P'Hug

This repository contains code, wiring schemas, manuals, and a development report on the creation of a wearable robot.
The delivery was: Make a wearable robot able to engage interactions with third people.

Abstract

According to surveys and research the haptic sense is a significant aspect of human wellbeing. The experience received as a result of contact with another living creature like hugs stimulates serotonin production. High serotonin levels improve mood, make people feel better, and help having better sleep. Nowadays people are more linked than ever before as a result of the developing trend of technology. While technology has helped to bridge the gap, it has not been able to eliminate all the barriers imposed by distance. Our initiative primarily aims to bridge this gap by creating a product that sends a haptic hug from one device (Giffy: the puppet) to another one (the Jacket). The embrace and caress from the puppet is transfered via a wifi connection to the wearer of the jacket. The wearer can feel three major sensations: vibration achieved by vibration motors simulating a moving caress, pressure from an inflatable chamber simulating a hug, and a constant warm feeling from a resistive wire. Our goal is not to replace an actual embrace, but to help people that live apart and cannot hold their loved ones having a fraction of that so desired contact.

More Informations

P'Hug Instructions Manual

P'Hug Maintenance Manual

Complete Report of the Development Process

Electronics organization

Here are reported the wiring schemas for the two devices

Giffy

Built around an Arduino Mkr1000 wifi

Input:

• 3 Force sensitive resistors to simulate the caress
• Force sensitive resistor to simulate the hug
• Accelerometer to detect shaking
• NFC reader to upload SSID and Password using the Application

Output:

• 2 Servo motors to move the ears
• Speaker
• Integrated Wifi module (ATSAMW25) of Arduino Mkr1000 wifi

The Jacket

Built around an Adafruit Feather Huzzah

Input:

• Integrated Wifi module (ESP8266) of Adafruit Feather Huzzah
• Bluetooth module (HC-05) to upload SSID and Password

Output:

• 6 Vibration motors to simulate the caress
• Air pump to inflate the chamber around the waist to simulate the hug
• Heating resistance activated via a relè

Code organization

All the code has been written following the object oriented programming model with the help of the platform PlatformIO. The main idea is to build a client-server model to receive the information from Giffy and send it to the jacket that operates according to that.

The code can be seen in the folders Client for Giffy and Server for the Jacket.

How to run the project

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/AlessandroBarbiero/P-Hug.git

2. Download an IDE (suggested PlatformIO for Visual Studio Code).

3. Open the folder Client or Server as PlatformIO project from the PlatformIO home.

4. Click on PlatformIO:upload on the bottom left.

5. Download the app from the folder App (Read the specific readme for more information about it)

Team

Engineers

• Alessandro Barbiero
• Luigi Altamura
• Lorenzo Poretti
• Elias Insulander

Designers

• Lorenzo Dondi
• Helen Berhanu Tekle