Prolonged sitting is common in modern study and work environments, particularly among students and office workers who spend long hours at a desk. This sedentary behavior can contribute to health issues such as reduced physical activity and musculoskeletal strain. AuraBot addresses this problem by acting as an edge-AI desktop companion that monitors user presence, tracks sitting duration, and provides timely wellness reminders through sensing and voice interaction. By integrating these features into a low-friction desktop system, AuraBot aims to encourage healthier work habits and regular movement during long work sessions.
AuraBot addresses sedentary behavior by using a small desktop robot that monitors whether a user is present and how long they have been sitting. The system uses a Raspberry Pi 5 to run edge-AI tasks such as camera-based presence detection, speech recognition, and LLM-based conversational responses, while an ESP32 microcontroller controls sensors, movement, and audio feedback. Communication between components is handled through lightweight messaging frameworks such as MQTT and WebSocket. By combining computer vision, voice interaction, and local edge computing, AuraBot can provide timely wellness reminders and encourage users to take breaks without relying heavily on cloud services.
The project produced a functional AuraBot prototype that integrates real-time presence detection, wellness monitoring, conversational interaction, and robotic actuation. Testing demonstrated approximately 10 FPS vision performance on the Raspberry Pi 5 using the IMX500 AI camera pipeline, along with reliable timer-based voice interaction and stable MQTT communication between the Raspberry Pi and ESP32. Additional deliverables include the completed robot enclosure, CAD designs for both the robot and station, integrated hardware assembly, and a user manual documenting system setup and operation. Together, these outcomes demonstrate the feasibility of an edge-AI desktop companion designed to promote healthier desk habits.