Head

Dropbear's head is a crucial component, housing the AI processing unit and several sensors:

Nvidia Jetson Orin AGX, which provides 275 TOPS of computational power. This unit handles key AI tasks, including vision processing, motor control, and situational awareness. The data from the head’s 360° camera is fed directly into the Jetson, allowing for a comprehensive view of the surroundings, which the robot uses to make real-time decisions for navigation and object interaction.

Six ESP32 microcontrollers are connected to the Jetson Orin, managing the precise control of the neck, arms, and legs. The neck itself is mounted on a Stewart platform, giving it the flexibility to move in multiple directions with fine control. These ESP32s receive manipulation commands from the Jetson, ensuring that all motor functions—whether in the neck or limbs—are synchronized for smooth and stable movement.

A key responsibility of the head is maintaining balance through constant calculations of the robot’s center of gravity (CoG) and center of mass (CoM). The system runs reinforcement learning models to adjust all limb positions and ensure stability, especially when the robot is in motion or interacting with external objects. The head assembly, mounted on the Stewart platform, serves as a critical interface for both movement and overall balance control throughout Dropbear’s operations.