Building a Robot Face with Beetle ESP32-C3

C

CETECH1

Mar 18, 2023
57
Joined
Mar 18, 2023
Messages
57
Creating a robot face using the Beetle ESP32-C3 and a DFRobot OLED display module is an exciting project! Here's a step-by-step guide to help you bring your robot face to life:

Materials Needed:

  • Beetle ESP32-C3: A compact development board with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities.
  • DFRobot OLED Display Module: A 0.96-inch OLED screen for displaying the robot's face.
  • Jumper Wires: For connecting components.
  • Breadboard: For prototyping the circuit.
  • Power Supply: A USB cable or a Li-ion battery.
  • Soldering Kit (optional): For permanent connections.
  • Arduino IDE: Software for writing and uploading code.


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Step 1: Setting Up the Beetle ESP32-C3


Install Drivers: Download and install the necessary drivers for the Beetle ESP32-C3 from the DFRobot Wiki.

Set Up Arduino IDE:

  • Install the ESP32 board package in Arduino IDE.
  • Go to File > Preferences and add the following URL to the "Additional Board Manager URLs": https://dl.espressif.com/dl/package_esp32_index.json.
  • Open Tools > Board > Board Manager, search for "ESP32," and install it.
  • Connect the Board: Use a USB cable to connect the Beetle ESP32-C3 to your computer.







image_iESDJcpgkA.png






 




Step 2: Wiring the OLED Display


Pin Connections:

  • Connect the OLED's VCC to the Beetle ESP32-C3's 3.3V pin.
  • Connect the OLED's GND to the Beetle ESP32-C3's GND pin.
  • Connect the OLED's SCL to the Beetle ESP32-C3's GPIO22 (or the designated I2C clock pin).
  • Connect the OLED's SDA to the Beetle ESP32-C3's GPIO21 (or the designated I2C data pin).

Secure Connections: Use a breadboard or solder the wires for a stable connection.







image_Me6YEICx7N.png






 




Step 3: Programming the Robot Face


Install Libraries:

  • In Arduino IDE, go to Sketch > Include Library > Manage Libraries.
  • Search for and install the Adafruit SSD1306 and Adafruit GFX libraries for OLED control.

Write the Code:

  • Create a simple program to display a face on the OLED. Here's an example:



#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>
Adafruit_SSD1306 display(128, 64, &Wire, 4, 800000UL, 100000UL);

static unsigned char bitmap[] PROGMEM ={
0x3f, 0x00, 0x0f, 0xf0, 0x00, 0x3c, 0x0f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfb, 0x00, 0x20, 0x00, 0x80, 0x00, 0x7f,
0x80, 0x1f, 0xf8, 0x00, 0x7e, 0x1f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x80, 0x7f, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x7f, 0x80,
0x1f, 0xfc, 0x00, 0xff, 0x1f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf1, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x80, 0x7f, 0x80, 0x3f,
0xfc, 0x01, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf3, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xc0, 0x7f, 0xc0, 0x3f, 0xfc,
0x01, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf3, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xc0, 0x7f, 0xc0, 0x3f, 0xfe, 0x01,
0xff, 0xbf, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf3, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xc0, 0x7f, 0xc0, 0x7f, 0xfe, 0x03, 0xff,
0x9f, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf3, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xc0, 0x7f, 0xc0, 0x7f, 0xff, 0x03, 0xff, 0x1f,
0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf3, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x80, 0x3f, 0xe0, 0xff, 0xff, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x03, 0x7f,
0xff, 0xff, 0x83, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x3f, 0xe0, 0xff, 0xff, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x07, 0xff,
0x80, 0x03, 0xff, 0xc0, 0x00, 0x00, 0x3f, 0xe0, 0xff, 0xff, 0x83, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00,
0x03, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x3f, 0xe1, 0xff, 0xff, 0x87, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03,
0xfe, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x3f, 0xe1, 0xff, 0xff, 0x87, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe,
0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x1f, 0xe1, 0xff, 0xff, 0x87, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00,
0x00, 0x00, 0x1f, 0xf1, 0xff, 0xff, 0x8f, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x00,
0x00, 0x1f, 0xf3, 0xff, 0xff, 0x8f, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0x80, 0x00, 0x00,
0x1f, 0xf3, 0xff, 0xff, 0x8f, 0xf8, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xfd, 0xd8, 0x00, 0x0f,
0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xdf, 0xf8, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x0f, 0xff,
0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf8, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x0f, 0xff, 0xfe,
0x7f, 0xff, 0xf0, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x0f, 0xff, 0xfc, 0x7f,
0xff, 0xf0, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x0f, 0xff, 0xfc, 0x7f, 0xff,
0xf0, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x07, 0xff, 0xf8, 0x3f, 0xff, 0xe0,
0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xff, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x07, 0xff, 0xf8, 0x3f, 0xff, 0xe0, 0x00,
0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xff, 0xf8, 0x00, 0x07, 0xff, 0xf8, 0x3f, 0xff, 0xe0, 0x00, 0x03,
0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x07, 0xff, 0xf8, 0x1f, 0xff, 0xe0, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe,
0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x07, 0xff, 0xf0, 0x1f, 0xff, 0xe0, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00,
0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xf0, 0x0f, 0xff, 0xc0, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03,
0xfc, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xf0, 0x0f, 0xff, 0xc0, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe,
0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xf0, 0x0f, 0xff, 0xc0, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00,
0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0xff, 0xe0, 0x0f, 0xff, 0x80, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x00,
0x00, 0x01, 0xff, 0xe0, 0x0f, 0xff, 0x80, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
0x01, 0xff, 0xe0, 0x0f, 0xff, 0x80, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfe, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01,
0xff, 0xc0, 0x07, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0xff,
0xc0, 0x07, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xc0,
0x03, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0x80, 0x03,
0xfe, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x3f, 0x00, 0x01, 0xfc,
0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x03, 0xfc, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
0x00, 0x00, 0x78, 0x00, 0x01, 0xf0, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x60, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
};

static unsigned char pointy[] PROGMEM ={
0x60, 0x06, 0xf0, 0x0f, 0xf8, 0x1f, 0x7c, 0x3e, 0x3e, 0x7c, 0x1f, 0xf8, 0x0f, 0xf0, 0x07, 0xe0,
0x03, 0xc0, 0x01, 0x80,
};


void setup() {

display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3c); // initialize with the I2C addr 0x3D (for the 128x64)


display.clearDisplay();
display.setTextColor(WHITE);

display.setRotation(0);// Rotate the display at the start: 0, 1, 2 or 3 = (0, 90, 180 or 270 degrees)
display.clearDisplay();

}


void loop() {

boing();
boing();

drawOpeneyes(22, 26);
delay(1000);

drawClosedyes(22);
delay(50);

drawOpeneyes(22, 26);
delay(1000);

drawNarrowMouth(16, 16);
delay(1000);

WTF();
delay(1000);

drawOpeneyes(22, 26);
delay(1000);

drawClosedyes(22);
delay(50);

drawOpeneyes(22, 26);
delay(1000);

}


void drawOpeneyes(int eyeWidth, int eyeHeight) {
display.clearDisplay();
display.fillRoundRect(0, 20, eyeWidth, eyeHeight, eyeWidth/2, WHITE);
display.fillRoundRect(display.width()-eyeWidth, 20, eyeWidth, eyeHeight, eyeWidth/2, WHITE);
display.fillRoundRect(display.width()/2-20, display.height()-10, 40, 10, 5, WHITE);
display.display();
}

void drawClosedyes(int eyeWidth) {
display.clearDisplay();
display.fillRoundRect(0, 28, eyeWidth, 6, 3, WHITE);
display.fillRoundRect(display.width()-eyeWidth, 28, eyeWidth, 6, 3, WHITE);
display.fillRoundRect(display.width()/2-20, display.height()-10, 40, 10, 5, WHITE);
display.display();
}

void drawNarrowMouth(int eyeWidth, int eyeHeight) {
display.clearDisplay();
display.fillRoundRect(0, 20, eyeWidth, eyeHeight, eyeWidth/2, WHITE);
display.fillRoundRect(display.width()-eyeWidth, 20, eyeWidth, eyeHeight, eyeWidth/2, WHITE);
display.fillRoundRect(display.width()/2-35, display.height()-10, 70, 10, 5, WHITE);
display.display();
}

void boing() {
int eyeWidth = 22, eyeHeight = 26, animSpeed = 4, eyeStretch = 10;

int eyePosY;


for(int i = -eyeStretch ; i <= 50-26; i+=animSpeed){
eyePosY = max(i, 0);

display.clearDisplay();
display.fillRoundRect(0, eyePosY, eyeWidth, eyeHeight, eyeWidth/2, WHITE);
display.fillRoundRect(display.width()-eyeWidth, eyePosY, eyeWidth, eyeHeight, eyeWidth/2, WHITE);
display.drawBitmap(display.width()/2-8, display.height()-20, pointy, 16, 10, WHITE);
display.display();


if(i>=64-eyeWidth-eyeStretch) eyeHeight -= animSpeed;
else if(i<0) eyeHeight += animSpeed;
}


for(int i = 50-26; i > -eyeStretch; i-=animSpeed){
eyePosY = max(i, 0);

display.clearDisplay();
display.fillRoundRect(0, eyePosY, eyeWidth, eyeHeight, eyeWidth/2, WHITE);
display.fillRoundRect(display.width()-eyeWidth, eyePosY, eyeWidth, eyeHeight, eyeWidth/2, WHITE);
display.drawBitmap(display.width()/2-8, display.height()-20, pointy, 16, 10, WHITE);
display.display();


if(i>64-eyeWidth-eyeStretch) eyeHeight += animSpeed;
else if(i<=0) eyeHeight -= animSpeed;
}

}

void WTF() {
display.clearDisplay();
display.drawBitmap(7, 22, bitmap, 114, 42, WHITE);
display. Display();
}

  • Select the correct board and port in Arduino IDE.
  • Click the Upload button to transfer the code to the Beetle ESP32-C3.







image_r2xwMwSr7r.png






 




 








image_mprNcArC7x.png






 




Step 4: Customizing the Face


  • Experiment with different shapes and animations to give your robot face personality.
  • Use the Adafruit GFX library's functions like drawRect(), drawLine(), and fillCircle() to create unique expressions.







image_WKrPbTi5Fc.png






 




Wrap-Up: Bringing Your Robot Face to Life!








image_6YVuyoNTl7.png






 




Congratulations on crafting your very own robot face with the Beetle ESP32-C3 and DFRobot OLED display module! This project provided you with hands-on experience with microcontroller setup, OLED display wiring, and programming creative animations. You've successfully combined technology and imagination to design a personality-filled robot face.

 
B

bidrohini1

Feb 1, 2023
102
Joined
Feb 1, 2023
Messages
102
Great one. If you want to make more realistic face, you can see here: https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/The_Face_maker101_c4124445.html

This project is a great starting point, especially for those who want to control eye movements and play certain audio files. By coordinating the movements detected with the help of the PIR sensor, the movement of the servo motors, and the audio playback of the DFPlayer, you can achieve a great animation.The animatronic eye parts and the mask itself were printed using a standard 3D printer with PLA filament. The parts were printed with medium quality, but for those wanting a more polished look, feel free to sand and paint the pieces for a smoother finish.

 
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