About

Thanks for visiting my blog!

At work, I’m a game developer, with over 10 years experience making console games and mobile games

In my free time, I love making robots, 3D printing, and learning circus acrobatics.

I’m wildly passionate about all of those things, so I may write about any of those at this blog!

I post a lot of my personal projects on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cevinius

You can find my 3D printable designs on Thingiverse: http://www.thingiverse.com/cevinius/designs

And, you can follow me on Twitter!

41 thoughts on “About”

  1. Does your sphero app work with iOS? In watching the video it appears you still have to tap on the app in order for some of the voice control to function, is this the case? I’m trying to come up with a gift for a friend who was recently paralyzed. He is completely paralyzed so if he has to tap on the app it really wouldn’t work. You can read about his story below and he’ll be on the Ellen DeGeneres show today

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/09/10/how-drew-brees-helped-a-marine-and-his-friend-get-through-war-and-heartache/

    1. Hi Kristen,

      My app is only on Android at the moment. I’m planning to port to iOS, but it’ll take more time.

      The app does require at least a tap on “Listen” to start the conversation. It will then try to keep the conversation going… However, if you stop talking to it, it will assume you’ve wandered off, and then you’ll need to tap “Listen” again to restart the conversation. So, it might not work…

      With my other robot project (MobBob), I used face detection to trigger starting to listen. (Here’s a video of that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENuJVaBbQxE) So a system like that might work for your friend. I’ll have to look into it as a future option.

      Cevinius

      I hope you find the perfect gift, and I wish you friend well.

      1. Hello, cevinius:
        Nice to know you, I am very interested in your Mobbob Project and implement a protype by myself. But there are some problems I want to consult you. I am in the Chinese mainland and maybe you know that I can’t access many websites like Google Play, youtube, twitter, facebook, etc. So it will be very helpful if you can give me your email and I will contact with you through it.

        The sincerity anticipates your reply (to my email: binhu@ia.ac.cn).

        1. Hi Bin,

          It’s very nice to meet you. I’ll send you an e-mail to pass on my contact, but I would prefer to answer questions as comments on the MobBob page (instead of via e-mail) as much as possible. That way, if other people have similar queries, they can see the answers too!

          Look forward to talking more soon.

          Thanks,
          Kevin

  2. Hello civinius, I liked your project. I live in Brazil and I teach English to my son, and this is a good start. Schools here are bad and expensive. I hope to publicize their work to others. Sorry for bad English. I’m having trouble getting the battery, there is another to replace.
    Thank you. hugs

    1. Hi Andre,

      I wish you all the best for your build. You should be able to other batteries. I think most phone booster batteries should be fine. They should provide a stable 5V. Pick one that provides a stronger current output. (If it’s hard to tell, perhaps avoid small looking batteries. Those probably use a single cell and then step the voltage up to 5V, reducing the current that it output.)

      After you find a battery, you can adjust the holder for your battery, or else attach it some other way!

      Again, I wish you all the best for your build!

      Kevin

  3. Hi,

    I have a problem opening the mobbob app in my old android phone. When it opens, then it will close back to the main screen. Could you please help me? The phone model is GT-S5301

        1. Hmm. The earliest version of Android I’ve tried was KitKat (4.4), so I’m not sure if earlier versions are supported. The app has been tested most using Android 5 (‘Lollipop’).

          So I’m not sure if it’ll work with 4.0.4.

    1. Hi Lily,

      When I first started, I was using 123D Design. However, I now use Blender to do all my modeling. Blender is not the easiest to learn (and some of the ways it works is not very intuitive…) However, I find that Blender makes it fairly easy to set precise sizes and positions for all the parts/objects, and it’s free!

      Thanks,
      Kevin

  4. hello,

    I don’t understand why I start MOBBOB app and begin to talk with him,every times the app will crash.
    Is there some issures with Google service?

    Thanks

    1. Are other apps working with the Google Speech-To-Text? For example, maybe try doing a voice search from Google Now. That can help narrow down whether it’s related to the voice recognition functionality.

      (I will be doing some updates soon, and will do some testing here with the latest version of Android, etc.)

      Thanks,
      Kevin

      1. I had a try and found it’s nothing wrong with the Google Speech-To-Text.
        Look forward to your update 😀

          1. Hi Lily,

            Sorry about the delay. I haven’t had much time recently due to work. However, I’m working on MobBob this weekend, so I’ll have an update tomorrow.

            Kevin

          2. Hi Lilly,

            I did some tests on the weekend and the voice recognition is working OK for me. Just to check, is the voice recognition set to English on your device? Also, do you have any other Android device that you can test it on? Which country are you in? I think Google services doesn’t work in some countries, and the voice recognition relies on that.

            I am currently working on a major update to the MobBob app. I am rewriting a lot of it. I’m doing a re-organization of the code to make everything tidier and more extensible. I want to start adding new interactions and functionality to the app. It’s taking me a while… and it’s still not complete… I will be using some different libraries in the new version, so if you still don’t have luck with the current version, maybe try the new version when it’s already.

            All the best! Sorry, I can offer more advice at this stage.

            Kevin

  5. I am using bluno mini ble , I used the BlunoDemoApp for android as the base to edit the android app.
    I have no problem connecting to its ble and sending serial commands via its main page. The problem comes in when I tried to create a 2nd activity and implement some button to send some serial commands. Though commenting off the onPause() and onStopProcess() on the MainActivity , I managed to prevent the bluetooth service from disconnecting and close. So the bluetooth connection remain thoughout but the serial commands wouldn’t work on the 2nd activity still , but it work on the 1st activity. Been on it for a few days =x.

    Would appreciate if you can guide me or provide me with source code so that I can understand it better.

    Thanks

    1. Hi Jack,

      Can’t offer any advice on that unfortunately… I wrote my app using the Unity game engine, so I didn’t have to handle the Android Activities at that level.

      So you can send commands successfully from the first activity?

      Thanks,
      Kevin

  6. Hello!

    I’m from South Korea.
    I’m very glad that I found your website.
    I have a assignment for one of my class(Digital signal Processing) regarding Sphero. I have to control Sphero w my voice in Android Studio application.

    I want to ask if you can share your code w me please.

    Thank you.

    1. Hi THOR,

      I didn’t write my app with Android Studio. I used the Unity game engine. So I don’t think my code is relevant for your use.

      All the best,
      Kevin

  7. Hi Kevin,

    We are coming to Melbourne for the coming Aug. My son and i would like to meet you for the checking out the MOBBOB.

    Possible to meet you there?

    Look forward to her from you soon.

    Erik

    1. Hi Erik,

      Sorry about the slow reply. I’ve been busy with work and haven’t had time to check this site.

      I’m traveling overseas for work in the early part of August. If I’m around when you’re here, we could try to meet in a cafe in the city or something.

      Hope you have a great trip to Melbourne.

      Kevin

  8. Hello, Mr. Cevinius.

    Thank you for your sharing good contents.
    I am Korean, and my name is Kim, Gyung-hyun.
    I am studying DIY, 3D printer, and Robot in Korea.
    My personal blog address is http://kimgyunghyun.com
    My tech cafe address is http://cafe.daum.net/diylab
    I am translating foreign DIY contents into Korean as follows.

    – Below –

    1. 3D printer design and production contents REPRAP.ORG
    2. HUMANOID robot design and production contents INMOOVE
    3. I would like to introduce your design and production contents MobBob V2 to Korea.

    I am studying MobBob V2 contents and translating them into Korean.
    I have a samsung galaxy s6 edge plus model smartphone, so I tried to download MobBob app. from Google Play.
    But, Google Play displays a message that the address you provided could not be retrieved.
    Android App (Google Play) : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cevinius.MobBob
    If you don’t mind, could you help me to download or receive MobBob V2 app?
    I wish your positive reply. Thank you.

    Kim, Gyung-hyun in Korea

    E-mail: kimgyunghyun@hanmail.net
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimgyunghyun

  9. Hello, Mr. Cevinius.

    Thank you for your sharing good contents.
    I am Korean, and my name is Kim, Gyung-hyun.
    I am studying DIY, 3D printer, and Robot in Korea.
    I am translating foreign DIY contents into Korean as follows.

    – Below –

    1. 3D printer design and production contents REPRAP.ORG
    2. HUMANOID robot design and production contents INMOOVE
    3. I would like to introduce your design and production contents MobBob V2 to Korea.

    I am studying MobBob V2 contents and translating them into Korean.
    I have a samsung galaxy s6 edge plus model smartphone, so I tried to download MobBob app. from Google Play.
    But, Google Play displays a message that the address you provided could not be retrieved.
    If you don’t mind, could you help me to download or receive MobBob V2 app?
    I wish your positive reply. Thank you.

    Kim, Gyung-hyun in Korea

    1. There have been a lot of requests for this, and it’s long overdue. I’ll try to make the APK available somewhere soon. Thanks to everyone who has been so patient.

  10. I hope you are well.
    I love your project I would like to see if you can develop a Spanish version of the APP, because this project can reach the children of the Latin American school.
    Please let me know if you are interested to talk.

    Jonathan Rojas
    From Ecuador

    1. Hi there, Thanks for getting in touch. That is a fantastic idea, but unfortunately, I don’t know enough Spanish to do that. 🙁

      1. Hello Mr. Cevinius, I am from Barcelona, ​​Spain and I am willing to help with Spanish, for me it would be no problem!

        regards!

  11. Hello…I really enjoyed your project(s). I am currently trying to make an interactive game to aid with anxiety management. The game is complete on Unity and I have done an initial prototype for the hardware is on Arduino Uno. I want to migrate the hardware to a Bluno Beetle v1.1. The code is on the board now but for some reason it doesn’t want to communicate with Unity. I also cannot seem to get the Bluetooth on it to work. I would really appreciate any help with this. I have been struggling with this for close to two weeks now and I have contacted DFRobot as well amongst other people, but to no avail.

  12. Hello, I am a monitor of educational robotics, I love the project for my students, in the play store, the app no ​​longer comes out, I see users who use Unity, how could this app advise?
    Thank you very much, greetings from Barcelona.

    1. Hi Jordi, Thanks for getting in touch. I haven’t had time to work on this project due to my work. The app needs a major update before it can go back into the store. I would like to create an updated version of this project with current hardware/software when I get time though.

  13. Hello,

    I hope I’ve found the right person! I’m looking for promotional material for Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis. When I was a child I had a magazine with an ad for the game in it, with excellent artwork that I have never been able to find online. To my dismay I’ve found I lost the magazine and now I fear that artwork could be lost forever. I was wondering if you would be able to guide me to a place or person that would have copies of the promotional material for that game? I would greatly appreciate any help, and I’m glad to see that you’re working on new projects!

    Thanks,
    Seth

  14. Hello,

    First I would like to thank you for your work! I am a technology education teacher and passionate about helping the disabled. My god son uses a tablet as a talker and I have redesigned your robot to hold a tablet and fit together with snap and clip together parts. Would you mind sharing the android code. I have a hope that I could add a few features to it to allow my god son to select boxes to talk and have the bot move to position.

  15. Hello,

    Thank you for the good work done with MobBob, it’s great!

    I am a software developer and I have a good knowledge of Unity. I would love to see the code and try to adapt it or test it with new features to my liking. There would be any chance to get the source code of the apk? through git, you could put some MIT or GPL license so that you are recognized as the author.

    Thanks

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