How to Make a Robot?

A complete beginner's guide to building your first robot

Are you in college? Or in high school? Or just a hobbyist who wants to learn something new? If so, robotics is the perfect domain for you. But remember, robotics is not like what you see in the movies. There are three major kinds of robots:

Three Major Kinds of Robots

1. Basic or Beginner Level Robots
2. Intermediate Level Robots
3. Advanced Level Robots

If you are a beginner, then the question is:

How to Make a Robot as a Beginner?

1 Idea

First, decide what kind of robot you want to make. Can this robot be created with the knowledge you currently have? Start by googling beginner-level ideas. Some common beginner-friendly projects include:

• Obstacle Avoidance Robot
• Water Sensor
• Temperature-Controlled Fan
• And many more…

Choose an idea that excites you and seems achievable.

2 Bill of Materials

The Bill of Materials (BOM) is a list of all the components and tools you'll need for your project. Why is this important? Because it helps with budgeting and ensures you don't forget any essential part—even the smallest ones can make a difference.

3 Arduino Basics

What is Arduino? Arduino is an open-source platform that designs and produces microcontrollers.

And what is a microcontroller? It's the brain of the robot you are building.

You need to learn:

• How many pins Arduino has
• What each pin does
• How Arduino programming works

For beginners, Arduino Uno and Arduino Nano are most recommended.

4 Tools Required

You'll need some basic tools to build your robot:

Screwdriver

Soldering Iron

Multimeter
(a must-have)

Arduino IDE
(software tool for programming)

USB to Arduino wire
(to connect to your computer)

5 Procedure

1. First, check you have all the required materials from the BOM.
2. Test each component using a multimeter to ensure none are faulty.
3. Design the robot layout either in a notebook or using software like TinkerCAD (optional but helpful).
4. Begin wiring all the components properly.
5. Write the code and program your Arduino.
6. Test each pin of the Arduino to make sure it behaves according to your code.
7. Connect the Arduino to the main circuit.
8. Finally, connect all components, including the Arduino, to the main power supply.

And voilà! Your robot should start working.

Conclusion

It probably won't work perfectly on your first try—and that's okay! Keep trying. Keep improving. Keep fixing. Keep searching for solutions online. In the end, your project will work—and you'll learn a lot in the process.