freedom fortify the MeBot with capabilities to embody the user in an expressive way.