Project background
Classroom robotics platforms typically ship as fixed kits with limited expandability or as bare microcontrollers that require too much scaffolding for first-time builders. The brief was a friendly, classroom-ready bot that students can program, attach sensors to, and modify mechanically — without buying a new kit each unit.
Challenge
The platform had to be cheap to manufacture, durable in young hands, and expandable as students progressed from line-following to autonomous tasks. Wireless comms were essential for live programming and sensor logging, and the chassis had to be repairable rather than replaceable when a wheel snapped.
Approach & solution
We designed the bot end-to-end in-house: a 3D-printable PLA chassis with through-hull mounting points for sensors and front grippers, two driven wheels with ultrasonic sensors at the front, servo-controlled arm attachments, and a custom controller board around the ESP32 (Wi-Fi + BLE) with a sensor-shield interface. Students attach their own ultrasonic, IR, IMU, and line-sensor modules via a labelled header bus.
Results & benefits
The platform was rolled out across multiple classroom cohorts. Students built complete projects — obstacle avoidance, gripper-arm games, line following, telemetry over Wi-Fi — within a single term. The 3D-printed chassis cut per-unit cost dramatically versus off-the-shelf kits and lets schools repair parts on their own printers.
