Published September 27, 2019 © CC BY-NC-SA

DARVA - The Event Assistant

DARVA is a cute animated robot that will assist us at events, by having a chat with people so we don’t have to repeat ourselves too much.

BeginnerFull instructions provided20 hours1,364

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B

Touchscreen

Felt

Software apps and online services

CreateJS

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Scissors, Free Fall

Needle

Thread

Story

Overview

Introduction and Showcase Video
Analog Robot
Digitized Robot
Virtual Assistant
Raspberry Pi 4
DARVA

Introduction and Showcase Video

DARVA is a cute animated robot that will assist us at events, by having a chat with people so we don’t have to repeat ourselves too much.

Fun fact: DARVA is the acronym of “Digitized Analog Robot Virtual Assistant”.

Analog Robot

The first step is creating an analog robot, or whatever you feel like animating, out of felt. I sketched a robot and made parts out of paper. Once I was happy with the overall looks, I cut everything out of felt.

Paper version

Tip: take pictures of the intact pieces of felt before you start cutting, you can use them as a background for your animations!

Okay, now on to the most time consuming part: sewing! I stitched along all the edges to give DARVA that handmade look & feel. Some parts are a double layer of felt, to make it a bit more resilient. Make sure to keep all the parts you want to animate separate, that will make your life easier later on!

Digitized Robot

Time to digitize the analog thing you just made! Spread out all the parts on a distinctive background, as that will make it easier to slice everything into parts. It’s best to take one picture with all the elements in it, so the scale of the parts will stay the same.

Tip: Rotate all the parts the way you would organise them in the animation, as this will keep the angle of the lighting the same over all the parts and really pull it all together in the final version.

Load the picture into photo editing software of your choice, and cut out all the parts. Save them individually with a transparent background in a file format that supports transparency, like PNG.

To cut out the parts, I used the quick selection tool in Photoshop. The results were actually better than I expected, and I only had to manually erase things in a handful of pictures.

Now you have a digitized analog thing that’s ready to be animated!

Virtual Assistant

To bring DARVA to life, I created a webpage with HTML canvas & JavaScript as this will work on any platform. By downloading all the libraries it will also work offline, which is important because events are notoriously bad at providing a reliable internet connection...

In short: with the HTML canvas element you can add graphics like pictures, shapes and texts to a webpage using JavaScript. To make this process easier and add smooth animations, I used the Create.js and Tween.js libraries which you can find here.

The code is added in attachment, and it does the following:

Load the images
Scale and rotate them
Assign an X and Y coordinate on the page
Animate all the things

Some of the animations have a bit of random added into it, to make DARVA more lifelike. Well, as lifelike as a robot can be of course. The gauge rotates to a random position for example, and the eyes randomly look left or right for a random amount of time.

Other animations are more calculated, like the text in the speech bubble which changes every 5 seconds.

Lastly, some animations are activated by clicking or touching parts of the screen, in this case DARVA’s head and belly.

Raspberry Pi 4

Finally, let’s run DARVA on the Raspberry Pi 4! Why? Well, why not? It’s awesome that something so small can handle those kinds of animations!

To display DARVA we used a touchscreen in portrait mode. Whilst you can easily set the screen rotation on the Raspberry Pi, the touchscreen still worked in reverse... After a lot of trial and error, we decided to keep the Pi running in landscape mode and just rotate all the animations.

It was a nightmare to rotate and reposition all the images and redo the animations, so it’s best to figure this part out before you start programming.

Other than that, running the webpage in Chromium had some trippy effects in the beginning. When everything was done, we tried it again and somehow the issue was solved??? The magic of programming..?

Trippy effect in Chromium...

Whilst the animations are the smoothest in Chromium, it also works nicely in Firefox, it’s just a bit slower.

DARVA

Tadaaa! There we have it, DARVA, a cute little animated robot that will help us out at events!

Bliep

Bloop

Now if you’ll excuse us, we have to head off to our next event!

// 8 Bits and a Byte - DARVA

// Global variables
var stage;

// // Load images as bitmaps
var bar;
var body;
var leftarm;
var leftleg;
var rightarm;
var rightleg;
var head;
var lefteye;
var righteye;
var leftpupil;
var rightpupil;
var chart;
var needle;
var blackled;
var orangeled;
var speechbubble;
var bodyHit;


// When the page is loaded
$(document).ready(function(){
  console.log("Document ready");
  loadImages();
  // Setup the HTML Canvas
  setupCanvas();

  showTexts();
  waveArm();
  moveNeedle();
  lookAround();

});

function loadImages() {
  console.log("Start loading images");
  // // Load images as bitmaps
  bar = new createjs.Bitmap('images/Bar.png');
  body = new createjs.Bitmap('images/Belly.png');
  leftarm = new createjs.Bitmap('images/LeftArm.png');
  leftleg = new createjs.Bitmap('images/LeftLeg.png');
  rightarm = new createjs.Bitmap('images/RightArm.png');
  rightleg = new createjs.Bitmap('images/RightLeg.png');
  head = new createjs.Bitmap('images/Head.png');
  lefteye = new createjs.Bitmap('images/LeftEye.png');
  righteye = new createjs.Bitmap('images/RightEye.png');
  leftpupil = new createjs.Bitmap('images/LeftPupil.png');
  rightpupil = new createjs.Bitmap('images/RightPupil.png');
  chart = new createjs.Bitmap('images/Chart.png');
  needle = new createjs.Bitmap('images/Needle.png');
  blackled = new createjs.Bitmap('images/BlackLight.png');
  orangeled = new createjs.Bitmap('images/OrangeLight.png');
  speechbubble = new createjs.Bitmap('images/SpeechBubble.png');
  console.log("End loading images");
}


// Setup the HTML Canvas
function setupCanvas(){
  console.log("Setting up canvas");
  // Create a new stage
  stage = new createjs.Stage("myCanvas");
  stage.enableMouseOver();


  // Set the scale, position and add to the stage
  // Of all the elements of DARVA

  // Left leg
  leftleg.regX = 257;
  leftleg.regY = 141;
  leftleg.scaleX = 0.4;
  leftleg.scaleY = 0.4;
  leftleg.x = 400;
  leftleg.y = 430;
  leftleg.rotation = 90;
  stage.addChild(leftleg);

  // Right leg
  rightleg.regX = 213;
  rightleg.regY = 150;
  rightleg.scaleX = 0.4;
  rightleg.scaleY = 0.4;
  rightleg.x = 400;
  rightleg.y = 650;
  rightleg.rotation = 90;
  stage.addChild(rightleg);




  // Body
  body.regX = 690;
  body.regY = 754;
  body.scaleX = 0.4;
  body.scaleY = 0.4;
  body.x = 780;
  body.y = 550;
  body.rotation = 90;


  bodyHit = new createjs.Shape();
  bodyHit.graphics.beginFill("#000").drawRect(550, 320, 450, 450);


  bodyHit.addEventListener("click", function(event) {
    console.log("You touched my body!");
    waveLeftArm();
    //
    createjs.Tween.get(body)
        .to({ rotation: 100}, 500)
        .to({ rotation: 90 }, 500)
        .to({ rotation: 80 }, 500)
        .to({ rotation: 90 }, 500);

  })

  stage.addChild(bodyHit);
  stage.addChild(body);

  // Chart
  chart.scaleX = 0.4;
  chart.scaleY = 0.4;
  chart.x = 825;
  chart.y = 350;
  chart.rotation = 90;
  stage.addChild(chart);

  // Bar
  bar.scaleX = 0.4;
  bar.scaleY = 0.4;
  bar.x = 1030;
  bar.y = 320;
  bar.rotation = 90;
  stage.addChild(bar);

  // Needle
  needle.regX = 43;
  needle.regY = 236;
  needle.scaleX = 0.4;
  needle.scaleY = 0.4;
  needle.x = 880;
  needle.y = 420;
  needle.rotation = 90;
  stage.addChild(needle);

  // Black Light
  blackled.scaleX = 0.4;
  blackled.scaleY = 0.4;
  blackled.x = 1030;
  blackled.y = 650;
  blackled.rotation = 90;
  stage.addChild(blackled);

  // Orange Light
  orangeled.scaleX = 0.4;
  orangeled.scaleY = 0.4;
  orangeled.x = 920;
  orangeled.y = 550;
  orangeled.rotation = 90;
  stage.addChild(orangeled);

  // Speech Bubble
  speechbubble.scaleX = 0.4;
  speechbubble.scaleY = 0.4;
  speechbubble.x = 1850;
  speechbubble.y = 150;
  speechbubble.rotation = 90;
  stage.addChild(speechbubble);

  // Head
  head.regX = 455;
  head.regY = 550;
  head.scaleX = 0.4;
  head.scaleY = 0.4;
  head.x = 1250;
  head.y = 520;
  head.rotation = 90;

  headHit = new createjs.Shape();
  headHit.graphics.beginFill("#000").drawRect(1120, 400, 250, 250);


  headHit.addEventListener("click", function(event) {
    console.log("You touched my head!");

    moveLegs();
    //
      createjs.Tween.get(head)
        .to({ rotation: 80}, 500)
        .to({ rotation: 90 }, 500)
        .to({ rotation: 100 }, 500)
        .to({ rotation: 90 }, 500);

  })



  stage.addChild(headHit);
  stage.addChild(head);


  // Left eye
  lefteye.scaleX = 0.4;
  lefteye.scaleY = 0.4;
  lefteye.x = 1180;
  lefteye.y = 390;
  stage.addChild(lefteye);

  // Left pupil
  leftpupil.scaleX = 0.4;
  leftpupil.scaleY = 0.4;
  leftpupil.x = 1190;
  leftpupil.y = 390;
  stage.addChild(leftpupil);

  // Right eye
  righteye.scaleX = 0.4;
  righteye.scaleY = 0.4;
  righteye.x = 1180;
  righteye.y = 530;
  stage.addChild(righteye);

  // Right pupil
  rightpupil.scaleX = 0.4;
  rightpupil.scaleY = 0.4;
  rightpupil.x = 1200;
  rightpupil.y = 550;
  stage.addChild(rightpupil);

  // Left arm
  leftarm.regX = 460;
  leftarm.regY = 111;
  leftarm.scaleX = 0.4;
  leftarm.scaleY = 0.4;
  leftarm.x = 900;
  leftarm.y = 230;
  leftarm.rotation = 90;
  stage.addChild(leftarm);


  // Right arm
  rightarm.regX = 130;
  rightarm.regY = 860;
  rightarm.scaleX = 0.4;
  rightarm.scaleY = 0.4;
  rightarm.x = 950;
  rightarm.y = 870;
  rightarm.rotation = 70;

  stage.addChild(rightarm);

 console.log("update stage");
 stage.update();

}

createjs.Ticker.addEventListener("tick", handleTick);
createjs.Ticker.timingMode = createjs.Ticker.RAF_SYNCHED;
createjs.Ticker.framerate = 60;

function handleTick(event) {
     stage.update();

 }

function showTexts() {
  var text1 = "Hi, my name is DARVA.";
  var text2 = "I'm a virtual robot assistant."
  var text3 = "I'm here to give you some more information about this booth.";
  var text4 = "We're 8 Bits and a Byte, a YouTube channel full of DIY tech projects.";
  var text5 = "This booth is all about sharing our love for tremendously terrible tech."
  var text6 = "You can find all project details on YouTube, Hackster and Instructables."
  var text7 = "If you have any questions, feel free to ask my humans.";
  var text8 = "Have fun at Eindhoven Maker Faire!";
  var text9 = "Fun fact: I'm an interactive robot, you can touch my head and belly!";


  var answer = new createjs.Text("Bliep Bloop!", "48px Bungee", "#000000");
  answer.x = 1750;
  answer.y = 200;
  answer.rotation = 90;
  answer.textBaseline = "alphabetic";
  answer.lineWidth = 690;
  stage.addChild(answer);

  createjs.Tween.get(answer, {loop: -1})
    .wait(5000)
    .to({text:text1}, 800)
    .wait(5000)
    .to({text:text2}, 800)
    .wait(5000)
    .to({text: text3}, 800)
    .wait(5000)
    .to({text: text4}, 800)
    .wait(5000)
    .to({text: text5}, 800)
    .wait(5000)
    .to({text: text6}, 800)
    .wait(5000)
    .to({text: text7}, 800)
    .wait(5000)
    .to({text: text8}, 800)
    .wait(5000)
    .to({text: text9}, 800)
    .wait(5000);






}

function waveArm(){

  var armWait = Math.floor(Math.random() * (+15000 - + 3000)) + +3000;
  var armRotation = Math.floor(Math.random() * (+60 - + 20)) + +20;


  createjs.Tween.get(rightarm)
    .to({ rotation: 60 + armRotation }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 60 }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 60 - armRotation }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 60 }, 500)
    .wait(armWait)
    .call(waveArm);

}

function waveLeftArm(){

  var armRotation = Math.floor(Math.random() * (+60 - + 40)) + +40;

  createjs.Tween.get(leftarm)
    .to({ rotation: 90+armRotation}, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 90 }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 90-armRotation }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 90 }, 500);


}

// Move Right arm
function moveArm(times){
  createjs.Tween.get(rightarm, {loop: times})
    .to({ rotation: 40}, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 0 }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: -40 }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: -20 }, 500)
    .wait(3000);
}


function lookAround() {
  var lookWait =  Math.floor(Math.random() * (+25000 - + 5000)) + +5000;
  var checkWait = Math.floor(Math.random() * (+5000 - + 3000)) + +3000;

  if(lookWait % 2 == 0){
    // Look left
    createjs.Tween.get(leftpupil)
      .to({ y: 400}, 50)
      .wait(checkWait)
      .to({ y: 410 }, 50)
      .wait(lookWait);

    createjs.Tween.get(rightpupil)
        .to({ y: 540}, 50)
        .wait(checkWait)
        .to({ y: 550 }, 50)
        .wait(lookWait)
        .call(lookAround);
  }
  else {

    createjs.Tween.get(leftpupil)
      .to({ y: 420}, 50)
      .wait(checkWait)
      .to({ y: 410 }, 50)
      .wait(lookWait);

      createjs.Tween.get(rightpupil)
        .to({ y: 560}, 50)
        .wait(checkWait)
        .to({ y: 550 }, 50)
        .wait(lookWait)
        .call(lookAround);

  }


}

function moveNeedle(){
  var needleRotation = Math.floor(Math.random() * (+120 - + 60)) + +60;

  createjs.Tween.get(needle)
    .to({ rotation: needleRotation}, 500)
    .call(moveNeedle);

}

function moveLegs(times){
    var legRotation = Math.floor(Math.random() * (+50 - + 20)) + +20;

  createjs.Tween.get(leftleg)
    .to({ rotation: 90+legRotation}, 1000)
    .to({ rotation: 90 }, 1000)
    .to({ rotation: 90-legRotation }, 1000)
    .to({ rotation: 90 }, 1000);

    createjs.Tween.get(rightleg)
      .to({ rotation: 90-legRotation}, 1000)
      .to({ rotation: 90 }, 1000)
      .to({ rotation: 90+legRotation }, 1000)
      .to({ rotation: 90 }, 1000);

}

function moveLeftArm(times){
    var armRotation = Math.floor(Math.random() * (+90 - + 50)) + +50;

  createjs.Tween.get(leftarm)
    .to({ rotation: armRotation}, 1000)
    .to({ rotation: 0 }, 1000)
    .to({ rotation: -armRotation }, 1000)
    .to({ rotation: 0 }, 1000);

}

function dance() {

  moveNeedle(5);

  createjs.Tween.get(head, {loop: 5})
    .to({ rotation: -10}, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 0 }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 10 }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 0 }, 500);

  createjs.Tween.get(body, {loop: 5})
    .to({ rotation: 10}, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 0 }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: -10 }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 0 }, 500);

  createjs.Tween.get(leftleg, {loop: 5})
    .to({ rotation: 60}, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 0 }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: -60 }, 500)
    .to({ rotation: 0 }, 500);

    createjs.Tween.get(rightleg, {loop: 5})
      .to({ rotation: -60}, 500)
      .to({ rotation: 0 }, 500)
      .to({ rotation: 60 }, 500)
      .to({ rotation: 0 }, 500);

    createjs.Tween.get(rightarm, {loop: 5})
        .to({ rotation: 60}, 500)
        .to({ rotation: 0 }, 500)
        .to({ rotation: -60 }, 500)
        .to({ rotation: -20 }, 500);

}

<!DOCTYPE html>
<!-- 8 Bits and a Byte - DARVA -->
<html lang="en">
	<head>
		<meta charset="utf-8">
		<title>DARVA</title>
		<script type="text/javascript" src="jquery-3.4.1.min.js"></script>
		<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="style.css" >
	</head>
	<body>
				<div>
					<canvas id="myCanvas" width="1920" height="1920" style="border:0px solid #000000;"></canvas>
				</div>
		<script type="text/javascript" src="createjs.js"></script>
		<script type="text/javascript" src="tweenjs.js"></script>
		<script type="text/javascript" src="darva.js"></script>
	  </body>
</html>

DARVA - The Event Assistant

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Overview

Introduction and Showcase Video

Analog Robot

Digitized Robot

Virtual Assistant

Raspberry Pi 4

DARVA

Code

JavaScript

HTML

CSS

Credits

Comments

Embed the widget on your own site

DARVA - The Event Assistant

DARVA - The Event Assistant

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Overview

Introduction and Showcase Video

Analog Robot

Digitized Robot

Virtual Assistant

Raspberry Pi 4

DARVA

Code

JavaScript

HTML

CSS

Credits

Comments

Related channels and tags