## 🐾 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