The concept of robot dog has always fascinated humans, and with the advancement of technology, it has become a reality in various forms. One such form is pet robots, which have gained popularity in recent years. These robots are designed to mimic the behavior of real pets, providing companionship and entertainment without the responsibilities that come with owning a living animal. Pet robots come in different shapes and sizes, from robotic dogs and cats to more exotic creatures like robotic parrots and fish. With their lifelike features and interactive abilities, pet robots offer a unique experience that blurs the line between technology and reality. This topic raises questions about the benefits, ethical concerns, and impact on society of having pet robots as part of our lives.

In recent years, the advancement of robotics technology has enabled the creation of robots that can mimic the behavior of living creatures in surprising ways. One such example is Bittle, the dog robot created by Petoi, which has captured the attention of pet lovers and technology enthusiasts alike. Bittle is a four-legged companion robot dog designed to look and move like a dog, with a playful and friendly demeanor that makes it endearing to many. The robot is equipped with advanced sensors and motors allowing it to navigate its environment, interact with humans, and perform various tasks. 

If you’re thinking about how to make a DIY Boston Dynamic’s Spot, a companion dog robot, an Arduino dog robot project, etc. Regarding it, don’t worry. An Arduino robot, a companion dog robot, and a Boston Dynamic’s Spot are now simple to construct. The whole package! Wow, that’s amazing. The little dog robot, known as Bittle, is a DIY Arduino dog robot in addition to being a companion dog robot.

Petoi

Petoi is the creator of Nybble, an open-source robotic cat, and Bittle, a high-performance, open-source robot dog. Petoi creates futuristic bionic robot pets for adults and children with uses in robotics, STEM, coding, AI learning, and companionship. The robots are highly programmable, open source, high-performance, and remote or app controlled. The goal of Petoi is to make lifelike quadruped robots accessible to the general public at an affordable price point, enabling a variety of applications. And they have a great vision to lead the market for personal companion robots and enhance human well-being.

Small but Mighty: Bittle the Little Dog Robot

Bittle is the first quadrupedal robot dog in the world that is the size of a palm. It is a four-legged robot that can move, play, and interact like a real dog, providing companionship and entertainment without the responsibilities of owning a living animal. With its lifelike behavior and advanced features, Petoi Bittle has become a favorite among pet lovers and technology enthusiasts alike.

The robot is equipped with state-of-the-art sensors, motors, and artificial intelligence, allowing it to navigate its environment, and learn new tricks. Petoi Bittle has been praised for its affordability, accessibility, and ease of use, making it a popular choice for people of all ages and backgrounds. The main parts of Bittle include;

The Head of Bittle

Bittle is made with a clip-like head that can hold extensible modules. With some well-known modules, they put together a sensor pack. The user can connect additional add-ons built with Arduino and Raspberry Pi. In their GitHub repository, these modules’ demo codes can be found.

The Double Light Sensor

One of the key features that make Petoi Bittle so unique is its double light sensor system. This system allows the robot to detect and respond to changes in light, enabling it to navigate its environment more effectively.

The double light sensor system comprises two separate sensors, one on each side of the robot’s head. These sensors work in tandem to detect changes in light intensity, allowing the robot to sense changes in its surroundings. For example, if one sensor detects that the light has become brighter on one side, while the other sensor detects no change, the robot will turn its head towards the brighter side, giving the impression that it is curious about something.

The double light sensor system is especially useful for Petoi Bittle’s play behavior. When playing fetch, for instance, the robot is able to track the movement of a ball and adjust its course accordingly, using the light sensors to navigate toward the ball’s location.

To measure light intensity, the sensor incorporates two photoresistors. A photoresistor is a passive component that reduces resistance in response to receiving light on the sensitive surface of the component. When the intensity of the light increases, the resistance increases, and vice versa. The output signal is an analog value; the higher the value, the brighter the signal. You can achieve the desired function by evaluating the value of the detected intensity of light, such as a robot tracing light.

The Double Touch Sensor

The double touch sensor is an important part of Bittle’s design, as it allows the robot to interact with its environment in a more natural way. And the sensor is located in its mouth. By responding to touch, Bittle is able to engage with people in a way that is similar to a real dog.

The touch sensors are sensitive to pressure and are designed to respond when they are touched. When you touch Bittle’s head, it will react by making a happy sound or moving its body in a playful way. Similarly, when you touch its tail, Bittle will react by wagging its tail or moving its body in a way that suggests it is happy.

The touch sensor is also an important safety feature for Bittle. If the robot is touched in a way that could potentially harm it, such as if it is lifted or squeezed too tightly, the touch sensor will detect the pressure and cause Bittle to react by either making a distressed sound or moving its body in a way that suggests it is in pain.

The sensor has two touch components (left and right), both of which are capable of detecting capacitance changes in the presence of a finger. This means that regardless of how hard or how lightly you press with your finger, the touch sensor will give at a high level. By evaluating the detected value, you can achieve the desired function (1 for high level, 0 for low level).

The Gesture Sensor

One of the features that make Bittle so unique is its gesture sensor, which is located on its head and allows the robot to interpret human gestures and respond accordingly. The sensor includes sophisticated proximity detection, digital ambient light sensing, and gesture detection. Up, down, left, and right motions as well as more complex movements can be accurately detected by gesture detection. With this gesture sensor, Bittle can perform intricate Ninja moves!

The gesture sensor is an infrared camera that is capable of detecting hand movements and gestures. It allows Bittle to recognize and respond to commands such as “sit”, “stand”, “roll over”, and “come here”. When a user makes a specific gesture, Bittle will interpret the gesture and perform the corresponding action.

PIR Motion Sensor

You can detect motion with PIR sensors, which are almost always used to determine whether a person has entered or exited the sensor’s field of view. Within its range of detection, this sensor enables you to command Bittle’s motion. Simply connect it to the NyBoard and program it, and the sensor will output a high potential on its SIG pin whenever someone moves within its detection range.

For example, if someone waves his hand in front of Bittle, the PIR motion sensor will detect the movement and trigger Bittle to turn its head and look in the direction of the movement. Similarly, you can configure Bittle’s actions.

Intelligent Camera Module

One of the advanced features that make Bittle so unique is its intelligent camera module for object tracking, which allows the robot to detect and track objects in its environment. With a deep-learning algorithm inside, the MU Vision Sensor is an intelligent vision sensor that can identify a wide variety of objects. It is capable of detecting things like cards, balls, the human body, and color blocks. The UART or I2C interface can be used to transmit the detection result. MU can be extensively used in intelligent toys, AI+STEAM lessons, creators, and other products or fields because it is small, uses little power, and runs all algorithms locally.

The intelligent camera module is a sophisticated computer vision system that includes a camera and advanced image processing software. It allows Bittle to identify and track objects in real time, even in complex and dynamic environments.

For example, if a ball is thrown in front of Bittle, the camera module will detect the ball and track its movement, allowing Bittle to follow the ball and even retrieve it. Similarly, if a person walks in front of Bittle, the camera module will track their movement and allow the robot to follow the person or interact with them in a more natural and engaging way.

The intelligent camera module is an important part of Bittle’s design, as it allows the robot to interact with its environment in a more advanced and autonomous way. By detecting and tracking objects in its surroundings, Bittle is able to mimic the behaviors of a real dog and create a more immersive and engaging experience for its users.

Free C++ Quadruped Robotics Curriculum

Petoi is a robotics company that specializes in creating open-source robotic platforms, including their quadruped robot called Bittle. In addition to designing and building robots, Petoi is also dedicated to education and offers a free C++ quadruped robotics curriculum for students and educational institutions.

The free C++ quadruped robotics curriculum is designed to teach individuals how to program and control a quadruped robot like Bittle. The curriculum includes a comprehensive set of lesson plans, programming exercises, and sample code, which are all available for free on Petoi’s website.

The curriculum is designed for passionate young students who want to learn more about robotics and control systems. It covers topics such as kinematics, gait generation, and control theory, and is structured to be both comprehensive and accessible to learners at all levels.

The Arduino IDE is introduced in this program through illustrations of how to integrate buzzers and LED lights, basic programming ideas, and C++ syntax, as well as how a robot gathers information, comprehends its environment, decides what to do, and completes tasks. function fusion in complicated systems by considering Bittle as an illustration of a complicated system.

Petoi Coding Blocks – Mind+

The Petoi Coding Blocks – Mind+ software is a graphical programming interface designed to be used with Petoi’s robotic platforms, including Bittle. The software is built on the Scratch programming language, which is a popular visual programming language used to teach programming concepts to beginners.

Mind+ software allows users to drag and drop programming blocks to create complex programs for their robots. The software includes a wide range of programming blocks, including logic, control, math, and sensor blocks, which can be combined in various ways to create sophisticated programs.

One of the advantages of Mind+ software is its user-friendly interface. The software is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, even for individuals with little to no programming experience. This makes it an excellent tool for learners of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to advanced programmers.

Mind+ software also provides a range of advanced features, such as the ability to create custom blocks and the ability to upload programs to Petoi’s robotic platforms directly from the software. This makes it a powerful tool for creating complex programs for Petoi’s robots, and an excellent resource for individuals looking to learn more about robotics and programming. And now they’re offering a free block-based programming curriculum for learning how to program Bittle robots.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Bittle the Dog robot is a fascinating creation from Petoi that represents the future of robotics and AI. This quadruped robot is designed to mimic the movements and behavior of a real dog, providing a unique and engaging experience for robot enthusiasts and pet lovers alike. With advanced sensors, cameras, and programming tools, Bittle is a powerful and versatile platform for learning and experimentation, allowing individuals to explore the worlds of robotics, programming, and AI in a fun and accessible way. Whether you are a student, hobbyist, or professional, Bittle offers a unique and exciting opportunity to engage with cutting-edge technology and explore the limitless possibilities of the future.