The deadline for HackadayPrize 2021 is fast approaching.

Thanks to your help, I was able to post the video and I was able to fulfill all the mandatory requirements of the contest. In my video I put speech in Japanese but it has also English subtitles. Glad if you watch it.

Finally, this post will summarize the results of the last six months since Stack-chan was released to the public.

Implementing the robot

I have released the first version of Stack-chan.

I created the robot's exterior that is easy to build with less screws.

I built pan-tilt control board compatible with different kinds of motor(TTL serial/ PWM) and development module (M5Stack Basic/Go/Fire/CORE2)

I implemented features that form the basis of Stack-chan's communication.

- A motor driver for serial servos
- Avatar library with replaceable images
- Basic motion control and communication functions
  - Text to Speech
  - Face orientation and eye control
  - Facial expressions (smiling)
  - Lifelike breathing and blinking

- Architecture that can separate firmware into basic framework and user application

I have implemented several sample applications that demonstrate the capabilities of Stack-chan.

- Tracking the user's face (in combination with UnitV2)
- Talking at the push of a button- Replacing a face
-A "mimicry game" using multiple Stack-chans

I put together a README with Stack-chan parts, schematics, exterior data, and information on how to make Stack-chan, so that others could make Stack-chans.

Community Activities

The Stack-chan community was born, full of wonderful contributions and challenging minds.
Community members are actively exchanging information on a daily basis, and many examples are being created.
The examples include the following challenging elements

- Conducting and monetizing third-party workshops with original learning materials
- Transforming Stack-chan by modifying its exterior data
- Use cases in actual event displays. Catching the attention of participants
- Integration with AI services such as Siri, Google Translate, and Alexa
- Build-in walking functionality

In addition to thefive pull requests I got from the members,
I made improvements to the exterior, circuitry, and software based on the feedback we received through these activities.

Join the community today! Our base of activity is Twitter, and you can join right away by using the official hashtag #stackchan.

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Through the development of Stack-chan, I will continue to do my best to realize a "life with robots", a life in which robots not only provide a variety of support in daily life, but also enable us to enjoy the interaction itself.