Humanoid Expressive Head – 17-DOF
Development of a highly expressive 17-DOF humanoid robotic head for embodied AI interaction.
Project Requirements
This project presents a 17-degree-of-freedom humanoid expressive robotic head, constructed using fully 3D-printed mechanical components and servo-based actuation. The platform is integrated with ROS for modular control and extensibility, and leverages the OpenAI API to support AI-driven interaction and expressive behavior.
The Challenge
Developing a low-cost, highly expressive robotic face with realistic motion capabilities while maintaining mechanical robustness and ease of assembly. Integrating high-level AI reasoning (OpenAI) with low-level real-time servo control (ROS) for natural interaction.
The Approach & Solution
Designed a 17-DOF actuation scheme controlling eyebrows (2), forehead (2), cheeks (2), jaw, upper-lip, and eyes (8 - independent eyelid and eyeball motion). Created a custom silicone skin via mold casting for realistic appearance. Implemented a ROS-based control architecture bridging the physical hardware with AI language models.
The Results
17
upDegrees of freedom for facial expression
Real-time
upAI-driven conversational response
100%
up3D printed structural components
