Robots are interesting, but building them can feel like rocket science if you’ve never tried one. But once you try it, you’ll quickly realize that robotics is very easy. With a few simple projects, you can quickly grasp the basic concepts and use them to your advantage by building even more useful robots in the future. can not believe? Here are nine fun DIY projects to get you started in robotics.
1. Simple Hopping Robot
Got a unique robotic creation that you built months or weeks ago but haven’t brought it out yet because it’s not mobile? Make simple robotic wigs as shown in this Make: Guide. The robot will definitely remind you of the aliens in early sci-fi series and shows, but that’s exactly the point – what makes the robot so unique, makes people wonder if you’re a beginner.
Surprisingly, making veg is not that challenging. If you are planning on building your own autonomous robot, you might want to consider using Whigs.
2. Clack Bot
Prefer a fun, incredibly minimalistic take on robotics? There is one in this Instructables guide – Clack the Bot. Unlike most robotic projects that insist on perfection, Clack is completely imperfect. The clack has two motors with different speeds for the wheels and spoons of different lengths. As a result, the bot moves at different speeds and spins around instead of just going in one direction.
This is a fun bot to make, especially if your child wants to be a part of the project. Here are some more easy, budget-friendly robotics project ideas for kids.
3. Simple Walker Robot
Want to give your simple robots some mobility, but didn’t like the PVC-based Whg above? We’ve got another simple walker robot to speed up your creations. And if you thought the previous one was easy to make, this one is even easier because most of its construction is zip-tied.
The legs are based on rubber spatulas, while the body features a multi-purpose PC board, a ruler, and turnbuckles modified as the main frame. The heart of this project is the Arduino Uno Rev, while a standard servo motor powers it. See the Instructables guide for a list of the rest of the components.
4. Skitter Bot
Do you have a bunch of scrub brushes that you don’t want to throw away because of the consistency? Turn them into this simple Skeeter bot, then gift it to a curious child or adult with an interest in robotics and watch them get excited. It has an H-bridge motor driver, the setup process of which is well detailed in the Instructables project, and a motor attached to a lever switch, which means the bot can be toggled to move in opposite directions.
5. Scrub Bot
Daily household chores like washing the dishes, mopping your floors, and clearing the table may seem simple, but do them for days in a row and you may just find that you have a robot for the job. well guess what? You don’t need to wish anymore.
Build the simple scrub bot illustrated in this Instructables guide and watch your to-do list shrink significantly. It can polish your floors and does it better than you because it spreads tiny soap particles evenly over the surface it’s cleaning, then rubs away. All you have to do is soap it up and let it do the work. The best part is that it’s non-patented, so you can consider incorporating it to make your operations more efficient.
6. Hopscotch Bot
Remember the playground game hopscotch? One where we would draw a grid on the ground, throw a small stone into a square, and jump on every subsequent empty square? If the stone or your marker falls on the line, you will lose your turn and will be forced to wait and watch as the other players frolic around.
Those were the good old times, and by building this hopscotch bot, you’ll be reminded of these memorable childhood moments every day. Sure, it can’t play as your hopscotch partner, but it moves like the way we do when playing the game – see how it’s made in an Instructables project.
7. Barreler Bot
Want a fun, simple bot you can use to entertain a child? Looking for a robotic project that will keep your kitties busy so they don’t try to nibble on your fingers (kittens have a serious case of finger obsession) while you try to do something?
Whether your predicament fits the first or second problem, this barreler bot is the answer. It is essentially a can or jar with an off-center motor designed to propel it endlessly in any direction. This means that if you put it on the floor, it will keep rolling until you stop it. This robot can even roll on an inclined surface!
Now, if your baby or kitten’s problem is boredom, this will keep them busy. But this is not necessarily its only use. If you have other ideas on how to use it, the Instructables tutorial will show you everything you need to make it at home.