Pets are always like our family members. People love their pets like a child, and they are so cute. But people hesitate to keep them home due to any innominate reasons. However, you will not ignore Nybble.
Petoi, a company that aims to design pets for the future, has developed a Nybble. It is the world’s cutest open-source robotic kitten. As per their words, this kitten is an educational, programmable, engaging, and cute robot.
Let’s introduce Nybble
It is an advanced robotic kitten that is no less than a pet. Nybble is devised with a small computer, customizable software, a basic components kit, and the enhancement you wish or can imagine. It is the lightest and fastest robotic cat that walks.
Since it is built on an open-source platform, you can train your kitten as you want. You can “teach” tricks, behaviors, and CAT-itude as you program it and help it grow. You can even mount a Raspberry Pi to help Nybble think.
How does Nybble work?
- Nybble’s motion is driven by an Arduino compatible microcontroller. It stores instinctive “muscle memory” to move around.
- An optional AI chip, for instance, Raspberry Pi, can be fixed on top of its back. It will help Nybble with perception and decision.
- You can program the robotic kitten in your favorite language. You can also direct it simply by sending short commands, such as “walk” or “turn left”.
Exceptional Features
Nybble’s wooden frame is a retro design in honor of its pop stick-framed ancestor. It is a readily assemblable puzzle. The wisdom of traditional Chinese woodwork was adopted to make the major frame screw-free.
About NyBoard, the team says, “We have designed an all-in-one controller we call the NyBoard V0 to ease the wiring and future development. Besides the ATmega328P chip (the same one on Arduino Uno), we used a faster crystal and added external EEPROM for storing more instincts. It has onboard power management with tunable output, various communication and controlling ports, and an optimized layout.”
With the precision of 0.25mm, the layout can be fitted for Nybble and Raspberry Pi and your favorite extension boards. The layout is designed to avoid all the tall components on Pi that may dispute with the installation.
Also, it has a 2×5 communication socket that accepts the pins on Pi – it powers Pi, listens to Pi, and there’s a jumper switch for changing the I2C master.
“Nybble is still in its learning phase. We also include a nice gadget, the “L” tuner, for calibrating your Nybble at times to help you through the challenges. Just turn Nybble to calibration mode and align the observation windows, proper type calibrations, and Nybble will remember them at once.”
After assembling it, some basic computer skills are essential to upload the code and tune Nybble to walking order. You will merely need to learn and teach Nybble new tricks and help it grow. It will learn things gradually.
Nybble is for…
Everyone! If you like adorable cats, tiny computers, hackable software, and customizable models, then this would be the best companion you can have.
You can showcase your creativity with your cute robotic kitten. You can reprogram, paint, decorate, and pose it in whatever way you want or imagine.
