Made the Case More Complex

What I did: I made the case complex by adding a Arduino slot and a place for the wires to connect it to a breadboard.

How I did it: I asked Tanook how I can make my case more complex and he gave me the idea of adding LEDS. TO add LEDS I thought about using the Arduino Uno I already have to control the LEDS which will be on a breadboard on top of the case. To add the Arduino to the case I wanted to make it look clean so I decided to make a slot in the lid where the Arduino Uno would sit. I also added a battery holder underneath so it would look clean.

What went well: Making the actual case went well but doing the measurements and adding them to the model was annoying.

What's next: I will make the onshape models to simulate how the final design will look like.

Made the 3d model

What I did: I uploaded the case and learned how to use Onshape.

How I did it: To learn Onshape I watched the tutorials in the learning hub and practiced moving around. I edited the case to make sure there is enough space for the pins of the screen to fit.

What went well: Learning Onshape was a hard, but once I got the hang of it, it became easy.

What's next: I will add a powerbank to the design to ensure portability. After I made the models I realized that I forgot to add the speaker and decided to use external speakers I already have.

Wrote The Code

What I did: I used python to create the code. After writing the code in VS Code, I deployed it to the Raspberry Pi. I first got Raspberry Pi OS on my Raspberry Pi to be able to run my code. I then installed all required libraries to run my code and cloned my github repository, which contained the code.

How I did it: I controlled my components using the RPi.GPIO library. I started configuring the microphone using Python's audio libraries. Additionally, I installed packages to support potentiometer readings and speaker output. In order to make updates after the items arrived easy, I wrote the code to keep each hardware function modular.

What went well: The Raspberry Pi booted successfully, and the libraries downloaded quickly. The code compiled without issues which was good.

Challenges: I had to troubleshoot some GPIO pin assignments and adjust screen resolution settings to match the display size. Installing the correct audio libraries for the microphone and speaker also took some trial and error.

Next steps: I plan to refine the code once all the parts arrive if my project gets approved.

Hardware Switch & Planning Code

What I did: I was starting the code for the Arduino Uno and then when looking through the specs to make sure that it would work to handle all the code on it's own I realized that it couldn’t handle Clippy’s requirements, so I looked at what I had and decided to use a Raspberry pi 3b instead.

How I did it: I reviewed the limitations of the Arduino Uno Rev 3 on the arduino web site and checked to see its processing power and capabilities. Once I concluded that the Arduino Uno could not handle the code I checked what other equipment I already had to make sure I did not spend anything extra and decided to use my Raspberry Pi 3b. The Pi supports Python and has enough processing power for voice input and screen output.

What went well: The switch made my project work and let me use improved items to make it run better.

Next steps: Update the README.md and begin coding. Coding will include adding the speech recognition for "Hey Clippy" and then adding the code to make it use chatgpt. After that I will work on adding captions on the screen and adding the image of clippy which is a bitmap I already have.

Made README.md

What I did: I wrote the README.md file and uploaded the .STEP file for the case.

How I did it: The README is a basic description of Clippy, the things I used, and what its basic functions should be.

What went well: The README.md tells the reader what the project should do and the materials used.

Finished Case

What I did: I completed the case.

How I did it: I added cutouts for the screen's pins and potentiometer. Since the screen’s pin dimensions weren’t on amazon, I estimated and adjusted the model accordingly. As for the mic it will be hidden inside the case and placed down by the ventilation holes.

What went well: The case is the exact size of the raspberry pi 3 and the components should fit cleanly in the lid and box.
Challenges: I’ll need to check if the screen fits after the screen and box arrive. If the screen does not fit I will cut out the hole so the screen does fit.

Created BOM.csv and started case

What I did: I made the BOM.csv file with the microphone and screen. I also began the case that will hold the Raspberry Pi, screen, microphone, and potentiometer.

How I did it: I researched the cheapest parts based on my plan and added them to the BOM. For the case I started by making the project files and adding the pieces needed.

What went well: I was able to find affordable components and made my BOM easily.

Next steps: I’ll finish the case, then move on to writing the README and starting the code.