INITIALIZING AURA
Harmonizing Robotics, IoT & Real-Time Intelligence
AURA automates ordering, kitchen communication, billing, and customer interaction - seamlessly reducing waiting times, elevating the experience, and maximizing operational efficiency.
AURA is an intelligent robotic dining assistant and integrated restaurant management platform designed to modernize the dine-in food service industry. It combines social robotics with IoT connectivity and a real-time software ecosystem.
Through AURA, guests can browse visual menus, customize and place orders instantly, track food preparation, and settle bills - all from their table. Orders transmit directly to the kitchen in real time, eliminating communication delays and human errors.
Robot physically turns toward the customer, fostering natural engagement
"Hey AURA, what are today's specials?" - hands-free ordering
AURA smiles for photos and provides branded digital frames
AURA goes beyond digital ordering - introducing advanced interactive hardware & software capabilities.
Advanced touch sensors make the robot physically turn toward the customer upon interaction, creating a natural and engaging dynamic.
Analyzes cart, time of day, and context to suggest high-margin add-ons - AURA acts as your restaurant's most effective salesperson.
"Hey AURA, can we get another round of drinks?" - natural language voice commands remove friction and encourage spontaneous ordering.
Integrated camera analyzes expressions in real-time - offering assistance for confusion or suggesting items if the customer appears undecided.
Fully localized visual menus in English, Sinhala, and Tamil - all guests navigate comfortably without language barriers.
Background music, interactive mini-games while food is prepared, and automated Birthday Celebration Mode with screen animations.
A look at the AURA platform - from concept to prototype.(will be added soon)
A three-layer IoT architecture - robot nodes, messaging broker, and central intelligence.
Raspberry Pi 4 (8GB) units at each table with 5" touchscreen, camera, OLED displays, servo motors, and PIR sensors. Handles UI rendering, computer vision, motion control, voice input, and face detection autonomously.
Mosquitto MQTT broker over Wi-Fi coordination. Enables real-time pub/sub messaging between robot nodes, WebSocket communication for live dashboard updates, and Kitchen Display System notifications.
Spring Boot backend on AWS EC2 with PostgreSQL database. Aggregates orders, powers kitchen display, admin dashboard, payment gateway, and REST APIs. Maintains persistent order history and analytics.
From sit-down to kitchen notification - a seamless automated flow.
PIR motion sensor wakes AURA. Camera activates, OpenCV begins face detection, servos align toward the customer.
Touchscreen displays visual menus with categories and prices. Customers customize orders via touch or voice.
JSON-encoded order with table ID published to the MQTT broker instantly over Wi-Fi - zero manual steps.
Backend receives order via MQTT+WebSocket, stores in PostgreSQL, and pushes real-time updates to the kitchen display dashboard. AURA confirms with lights & voice.
Every tool, framework, and component powering the AURA ecosystem.
Core Technologies
Robot / Embedded
Communication
Backend & Cloud
AI / Vision / Voice
Frontend
Software Environment
Hardware Specifications
Final self-funded component cost breakdown for one AURA robotic unit.
| # | Item | Qty | Unit Price (LKR) | Total (LKR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 inch 800×480 HDMI TFT LCD Touch Screen | 1 | 9,950.00 | 9,950.00 |
| 2 | HDMI Cable | 1 | 1,400.00 | 1,400.00 |
| 3 | 0.96 inch 128×64 OLED Display Module | 2 | 600.00 | 1,200.00 |
| 4 | Servo Motor Metal Wheel MG90 Full Set | 2 | 580.00 | 1,160.00 |
| 5 | Servo Motor Driver 16-Channel PCA9685 I2C | 1 | 1,060.00 | 1,060.00 |
| 6 | 4 Ohm 5W Speaker 1.5 inch | 1 | 980.00 | 980.00 |
| 7 | USB Microphone Dongle Raspberry Pi PC | 1 | 850.00 | 850.00 |
| 8 | Stepper Motor + ULN2003 Driver (5V) | 1 | 595.00 | 595.00 |
| 9 | 5V 3A SMPS Power Adapter | 1 | 570.00 | 570.00 |
| 10 | TPA3118 BTL 60W Mono Digital Audio Amp | 1 | 520.00 | 520.00 |
| 11 | TTP223 1-Channel Digital Capacitive Touch | 5 | 60.00 | 300.00 |
| 12 | 2-Axis Servo Bracket (Camera Mount) | 1 | 270.00 | 270.00 |
| 13 | HDMI Jointer | 1 | 250.00 | 250.00 |
| 14 | 8-Channel Bi-Directional Logic Level Converter | 1 | 170.00 | 170.00 |
| 15 | DC Jack Barrel Connector Female | 1 | 30.00 | 30.00 |
| Previous Total (Incl. Pi & Camera) | 48,395.00 | |||
| Raspberry Pi 4B (8GB) - Dept. Provided | 1 | − 28,000.00 | ||
| Pi Camera Module (V2) - Dept. Provided | 1 | − 1,190.00 | ||
| Final Accurate Total (Your Cost) | 19,205.00 | |||
Final-year Computer Engineering undergraduates, University of Peradeniya.
Lecturer, Department of Computer Engineering
University of Peradeniya
Faculty of Engineering · University of Peradeniya · 2025 / 2026
