TuxDroidHacking

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Project Tux Droid
Tuxdroid fish remote.JPG
Status In progress
Contact gny
Last Update 2024-04-16

Tuxdroid-tux-at-the-revspace.jpg


TuxDroid Introduction

from the Wikipedia page:

Tux Droid is a Linux wireless Tux mascot (210mm × 180mm × 140mm - with lowered wings) with a programmable interface, allowing it to announce events by its gestures and by ALSA driven sound.

Tux Droid 1.jpg


Challenge

Level 1: Update wireless communication

  1. Leave the main board as it is
  2. Replace the wireless dautherboard (item 19) in de TuxDroid with a RPi Nano, ditch the Fish (item 2)

Level 2: Replace the entire “guts”

  1. Keep the motors, cabling, sensors
  2. Replace the mainboard (item 18) with modern motor control, replace the built-in battery (item 14) etc…

Level 3: Whatever tickles your fancy

  1. Interface Tux with ChatGPT and have it sing a lullabuy
  2. ...


Interested?

Go ahead and play with the TuxDroid!

You may:

  1. Disassemble, but keep all bits and make sure it can be reassembled
  2. Solder wires to experiment, but remove them when you’re done for the day


TuxDroid harware overview

Front

Tuxdroid-tux-fish-remote-annotated.jpg

  1. USB mini cable to connect the Fish to computer
  2. TuxDroid Fish – to remote control the TuxDroid from your computer
  3. IR Remote – reciver behind the eye of the TuxDroid
  4. Button
  5. Eye lid – can open and close; remotely controlled from computer
  6. Eye – blue LEDs behind the eye can light up; remotely controlled from computer
  7. Beak – can open and close; remotely controlled from computer
  8. Flippers – can move up and down; remotely controlled from computer
  9. Body – can turn left and right; remotely controlled from computer

Back

Tuxdroid-backview-annotated.jpg

  1. Volume control of the internal speaker (item 17)
  2. 3.5mm jack for headphone
  3. 3.5mm jack for external microphone
  4. direct connection for firmware upgrade from the Fish
  5. built-in NiMH battery (4.8V, 750mAh)
  6. on-off switch for the TuxDroid
  7. external power jack for the TuxDroid
  8. built-in speaker
  9. TuxDroid main board – based on 2x Atmel ATmega88 providing “core” and “audio” modules to controls, e.g.: motor, IR, audio etc functions
  10. TuxDroid wireless daughter board – based on 1x Atmel ATmega48 and Atmel ATR2406 2.4-GHz ISM Transceiver (the exact same board is also in the TuxDroid Fish)

Tuxdroid-backview-open-annotated.jpg

Tuxdroid-backview-daughter-board-unplugged-annotated.jpg


Schematics

Tuxdroid.png


Links

  1. Lots of code for the TuxDroid: https://github.com/joelmatteotti, e.g.: firmware
  2. https://www.tuxdroids.com/learn-more/
  3. Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tux_Droid
  4. YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxZmfh4TBuS1nVkgj2jBe0wveSlaYfPr4&jct=lAHCmPOucB5GfuaPiO9b719vbZe-IQ