Yeah but I'm not going for any kind of facial system, just robotic behaviour. The goal is really a robotic pet, something I've always wanted. Something that seems alive and responds to short term and long term stimulus. I don't know how much I can squeeze out of the arduino but it does have persistant memory so as a concept it can work.
I'm not talking skynet or AI, but something that roves around, investigating its environment and has noticably different behaviour. From wakeup it would move slowly (and at night via photoresistor sensor) but it would move faster after becoming awake, if happy would spin around, if sad would go an find a dark corner. Simple enough to code I think, the harder part is interacting to develop these emotions. Some kind of reward system for happiness maybe, like a button / sensor so you can pat it? Some kind of sanction for poor behaviour as well.
I've got 2 cats as well and I'd like them to interact - this might be a stretch too far because I'm not certain how to do motion tracking and movement towards said motion for basic interaction. Not certain with simple sensors anyway.
For a school project I'm already doing the programming myself, with their input into actual behaviour that we want the bot to have. Some are interested in the programming side but starting at the beginning it's hard. Even the basic idea of programming is hard for a novice, let alone variables and semi colons and loops etc.