Power Pet: The VR Companion You Can Actually Touch — Built with Arduino UNO Q

#arduino #vr #maker #robotics

## 🐾 Power Pet — When Your Virtual Pet Becomes Physical

Ever wondered why companion animals help us stay calm and focused — but the real thing requires money, care, and unpredictability?

A team at Reality Hack @ MIT 2026 answered that with Power Pet — a hybrid companion that exists in both VR and the real world!

## 🧠 How It Works

The system runs on Arduino UNO Q as its core, using a hybrid MCU + MPU architecture:

Linux side runs Python + WebSockets for networking
Microcontroller side handles real-time stepper motors and servo control

This division of labor keeps VR state and physical movement in perfect sync — no jitter.

Meta Quest 3 handles hand tracking: pat the virtual pet's head, and the physical one tilts toward you. Step closer? Both make eye contact and respond with gentle animations.

🎯 Why Makers Should Care

Real-world hybrid MCU/MPU architecture — a solid reference for robots or IoT projects handling multiple tasks simultaneously
Modulino sensors can detect stress indicators like temperature changes or fidgeting, triggering calming behaviors automatically
Tactile XR is a rising trend in 2026 — making the digital tangible

🚀 Project Ideas You Can Try

Build a desk companion robot that reminds you to take breaks
Use UNO Q in a robot running an external AI model while controlling actuators locally
Create a tactile feedback device for VR applications

Power Pet is a beautiful proof-of-concept: technology serving real human emotional needs — both technically impressive and genuinely comforting.

Project details & code: https://devpost.com/software/power-pet