How we built a robot bull for Camsoda using webRTC and IoT.
The only thing better than watching someone go for a ride, is to be the person in control of it.
Here at Camsoda, sharing good times with our viewers is always of top priority, so we had the fun idea of streaming some of our gorgeous models saddling up for a ride on a mechanical bull using low latency webRTC and IoT. We got to thinking; how can we get Camsoda viewers to take part in the party rather than watching it from afar?
The idea came pretty quickly – We’ll build a community-controlled Mechanical Bull!
- ⏰ Hours to complete the project: 446
- 👫 Number of team members: 8
- ☕️ Coffee provided: Unlimited
There’s no denying the pull for attention of everyone in the room when someone is riding a Mechanical Bull. What initially started as a training device for bull riders in the 1930’s grew to be an attraction at county fairs, events and, eventually, bars. People can’t get enough of watching others trying to conquer the steel beast and one thing’s for sure – a Mechanical Bull is cause for a good time.
Let’s Dig Into How We Did It!
What? A custom user controlled Arduino, IoT bull
So how exactly are viewers at home given access to the servo control?
Through the use of an Arduino nano, of course!
Camsoda viewers can tune in to our Control-the-Bull live streams and have a turn sending models on a wild ride by sending tips in exchange for control of the bull.
The Arduino nano is a small but efficient micro controller often used in electronic projects and robotics. This micro board can communicate with other computers, micro controllers and cloud networks.
When viewers give tips, they are given access to send commands to this micro controller, which then passes the command to the RC servo control PCB. This allows you to control how fast, hard, or smooth the ride is for our models.
World’s First Community-Controlled Mechanical Bull
Giving control of a mechanical bull to an online community has never been done before. Camsoda viewers around the world can tip and take control of starting or stopping the bull, and setting speed, direction, and difficulty while watching the model ride through these commands in real-time. It’s yet another fun and engaging initiative made by Camsoda to allow you to interact more personally with our models. Tips can be made throughout the live show via credit card or cryptocurrency.
Implementing WebRTC
Camsoda is built using our own state of the art custom implementation of webRTC, we knew our platform would be perfect to fulfill our goals of low latency video for the user controlled inputs of the bull. This enabled us to stream the remote control in real time, with very low latency. In short, watching and controlling the bull is very satisfying for the user allowing for them to control our bull riding ladies in real time.
Makeup Of The Bull
The Camsoda bull is a feat in a few ways; from it’s custom PCB controlling our IoT bull and state of the art custom webRTC video layer but that’s not all, the mechanics of our bull are also worth mentioning.
The first mechanical bulls were crude and simple builds that rigidly swirled and jolted until their riders fell off. Over time, they have become more advanced and sophisticated, incorporating new technologies to create a more realistic and challenging experience. Modern Mechanical Bulls can now sway, gallop, and buck, much like the real deal.
Mechanical bulls consist of a large mechanical platform that is attached to a motor, and a bull-shaped outer covering that is mounted on top of it. The rider sits on the bull and holds onto a handle, while the device simulates a bull’s bucking, spinning, and jumping movements.
The main hardware specs of our controls were:
- Steel frame
- 2 High Torque HS 805BB RC Servo Motors
- RC Servo Control PCB
- DC Power Converter 5v-12V at 15 amps
- 2 Clevis and Rod Assemblies
- 6V DC Power Supply
A History of Camsoda Internet Controlled Devices (IOT)
A pioneer in Internet of things devices (IoT), Camsoda has been presenting its viewers with playful innovation for the past 8 years. In 2016 Camsoda introduced the world to Cambot. A small roomba like device with a mounted cam, cambot’s excursions throughout the Camsoda Voyeur House are controlled by Camsoda viewers across the globe.
Further advances in technology made way for the creations of Camsoda’s viewer controlled sex toy, Fuckbot in 2017. Fuckbot gives viewers a chance to send commands to the toy throughout a model’s performance. In 2018, Camsoda viewers were presented with the world’s first robot camgirl, Cardibot . Viewers can send commands to Cardibot and watch her dance and twerk for her audience.
More recently in 2020, Camsoda gave viewers real-time control of full size cars on the road to destruction with the debut of Car Wars. Viewers tip to have control of the cars and race against competition.
And now, in 2023, Camsoda presents Control-the-Bull, the world’s first internet-controlled mechanical bull !
