Your first robot project

Every roboticist started somewhere — usually with something small that blinked or moved. Here's how to plan your first build.

Start with one job

A great first robot does one thing well. Some ideas:

• A light that turns on when a room gets dark
• A buggy that backs up when it sees a wall
• A hand that waves when you clap

What you'll need to think about

• Sense — how does it notice the world? (a sensor)
• Decide — what rule does it follow? (a tiny program)
• Act — what does it do? (a motor, a light, a buzzer)

Sense → decide → act. That's robotics in three words.

Then make it yours

Once it works, change one thing. Make it faster, louder, or smarter. That small change is real engineering.