<![CDATA[PopPet - Blog]]>Fri, 20 Nov 2015 15:45:44 +1030Weebly<![CDATA[Updating the instructions]]>Fri, 06 Nov 2015 01:49:52 GMThttp://www.poppettherobot.com/blog/updating-the-instructionsWhen 2.0 was officially released, the instructions were also released. However, I was not happy with the level of detail the instructions had, so over the past few days I have been updating them. If you'd like to see the old instructions, go here.

The new instructions are still being worked on but you can access them if you wish by going here. As per feedback, we are following an 'Instructables' style approach. Breaking down each stage with more in depth text explanations. (On a side note, I would like to thank my lovely girlfriend Tilea who was the hand model for the instructions, this was the first robot she had made!)

Once these have been completed, the link to the old instructions will be replaced with these new ones.

If you have any feedback or ideas let us know by commenting here, or emailing us here.

Regards,
Jaidyn]]><![CDATA[PopPet 2.0 Released]]>Mon, 02 Nov 2015 01:28:49 GMThttp://www.poppettherobot.com/blog/poppet-20-releasedYesterday marked the release of PopPet 2.0. Pre-orders are getting shipped out ASAP with a few extra goodies for being so patient!

Yesterday we attended the Adelaide Mini Maker Faire to show off PopPet 2.0. The feedback was great! We had a little table set up with two PopPet's running around the table. Only now do I realize how much people truly love PopPet. Every second person was saying how cute she was and immediately wanted one.

Sadly though, we had to leave the event early due to me falling ill. I'm getting better but am still not 100%.

Some instructions are up but still need more work. These will be updated during the next week as I get better.
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]]><![CDATA[Update on 2.0- Progress & Features]]>Mon, 05 Oct 2015 00:29:18 GMThttp://www.poppettherobot.com/blog/update-on-20-progress-featuresPicture
Hello again everyone, Jaidyn here just bringing you a quick update on the progress of PopPet 2.0.

Today I am laser cutting out what I believe to be the final design iteration. It has undergone a LOT of changes which has taken some time. PopPet 2.0 will come with two light sensors, an IR distance sensor (mounted underneath or on top), an ultrasonic sensor of course and a piezo buzzer. 

The piezo buzzer has been a welcome addition, I've found it great for notifying the user of PopPet's current status (something 1.0 didn't have). Turning on 2.0 will sound a little tune and begin its program. If the batteries are flat however, 2.0 will sit stationary beeping at a low pitch. This ensures that the battery voltage doesn't drop too low which can cause bootloader corruption. When 2.0 is exploring it occasionally makes a decision to change direction and it notifies you of this by making a different noise depending on what that decision was. I feel this adds a little more personality and 'life' to 2.0 over 1.0. Another example of it being used is in a theremin sketch I am working on. 2.0 will sit stationary and use the ultrasonic sensor to report back on the distance to an object (a hand for example), depending on the distance, the pitch of the buzzer will change respectively.

Some of you may be asking, 'Why put a distance sensor on the bottom of the robot?' That's a great question, at first I thought I was crazy as well BUT it works. The IR sensor is primarily used to detect whether or not 2.0 is actually on the ground. I found a big problem with smaller children playing with 1.0 was that they would pick it up and immediately want to grab the wheels and make them stop, this can strip the gears inside the LBD motors. 2.0 can now detect when it has been picked up, if it has, it immediately stops moving and buzzes using the piezo buzzer. In the edge detection sketch I am working on, 2.0 relies on the users help to stop it falling off a table. 2.0 will drive forward looking for your hand for guidance as to how close it is getting to the edge, the closer it gets to your hand, the slower it gets until it detects the edge of the table, it then turns around and continues this procedure. This is a great game to get kids looking after their robot and can lead to a bundle of laughs as the kids race around the table making sure 2.0 doesn't fall off. So far the only problem I have found of course is the fall if the user doesn't show 2.0 how close it is, slowing down to half speed fixes this (gives it plenty of time to stop) but the damages that result are just batteries that come loose. The IR sensor can also be mounted on the 'roof' of 2.0, this allows it to recognize if it is being 'patted' or if something has been placed on top of it.

The Advanced kits will also come with a Bluetooth module, this allows wireless Scratch4Arduino programming and wireless control from mobile devices. So far I have tested the S4A side and it works brilliantly, I'm a big fan of trying to make programming easier to understand for children and many schools already teach Scratch as part of their I.T courses. The mobile side I have tested very briefly, this is because we are working on making a full blown app to control 2.0 with. This app will allow for complete remote control, toggling between remote control and autonomous behaviour, perform pre-programmed routines, play music and perhaps even utilize the phones camera. This part is all still very much in the works so for the time being we will just market the fact it is S4A compatible, the app will come later.

This is pretty much all I have got for you now, I will get back to work on the laser cutter as I finish my first morning cup of tea. If you have any further questions don't be afraid to contact me through the Contact page.

Regards,
Jaidyn
]]><![CDATA[Awaiting New Boards]]>Mon, 17 Aug 2015 17:34:19 GMThttp://www.poppettherobot.com/blog/awaiting-new-boardsThere have been a few people asking about their pre-orders and the current status on them so this update is to answer all those questions.

PopPet is currently going through a revamp. This will be known as PopPet 2.0. All pre-orders will be receiving the PopPet 2.0.

PopPet 2.0 fixes several issues as suggested by Kickstarter backers. Not only this, but PopPet 2.0 adds even more exciting features for the same great price. These new features rely on a new brain, the Mini Driver V2.0. The new brain is currently being held up in production and because of this, finalization of the PopPet V2.0 is being hindered. 

At Edwards Robotics we have one PopPet V2.0 up and running using the new brain and are currently experimenting with the next big step for the PopPet platform. We can't say much for now as it is all still very much in the works, but it will change the way you interact with you PopPet forever.

For now though, the new brains are expected to be in stock later this month and it won't be much longer after that we will reveal the PopPet V2.0 and begin shipping out the pre-orders. 

We thank you for your patience and can't wait to give you a bigger and better product.

- Jaidyn]]><![CDATA[The Kickstarter journey has finished.]]>Sat, 25 Jul 2015 07:01:37 GMThttp://www.poppettherobot.com/blog/the-kickstarter-journey-has-finishedThe Kickstarter journey has come to an end. All of the rewards have now been sent! What a rollercoaster ride!

I'd like to thank all of you for making this possible. Without your support and patience this campaign would not have been a success.

I've learnt a lot about running a business and creating a product from this experience. I am now better equipped and capable of doing even more than I could've ever imagined. One day I will be back and use my previous experience to create an even better project.

For now though; If you missed out on getting a PopPet be sure to head over to the store to get yourself one (or two!): 

http://www.poppettherobot.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html


Thank you all again for your support. I hope you enjoy your PopPet and learn as much from it, as I have from this experience.

Regards,
Jaidyn

]]><![CDATA[Home Stretch]]>Thu, 16 Jul 2015 12:23:16 GMThttp://www.poppettherobot.com/blog/home-stretchI am just putting together the last of the Kickstarter rewards as I type this blog post. 
So what does the future of PopPet hold? What will happen next?

As the Kickstarter journey reaches its end, the early adopters journey begins. Those who have made a pre-order will receive the next stage of the PopPet evolution. More details on this will be revealed shortly. In the mean time, any pre-orders made from now till August 1st will receive the next generation PopPet.

Big things are coming.]]><![CDATA[Let the posting begin & Plans being released!]]>Tue, 03 Mar 2015 01:38:18 GMThttp://www.poppettherobot.com/blog/let-the-posting-begin-plans-being-releasedFINALLY. The day has come, PopPet's are now ready to ship!
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Thank you all for being so patient! I have learnt so much from this experience and sure, there have been ups and downs, but overall I loved it. I can safely say that I may well do another Kickstarter campaign in the future with a PopPet V2 thanks to all of your support and kind words.

I've come so far in these past few months. It all started with a simple cardboard robot, which turned into a 3D printed robot, which turned into a product that hundreds of people will shortly have in their own homes. My long time dream of bringing robots to the masses is coming true, thanks to you.

I will be sending out rewards in groups. The first to be sent out will be the Standard kits, so Standard kit backers can expect a Survey for their addresses in the coming minutes. Once they have all been sent, I will move onto the next reward level. This is done in no particular order, just what I grab first and start packing. 

Also, as promised, the plans for PopPet will also now be released. From the get go PopPet was going to be an Open Hardware robot. Why? Because I was once a young boy with no money and no software skills who wanted to make robots. Making PopPet Open Source will allow a whole community to work together to improve and modify PopPet, but also make PopPet more accessible for other young boys and girls who have that same drive that I do.

PopPet's plans will be released on the website first, followed by sites such as; Thingiverse,YouMagine, LetsMakeRobots and Instructables.

PopPet's plans were released early to a few close people to gather feedback on the files, as you can see, they are working quite well. 
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But, as with any Open Source project, they might not work for your setup, so provide feedback and contribute to make this an easy and fun experience for all.

That is all for now. You will receive your address survey when your reward level is being shipped. If you have any questions or queries don't be afraid to contact me directly at JaidynEdwards@PopPetTheRobot.com.

Thanks again,

-Jaidyn
]]><![CDATA[Almost ready to ship!]]>Fri, 06 Feb 2015 10:57:49 GMThttp://www.poppettherobot.com/blog/almost-ready-to-ship90% of the PopPet kits have been packed and are ready to be shipped. Expect them to be shipped sometime later this month!
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]]><![CDATA[The motors have arrived!]]>Wed, 31 Dec 2014 23:19:53 GMThttp://www.poppettherobot.com/blog/the-motors-have-arrivedHello again everyone,

Good news! The LBD Motors have finally arrived! 
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After I do some quick measurements and testing of their functionality to make sure they are identical to the originals, I will begin to cut out all the chassis. That's it, everything that I was waiting for has now arrived. This means all the PopPets should be shipped out before the end of February.

In the free time I've had waiting for the motors, I went over the numbers and discovered I had a much greater margin than originally calculated. I decided that with this extra amount I would add more into the kit to make it the best it could be. I ended up getting every PopPet kit a box to keep all the parts in with compartments so it could be used after PopPet has been built to hold screws etc.

I've also got screwdrivers and USB cables for the Standard and Advanced kits meaning everything you need, excluding batteries, to put PopPet together is included in box. This is something I am very proud of.

That is all for now, will keep you all updated if I need feedback on the instructions :)

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and I wish you a happy new year!

-Jaidyn
]]><![CDATA[A non PopPet filled Christmas :(]]>Thu, 04 Dec 2014 02:42:14 GMThttp://www.poppettherobot.com/blog/a-non-poppet-filled-christmasSadly, due to HUGE delays in manufacturing the motors, PopPet will not be in your homes for Christmas. I hope this doesn't upset too many people. I was hoping I would make Christmas when I first created the campaign but I stated not to buy PopPet as a Christmas present because I would've hated delays to ruin Christmas. Here we are, delays are a plenty and Christmas is around the corner.

I'm very disheartened about PopPet not being available for Christmas, I was hoping to do some great Christmas themed add-ons, but there is always next year!

I am however working like a busy elf preparing all your PopPet kits. Due to savings in several areas of part ordering I am making the PopPet kit the best it can be. Every cent saved is going straight back into providing the best product I possibly can. I take great pride in my work and I hope you will all appreciate the extra 10% on the already 100% of effort when you open up your boxes to see what is inside :)

Delays are annoying, but it's giving me plenty of time to come up with great ways to thank you all for supporting me in the first place.

On another note. Just recently there was a copy of PopPet created in China. PopPet is a Open Hardware robot so I expected copies to surface eventually, but not before I even released the plans. 

A small company in China studied this campaign page and created their own PopPet called KAKU. They tweaked the overall looks slightly and replaced the brain, but it was essentially a PopPet clone. What bothered me was the fact they didn't mention anywhere that they got inspiration from PopPet, they didn't link to PopPet and they didn't release their plans to follow in the Open Hardware nature. After negotiations they have pulled their product from their shelves. Thanks to support of those who followed me on social media, those websites hosting the KAKU robot also pulled it down from their sites. I would like to thank you all for your support and I cannot express how much that meant to me. 

Being a young adult trying to compete with huge no name off shore companies is tough. Being a one man show, designing, producing and running operations is also hard, but I love every minute. My point being, whilst I am a one man show physically, I feel like you are all part of operations. We are one big community. I think, out of all that has happened, I appreciate that the most. No government funding, or loan or any other means of receiving funds would have given me access to a community that supports me as much as you all do. Thank you.

Merry Christmas,

Jaidyn

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