Don't Kick Me!
Chuan Tsai, Devlyn Kornegay
Don’t Kick Me is an interactive robot that subverts the expected role of a soccer ball. Rather than inviting play, the object resists being kicked, exhibiting fear in response to human proximity and intention. Through distance sensing and voice interaction, the robot negotiates trust with the participant. It approaches cautiously, retreats when threatened, and reacts emotionally to perceived betrayal. These behaviors frame the robot not as a passive object, but as an agent capable of hesitation, resistance, and self-preservation.
Techniques
Arduino Nano 33 loT
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distance sensing
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DC motor control
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HC-05 bluetooth connection (with python)
Python
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Text-to-Speech ⢠ElevenLabs
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Speech-to-Text ⢠Vosk
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motor status sending
Interaction
Because the robot takes the form of a soccer ball that does not want to be kicked, all interactions are built around avoidance, trust, and resistance. All interactions are built through voice and distance.
When the viewer calls it to come closer, the ball may cautiously approach, but only to a certain distance. If the viewer storten the distance and attempt to kick it, it will immediately scroll back and say "Please don't kick me, it hurts".
When the participant calls it to come closer again, the ball will then seek reassurance by asking the participant not to kick it. If the participant agrees and respects its space, the ball begins to trust, allowing closer interaction. However, if the participant breaks this trust—by moving too close after promising not to kick—it reacts by retreating and entering an agitated state, expressing frustration and refusing cooperation.
Through these interactions, the robot establishes a fragile relationship with the participant, where trust must be negotiated and maintained. The experience shifts from controlling an object to interacting with an agent that has its own boundaries and responses.