Introduction: Epi Torso
Epi is a humanoid robot developed by Lund University Cognitive Science Robotics Group. It was designed to be used in experiments in developmental robotics and has proportions to give a childlike impression while still being decidedly robotic. The robot head has two degrees of freedom in the neck and each eye can independently move laterally. There is a camera in each eye to make stereovision possible.
3d models to be printed can be found on GitHub
More instructions on the Epi Wiki
To robot is controlled by the Ikaros framework (www.ikaros-project.org).
Johansson B, Tjøstheim TA, Balkenius C. Epi: An open humanoid platform for developmental robotics. International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems. 2020;17(2). doi:10.1177/1729881420911498
Supplies
Step 1:
Add 18xM4 and 10xM5 threaded insert into the bottom part.
Step 2:
Fill weight plate part with something heavy. Attach weight plate with bottom part (6xM4x10mm).
Step 3:
Mount the U2D2s onto the UD2D power boards. Mount the 12V Dynamixel board on the dynamixel mount part (4xM3x8mm). Add cables between the 12V U2D2 and 12V Dynamixel power board. Attach the Dynamixel cable for the neck tilt servo.
Step 4:
Mount the 7.6V Dynamixel board (4xM3x8mm). Add cable between 7.6V U2D2 and 7.6V Dynamixel power board. Attach the mounted boards to bottom part(2xM3x8mm)
Step 5:
Add the 7.6V power converter (4xM3x8mm). Tune the converter to 7.6V. Add the 5V power converter and set it to 5V (4xM3x8mm). Attach the power converter to bottom part (2xM3x8mm).
Step 6:
Solder cables to the power connector. Mount it and connect the cables to the 7.6V power converter. Connect cables between power converters. Connect the 7.6V power converter to 7.6V Dynamixel board. Connect 12V power connector to 12V Dynamixel board.
Step 7:
Mount the Dynamixel FR08-H101K set to the neck tilt servo (8xM2.5x4mm). Mount the FR08-H101K to the neck pan servo (10xM2.5x4mm). Add the servos to horizontal head frame (8xM2.5X8mm).
Step 8:
Mount the neck tilt servo onto bottom part (8xM2.5x12mm).
Step 9:
Shorten the front usb hub cable and attach it to the right USB connector.
Step 10:
Shorten and attach angle USB cable to front USB hub and connect it to back usb hub.
Step 11:
Add insert and mount vertical head frame (2xM4x8mm).
Step 12:
Build FadeCandy board. Add an insert and mount FadeCandy board with FadeCandy holder part (M3x6mm).
Step 13:
Solder cables on FadeCandy LED ring. Hot glue the cables for stability. Mount FadeCandy LED ring to inner body part.
Step 14:
Hot glow the camera to the inner body part. Make sure the camera is rotated as in the picture. Connect the camera to the Raspberry PI Zero. Mount the Raspberry PI Zero (M3x6).
Step 15:
Build the iris mechanics. Connect all the iris blades to the iris gear part. Put the iris gear and the blades into iris frontpart. Attach the LED diffuser part and fasten it (M3x4).
Step 16:
Mount outer body part to the left eye servo.
Step 17:
Add the iris mechanics into outer body part.
Step 18:
Insert the inner body part into part outer body part.
Step 19:
Add part servo gear part and the iris servo and add servo cable.
Step 20:
Add backplate (2xM2x8mm and 4xM2x10mm).
Step 21:
Mount the eye on head frame horizontal part (4xM2.5x8mm).
Step 22:
Build the right eye and mount it on the head frame horizontal (4xM2.5x8mm).
Step 23:
Create mouth using mouth part and LED strips and hot glue.
Step 24:
Mount the mouth onto the head frame horizontal part.
Step 25:
Shorten speaker cable and add angle usb connector. Add insert into speaker mount part and attach it to the vertical head frame part. Attach the speaker. Connect the speaker USB to the front USB hub.
Step 26:
Connect cable between iris servo left and right.
Step 27:
Connect cable from dynamixel board to iris servo right.
Step 28:
Connect the 5V power cable to the FadeCandy board.
Step 29:
Connect the USB cable to FadeCandy.
Step 30:
Connect USB to left Raspberry PI Zero.
Step 31:
Connect the keystone USB connector to the right Raspberry PI Zero.
Step 32:
Connect the Dynamixel board to neck tilt servo. Connect the neck tilt servo to the neck pan servo. Connect the neck pan servo to the left eye servo. Connect the left eye servo to the right eye servo.
Step 33:
Connect the FadeCandy board to all LEDs (Channels. 1: Left eye, 2: Right eye, 3: Mouth 1, 4: Mouth).
Step 34:
Put furniture pads under the robot.
Step 35:
Mount botton cover part and part botton cover back (4xM4x8mm and 2xM3x6mm).
Step 36:
Mount head front and head back.
Step 37:
Mount the ear cover and ear ring.
Step 38:
Software on the robot
Flash the SD cards for the Raspberry PI Zero
Set ID and baud rate for the Dynamixel servos protocol 2.0 using the Dynamixel Wizard application.
Neck tilt servo ID:2 3Mbit
Neck pan servo ID:3 3Mbit
Left eye servo ID:4 3Mbit
Right eye servo ID:5 3Mbit
Left iris servo ID:2 1Mbit
Right iris servo ID:3 1Mbit
