Technical Development of the CeCi Social Robot

This research presents the technical considerations for implementing the CeCi (Computer Electronic Communication Interface) social robot. In this case, this robot responds to the need to achieve technological development in an emerging country with the aim of social impact and social interaction. There are two problems with the social robots currently on the market, which are the main focus of this research. First, their costs are not affordable for companies, universities, or individuals in emerging countries. The second is that their design is exclusively oriented to the functional part with a vision inherent to the engineers who create them without considering the vision, preferences, or requirements of the end users, especially for their social interaction. This last reason ends causing an aversion to the use of this type of robot. In response to the issues raised, a low-cost prototype is proposed, starting from a commercial platform for research development and using open source code. The robot design presented here is centered on the criteria and preferences of the end user, prioritizing acceptability for social interaction. This article details the selection process and hardware capabilities of the robot. Moreover, a programming section is provided to introduce the different software packages used and adapted for the social interaction, the main functions implemented, as well as the new and original part of the proposal. Finally, a list of applications currently developed with the robot and possible applications for future research are discussed.