In Fox.Build, we had a group called Entrepreneurs  Anonymous. They met once a month and someone pitched an idea and the team supported them with advice. One of the key tenants was full speed and discipline should be applied to get to a MVP, a Minimum Viable Product. I both embrace and struggle with this concept.  I need the focus but I still want the project to be all that it can be. 

The MVP for the this project is a robot that walks, is easy to program to walk, says its name and can avoid running into walls. It should be easy to assembly and have great documentation. Initial tutorials should be made in each of the 9 lanes. (3 programs of each of  mechanical, electrical and coding.)

To get there, the following debugging has to occur:

Get the electrical and physical layout of the battery chargers and batteries in the feet sorted.

Look into why the motors were only working sporadically. Build a electrical only unit that does not use 3D printed parts. Isolate the electrical to show it is working.

Build up a best case model with existing parts to debug any other issues.

Reorder flexes with above battery improvements. 

Increase number of contributors and provide them with hardware.

Get the hardware to the point that it is worth providing!

Make a video describing the project.

Stretch goals within this hardware package are:

Turns.  (This is going to have to be a hack because the joints were made for a quadruped so I have not yet worked out how to turn. I think I will need to use momentum. Something like a kick turn where the foot pivots due to the momentum of the other kicking foot.)

Compass implementation.

Can stand up on its own.

Use Edge AI to add voice commands.

Add an options for a repeat mode where the robot can learn as you manipulate its joints.

However, my natural inclination is to push the hardware to where it can go. Here are some ideas for hardware expansion

1) Spin the daughter board and get a second set of legs going to make it a quadraped.

2) Design a 3D printed T joint to allow smaller motors to be turned into the double shaft motors need for this design.  Think ARMS!

3) Incorporate the circuitry of the sensor boards into the flex and order the flex with components. Understand the volume trade-off where this makes sense.

4)  Incorporate the daughter board circuitry into a flex for I2C additions without a flex board like a tail or wings or head.

How can you tell I am a mechanical engineer. My heart is in the physical design.