Showcase: plan, build and share your robot
Pick a small robot project, plan it with a safety and test plan, build it step by step, and share it so others can learn from it.
In 60 seconds
Showcase: plan, build and share your robot
Pick a small robot project, plan it with a safety and test plan, build it step by step, and share it so others can learn from it.
Pick a project you can finish
| Project idea | Main skills | Stretch goal |
|---|---|---|
| Line follower that runs a full track | IR sensors, PID | Time laps, then improve the time without leaving the line |
| Room explorer that never crashes | Ultrasonic sensor, avoidance rules | Add side sensors or a bump switch |
| Voice-controlled robot | Language model, strict parsing, safety | Support two or more Indian languages |
| Path-reading robot with a camera | Tiny vision model, data collection | Test in three different rooms |
| Classroom helper that carries a small box | Motors, stability, careful testing | Stop automatically if the box slides |
Your project plan
- 1
Goal
One sentence: what the robot does and how you will know it works (a measurable test). - 2
Parts and power
Your parts list and power plan from lesson 5. - 3
Safety plan
Battery handling, supervision, test area, off switch, what to do if something gets hot. - 4
Build in stages
Simulator first, then wheels on a box, then the floor at low speed, then full speed. - 5
Test plan
Several runs, several starting points, recorded results, not just one good video. - 6
Share
Photos, a short video, your code and what you learned.
Keep a build log
Showing it well
- Only the one run that worked
- "It uses AI" with no detail
- No mention of problems
- Code not shared, or shared with passwords in it
- Results from several runs, including failures
- Clear explanation of each part: sensors, control, model, checks
- What went wrong and how you fixed it
- Clean code, with a short README, no secrets
Sharing responsibly
- Credit others. If you used someone's code, diagram or idea, say so and follow its licence.
- No secrets. Remove Wi-Fi passwords and API keys from code before you share it.
- Privacy. Ask before showing other people's faces or voices, and take extra care with children.
- Honest claims. Say what the robot really does, and in what conditions it was tested.
- Safety notes. If others might copy your build, include the safety steps: batteries, soldering, supervision.
Watch and read more
Lab
A one-page project plan with a measurable goal, a safety plan, a test plan and a sharing plan, ready to build.
The problem
Write a one-page plan for your own robot project (virtual or real).
- Goal: one sentence with a number you can measure.
- Parts and power: your list, or "simulator only".
- Safety plan: at least four rules: batteries, supervision, test area, off switch. If you solder or use lithium cells, include those.
- Build stages: at least four stages from simulator to final test.
- Test plan: how many runs, from which starts, what you record, and what counts as a pass.
- Sharing plan: what you will show, what you will remove (secrets, faces without permission), and who you will credit.
- Ask a friend or teacher to read it and write down one question they had.
PROJECT PLAN
Goal (with a number):
Parts and power:
Safety plan:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Build stages:
1. Simulator:
2. Wheels on a box:
3. Floor, low speed:
4. Final test:
Test plan (runs, starts, what I record, pass rule):
Sharing plan (what I show, what I remove, who I credit):
Reviewer's question:You are done when
Hard questions
Try to answer before you reveal. If you can answer these, you understood the lesson.
Q1Your robot passes your test 5 times out of 5 at home. Is it ready for a public showcase? What else would you test?Reveal
Not yet. Test in conditions like the showcase: a different floor, different light, noise (for voice control), people moving nearby, and a battery that is not freshly charged. Test the stop and the off switch too. Five good runs at home only show it works at home.
Q2A visitor asks, "Is your robot intelligent?" How would you answer honestly?Reveal
Explain what it really does: for example, "It follows the line using two light sensors and a PID controller. It does not understand anything; it reacts to sensor readings with rules I wrote and tuned." If it uses a model, say what the model does, how accurate it was in your tests, and what safety checks sit around it. Honest, specific answers are more impressive than big claims.
Questions people ask
I do not have money for parts. Can I still do a showcase?
Yes. A simulator project is a real project. You can build a harder track in the simulator, compare controllers with numbers, or build the voice command checker. Many schools, libraries and maker clubs also share parts and tools; ask your teacher.
How long should my project take?
Plan a few weeks for a first robot, with small sessions. Things take longer than expected, especially wiring and debugging. That is normal. Plan the main goal to be finished well before the showcase day.
Where can I share my code?
Public code-sharing sites are common for this. Add a short README: what the robot does, the parts, how to wire it, how to run the code and the safety steps. If you are under the age a site requires, ask a teacher or parent to help, and follow the site's rules.
What if my robot fails on showcase day?
It happens to everyone, including professional teams. Have a video of good runs as backup, and explain calmly what you think went wrong. Explaining a failure well shows real understanding.
Lesson test
5 questions. Get 3 right (60%) to pass and complete this lesson.