Meet Shiro.
A cute, smart, and friendly personal robot to brighten your desk and your day.
A small friend with a big heart.
Shiro started as a simple idea: what if your desk companion could be more than just a smart speaker? What if it could show emotion, share your day, and help you focus, all while being incredibly cute? Shiro is our answer.
From Idea to Prototype
Shiro's journey has been one of passion, code, and a lot of trial and error. Here's how it all came together, one phase at a time.
Simulation in Wokwi
It all began as code. Before any hardware, Shiro's first "heartbeat" was in a Wokwi simulation, testing basic logic and eye movements.
- Idea validation and concept testing
- Basic I/O and logic flow
- First test of eye animation code
Arduino & Basic Eyes
The first physical prototype! We moved the code to an Arduino and added an OLED screen. Shiro could finally "blink" in the real world.
- First working hardware prototype
- OLED screen integration
- Simple, programmed eye expressions
ESP32 & Notification Sync
Shiro got a brain upgrade. Moving to the ESP32 allowed for WiFi, Bluetooth, and much smoother "Deasi Mochi" style animations. This is when Shiro connected to the Chronos app for real-time notifications.
- Upgraded to ESP32 for more power
- Fluid, dynamic eye animations
- First sync with Chronos app
UI & Touch Interaction
Shiro needed to do more than just look cute. We designed a clean UI for notifications, navigation, and time. A touch sensor was added for direct interaction.
- Clean UI for Time, Nav, and Notifications
- Touch sensor integration (TTP223)
- Gesture-based interaction logic
First Physical Body
With the electronics finalized, it was time to give Shiro a home. The first body was built from sunboard a simple, effective, and easily modifiable design to house all the components.
- Designed and cut sunboard (foam board)
- Housed all components (ESP32, OLED, battery)
- First fully contained, working prototype
- Now, Shiro has limited facial animations, but in the future, more animations will be added.
Small Bot, Big Personality.
Shiro is designed to be a helpful and delightful part of your workspace.
Cute Personality
Shiro reacts to your day with a range of dynamic eye animations.
Dynamic Eye Animations
Fluid, Mochi-style animations give Shiro a life-like and expressive face.
Chronos App Sync
Get notifications, navigation prompts, and reminders right on your desk.
Touch Interaction
A simple touch sensor lets you cycle through modes or react to notifications.
Easy to Build
Built with common components and open-source code.
Upcoming Upgrades
New face animations, voice commands, and a 3D printed body are next!
Build your own Shiro.
Shiro is an open-source project. We invite you to build, modify, and improve it. Download the circuit diagrams and the latest code to get started.
From Sketch to Life
A few glimpses into the design and build process.
The Journey Continues
Shiro is always learning new tricks. Here's what's coming up next.
Advanced Facial Expressions
Moving beyond eyes to a full mouth and emotional expressions for more personality.
3D Printed Body Design
Designing and printing a new, polished, and durable body to replace the sunboard prototype.
Voice & Mobility
The long-term dream: adding a voice module for commands and simple motors for reactive movement.
The Future of Shiro.
This is a conceptual render developed with Gemini AI, imagining the next evolution of Shiro. It features a polished 3D-printed body, advanced facial expressions, and a more integrated, seamless design.
Follow me to stay updated on the next version of Shiro and upcoming upgrades!
