Scribbler 3000

Afifa Akter, Mateusz Miara, Ferdus Rifa, and Fuming Xu

Department of English, The City College of New York

ENGL 21007: Writing for Engineering

Ms. Sara Jacobson

May 1, 2023

 

Introduction

Since our ability to innovate, people have been designing technology to address and adapt to problems of all kinds. It has become a natural extension of society, found in any corner you look in. As the world continues to evolve, new problems garner awareness, creating a self-fulfilling cycle where the need for new technology fosters new ones. One problem that is still present in everyday society is attempting to accommodate people with disabilities. While we have made several steps forward over the course of the decade, it is impossible to deny that we still have a long way to go before we have reached a state of equity. Below is a graph showing the population of people with disability from 2008 to 2022:

Figure 1

Note. From Wolfstreet.com (https://wolfstreet.com/)

As shown in the graph, the amount of people with disabilities is increasing dramatically as time goes on. Not to mention, notice the number of people that are disabled. Around 2022, about 33 million people were diagnosed with a disability. Our group has noticed this problem- and in response, we decided to respond by designing a robotic arm that can write and draw what the user desires. This will uplift the disadvantages for people with disabilities that affect their motor skills thanks to its accessibility. Compared to other alternatives, this plan has more benefits due to its portability, being voice automated, and its multi-function of drawing and writing. The general design for this concept is shown below.

Figure 2

Note: Drawn by Afifa Akter

Technical Description

In order to function as intended, the robotic voice-recognition writer requires a series of six different components; an Arduino board, a voice-recognition module, a robotic arm, a battery holder, a solid box, and jumper wires. The Arduino board- the first object listed previously- is a programmable circuit board. The circuit board is able to detect external inputs, allowing the electronic to transfer the data as an output. There are a variety of Arduino board models with their own benefits. For the robotic writer, we will be using the Arduino Uno model, as shown below. 

Figure 3

Note. From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduino_Uno)

While other further advanced models are much more complex, a simple and inexpensive version is more than sufficient for our device. This allows manufacturing costs to be cheaper without sacrificing any functionality. Towards the left-hand corner of Figure 3, you will be able to see a gray-metal cube-shaped object. That is the USB port, which is able to connect the computer through the corresponding USB cable. Once the connection is made, you are able to write the code on the computer, which will be sent to the board through the cord. The Arduino Uno Model also has thin black protruding segments with square holes on the right side. This is where it connects to the battery container and voice recognition module. 

The voice recognition module–next on the list- is what will be needed to make the entire machine voice-controlled. In order for the device to have an understanding of what inputs to process and what to do with the information, the component is connected to the Arduino board, which acts as an informant. The connection allows the part to be programmable. Below is an image of a voice recognition module:

Figure 4

Note. From Geeetech (https://www.geeetech.com/wiki/index.php/Arduino_Voice_Recognition_Module)

When a voice module is purchased, it is almost guaranteed that a microphone will be paired with it. The microphone helps pick up voices and then is processed to interact with the rest of the machine. The microphone gets inserted into a cylindrical nozzle from the outside. This can be seen near the top left of Figure 4, just north of a black box with 3 white squares. Meanwhile, the fork-like pins to the right of the module sticking out of the piece, is where you will be connecting your Arduino board to. 

Next on the list is the robotic arms. Naturally, creating your own robotic arm is optional. However, if you have a high budget and want to save time, buying a pre-made robotic arm is your best bet. This comes with a side note: when you are buying robotic arms, be sure that they are programmable. This requirement means that they are able to be controlled by codes from your computer. 

Then there are the battery holders. The battery holders will be connected to the Arduino board to power the entire board once the batteries are placed inside the cavity, as depicted below.

Figure 5

Note. From Adafruit (https://www.adafruit.com/product/3859)

The battery compartment gets connected to the circuit board by a black and orange wire. The battery holder is able to hold four AA batteries in order to power the device. These are lightweight and small enough to comfortably fit within the assembly of parts. 

Next, we have the wooden box. This outer shell encases the wires and components of the Scribbler 3000. It also acts as a protector so that the parts inside that make up the machine do not get damaged by outside components. Furthermore, the box helps compartmentalize the long wires that might get tangled up if not stored properly. This addition provides a slight quality of life improvement.

Lastly, we will male-to-female jumper wires. These wires will be used to connect the voice recognition module to the Arduino board. Below is an image of a bunch of male-to-female jumper wires:

Figure 6

Note. From Rocketscream (https://www.rocketscream.com/blog/product/premium-jumper-wires-male-female-250-mm-bundle-of-10/)

The reason it is called a male-female jumper wire is because it has both a male connector and a female connector. The male connectors are on the left side of the image, the ends with the needles that come out of the plastic adapter. The female connector has the inverse design, having a hole instead of the needle, as shown on the right side of the image. These two types of connectors are designed to pair with one another.

Cost of Money and Time

In order to build the Scribbler 3000, it will cost around two-hundred to three-hundred dollars. Each part of the Scribbler 3000 is available for purchase on Amazon. The voice recognition module can be received easily for cheap on the website, for an estimate of thirty dollars. The following piece, the Arduino board, can be found for only ten dollars. The robotic arm is the most expensive of them all, taking up more than fifty percent of the cost to make the robotic driver. The cheapest robotic arm will cost about one hundred dollars. By stark contrast, the battery container can be found on the same site for only ten dollars. Likewise, the final two components- the wooden box and the male-to-female jumper wires can also both be found listed for ten dollars each. Below is a pie chart showing the cost percentage of each component:

Figure 7

Note. Made by Fuming Xu

Once all of the items required are obtained comes the concern of the amount of time it takes to manufacture a single product. As for the time it requires to assemble the Scribbler 3000, due to how much coding and programming you need for the voice recognition module, it will take roughly two hours to three hours to assemble the machine. 

The process of Assembling 

The first step to building Scribbler 3000 will be connecting the battery container to the Arduino board. As shown in Figure 5, the battery holders will have two male wires. The two q0wires will be inserted into the female headers of the Arduino board as shown in the image below:

Figure 8

Note. From Instructables (https://www.instructables.com/3-Ways-to-Power-Up-Arduino-Uno/)

As shown above, the black wire from the battery holder will be inserted into the header labeled “GND”, while the red or orange wire will be inserted into the header labeled “VIN.” 

After the battery holder is connected to the Arduino, next, we will follow by connecting the voice recognition module to the Arduino board as well. When you unbox your voice recognition module, it will come with the module, a microphone, and connection wires. The issue with the wires provided along with the voice recognition module is that they are female wires. In order to connect the module to the Arduino board, you will need to male jumper wires. This is where the male-to-female jumper wires mentioned earlier come into play. Connect the female end to the voice recognition module and the male end to the Arduino board as shown below:

Figure 9

Note. from Electronoobs (https://electronoobs.com/eng_arduino_tut17.php)

Once the voice recognition module and the battery holder are connected to the Arduino board, we have to program the module.  This can be achieved through coding on the computer, sent to the circuit board through the USB cable attached to the Arduino board’s USB port. When it receives the information, it serves as a middle-man and sends appropriate code to the other parts as need be. Therefore, once the Arduino board is connected to our computer, we can start programming the voice recognition module. When programming, it is essential to use the manual provided alongside the module. The module has default settings and voice commands, so the first step when programming the module is deleting the default voice commands and settings. After the default commands are deleted, our assigned programmers will record their own commands. This will be created using the Arduino software, each command transcribed by being individually recited one at a time. The number of commands that can be recorded will vary depending on which voice recognition module you buy. The module we will be using for Scribbler 3000 can handle up to eighty commands. After each command is recorded, there will need to be a function tied to each one. For example, if you record yourself saying the letter “A,”  the robot needs to be programmed to understand what it needs to do when it hears the input. Since the voice recognition module is portable and will not be connected to a computer or smartphone, it lacks the speech-to-text function. This means that we will have to record each individual letter of the alphabet into the module. There are twenty-six letters in the alphabet, so twenty-six out of the eighty command slots will be dedicated to the letters of the alphabet, leaving fifty-four empty command slots. Two of the fifty-four remaining command slots will be used to create a power-on and shutdown command. The remaining fifty-two slots will be used to incorporate drawing functions. We will randomly select fifty-two animals or objects for Scribbler 3000 to draw.  

Once the programming for the voice recognition module is completed, the foundation to hold the arm needs to be set up. There will be various holes made into the wooden box to allow space for the other components. On top of the wooden shell,  a small opening will be carved for the wires of the robotic arms to pass through. On another side of the box, a big opening will allow access to the interior. For our foundation, we have also installed a door instead of leaving it as an opening. This is necessary because you will need to access the interior to replace the batteries of the Scribbler 3000 once the power runs out. Completing the big opening on the side, we follow it by making a smaller opening on the opposing side of the box. This opening is for the mic to pass through, allowing the Scribbler 300 to pick up verbal commands.

After all of the holes have been made, we begin to mount the robotic arm to the top of the box. Align the robotic arm with the opening that was made on the top of the box, and run the wires of the robotic arm through the opening at the top and into the inside of the box. To keep the robotic arm in place and on top of the box, glue the bottom of the robotic arm onto the box. 

Once the robotic arm is mounted on top, we will move the battery holder, Arduino board, and voice recognition module into the interior of the box. After we move those components to the interior, we will glue them onto the box to keep them in place. Since the battery holder and voice recognition module are already connected to the Arduino board, we simply connect the wires, which allows the circuit board to have communication with the arm.

When you have connected the robotic arm to the Arduino board, the  Scribbler 3000 should be functional. The only thing left is to insert the batteries into its compartment to power the robot. 

Scribbler 3000 VS Others

The Scribbler 3000 is not the first kind in its niche. However, it has numerous advantages. Other robotic arms require a high initial investment, whereas this Scribbler 3000 is simple and inexpensive. Moreover, other arms require constant monitoring to prevent mechanical malfunctions or mistakes. On the contrary, this robotic hand will be extremely accurate and precise because they operate exactly as programmed to do. Another benefit is that it will be more flexible at work. In addition, the size is smaller than most, and easier to assemble. This means that Scribbler 3000 will require much less effort to put the components together. Not only that, but the pieces needed can be obtained with little challenge. This means that the process of arranging the robotic arm is simple and straightforward. Having the Scribbler 300 is also convenient for the buyers. The arm is the power source runs on batteries, which are easy to purchase if they do not have stored in their house prior. Additionally, it is portable which means that they are able to set it up anywhere in their home and move as needed. Due to the fact that it is not computer-supported, it is more beneficial for the disabled people because they do not need to turn on a computer or do anything else. Also unlike the other robotic arms, ours is voice controlled. The majority of robotic arms are not voice-activated and are connected to computers. All of these demonstrate that Scribbler 3000 is better than other robotic arms. 

Conclusion

People are under tremendous stress to meet deadlines in our busy environment, just as students are under pressure to turn in their handwritten homework on time. Second, many people with disabilities are unable to continue their education because they are unable to write. Furthermore, as many people grow older, they become unable to write as a result of certain diseases. To address this problem, we decided to develop a robotic arm, whose function is to write and draw by itself. It is a mechanical arm that can perform writing and drawing needs of humans. It will work faster and more accurately than attempting to do so traditionally. This invention was an attempt to simplify people’s everyday lives, primarily for the benefit of disabled students. It could help us when we have too much to write as well as the people with bad handwriting. As a result, students could get their notes quicker and more effectively. The benefits are further amplified by the additional option available to consumers, to which they can change the settings of the pen and change its functions. It also has the feature to draw whatever we want perfectly. This also gives us an opportunity to save money, since the overall making cost is much more affordable compared to the other robotic arms in the market. It also reduces labor costs as well. Overall, it is a complete package that could enhance our quality of life. 

 

Works Cited Page 

Arduino Voice Recognition Module. Geeetech. (2014, April 29). Retrieved April 22, 2023, from https://www.geeetech.com/wiki/index.php/Arduino_Voice_Recognition_Module

Team, T. A. (n.d.). Arduino Uno R3. Arduino Documentation. Retrieved April 22, 2023, from https://docs.arduino.cc/hardware/uno-rev3

 Electronoobs. (2017). Voice controlled 3D printed Robot arm. YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved April 22, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA_VAgTqyU&ab_channel=Electronoobs.

 

Self reflection

This is the third assignment of this course, which is ‘Engineering proposal+presentation’. It is an interesting assignment which requires us to write a proposal about an engineering innovation and make a presentation and youtube video about how to make it, why it is important and how it works etc. It is the first group work in this semester. And I really enjoyed working with others. When we work togethers things become more easy and fun. At first we took some days to think about something important which needs to be innovated. So, we together decided to build an important innovation “a robotic arm which can write and draw” which mainly focused on the disabled people. After deciding the idea, we wrote the proposal and made the presentation really quickly. There are many robotic arms in the market but we tried to build something which is more easy to work with. It was something which runs on batteries and is not connected with a computer so the disabled people would not need to do anything much except talking. It is voice activated which is the main advantage. We can just speak our words and it will write it on the paper for us. So to work on it together we first divided our work into parts and decided who is good in which section. I mainly focused on the parts where I had to build the comparison about the robotic arm and the conclusion part. Other members in my group are so friendly and helpful. So, whenever I felt something confusing they helped me. After Working on the essay, we worked together on the presentation which only took us an hour to do. And then we recorded the video together and one of the members of my group edited that. I really enjoyed working on the assignment. It gave us an opportunity to turn our ideas into innovation which could help other people. I never thought I would be able to innovate something. Maybe I never tried. Also I get to know some people through working on that assignment. Overall, I really learned a lot of stuff and enjoyed working on the project.